MfMSA Muvyi 1 m i«m ■< Mi Pol iiwd—o Aiwinm Masaryk University medical students booklet Welcome MSA Welcome message 1 Lodging 3 Boarding 5 Faculty ofMedicine MasarykUniversity 7 St.Anne's University Hospital 10 The University Hospital Brno-Bohnice 11 Firsttimeinourhospitals 12 Czech Republic CountryintheheartofEurope 14 Tourists destinations 16 Travelling in Czech Republic 20 WelcometoBrno HistoryofBrno 23 MustseeinBrno 25 Brno City Life Transportation in Brno 29 MapofBrno-WEST 32 MapofBrno-CENTRE 33 Communication 34 Czechcuisine 37 Czech beer 38 Restaurants 40 Nightlife 41 Cafes 43 Shopping 44 Hey first years! MS MSA Congratulations on your acceptance to the Faculty of Medicine at Masaryk University. Welcome to your new home away from home, and your new family, MIMSA. The students in the international program at the Faculty of Medicine come from all over the world, creating an incredibly diverse community here in Brno, ofwhichyouare nowapart. Brno is a vibrant and ever-changing student city; you will notice it seems to always be under construction! As the second-largest city in the Czech Republic, there are many resources and amenities that Brno has to offer, although it still keeps its smaller, student-friendly charm. From city parks and national landmarks such as Spilberk Castle to the ever-growing list of pubs and restaurants, Brno will quickly become a comfortable home away from home, and speaking from personal experience, your friends^ favourite place to stop in and visit! MIMSA, the Masaryk International Medical Students^ Association, exists to provide medicine and dentistry students with opportunities and experiences outside the lecture halls, labs, and hospitals. MIMSA is also your representative to the Faculty of Medicine and Masaryk University. From educational seminars to social events, MIMSA is here to help you make the most of your university career both inside and outsidetheclassroom. Over the next few weeks, you will be settling into your new surroundings and flooded with new information, but don't worry, we are here to help! If you want to get more involved with MIMSA, or have any questions about Masaryk University, medicine, life, or any combination of all the above, send me an email at infoOmimsa.cz or visit our website at www.mimsa.cz. Even better, come by for a chat at the MIMSA Office, located in the basement of the Faculty of Medicine building at Komenského nám 2 (MedFac for short!) or stop me on the street, I'm excited tomeet you! Yours truly, Dale Kalina President Lodging Studentsat Masaryk University can choose from 8 dormitories, located in different parts of Brno. There are differences in prices, room layout and available facilities,** 0 A AC A between each dorm. Most foreign students live in one of two dormitories: Vinařská or"l t IVlW Kounicova. More information can be found at: www.skm.muni.cz Koleje Vinařská The majority offoreign students live here. Address:Vinarska 5, 603 00Brno Contact: Vackova Jana: (+420) 549 49 2705 Bookings: (+ 420) 549 49 4442 Email: koleie.vinarskaOskm.muni.cz These dormitories are situated near Brno fairgrounds (10 minutes from the centre by tram/bus). The complex includes a gymnasium, snack bar, university canteen (called "menza" in Czech) and Faculty of Economics and Administration. The accommodation capacity is 490 twin rooms, 5 triple rooms and 30 rooms for four people. The dormitories are divided into 3 blocks: AI, A2 and A3. Most foreign students live in Al or A2. All blocks have the same layout and facilities. You are provided with bed linen (which can be changed once a month) and in your bedroom you can find your own wardrobe, study table, chair, kitchenette (including a fridge and doubld electric cooker), bathroom and toilet-room. No kitchen utensils are provided; you will need to bring (or buy) your own! Other facilities available at Vinařská include: internet (wired/LAN), photocopiers, washing machines (can be used for a small fee), table tennis table and music room (including a piano).To use the internet, you will be required to bring your own ETHERNET/LAN cable! How to get there: 1) Tram no.l from "Hlavní nádraží" (main station) heading towards "Ečerova". The stop for Vinařská is called "Lipová". 2) Buses 38 and 39, both from "Komenského náměstí" heading towards "Preslova". Ifyou take bus 38, the stop is called "Pavlíkova", whereas for 39 it is "Vaňkovo náměstí 1; MSA Koleje Kounicova Address: Kounicova 5, 602 00 Brno Contact: The operating assistant of the hall (+420) 549 49 2718 The assistant for accommodation: (+ 420) 549 49 4570 Email: koleie.kounicova(5>skm.muni.cz These dormitories are situated near the centre, on the street "Kounicova". There are 276 twin rooms and 7 rooms for four people. Accommodation is in studios with two twin rooms, a toilet room and a shower. In the room you can find a study table, bookshelf and chair. Every 2 rooms are connected by a common hall, where common bathroom and toilet can be found. Shared kitchens are in the corridor. In the dormitory building you can find a study room, TV room, pizzeria Pizza Nostra (with student discounts). Bed linen is provided, which can be changed according to the schedule on the notice board. by residents themselves, No kitchen utensils are provided; you will need to bring (or buy) your own! How to get there: 1) Tram no. 12 or 13, from "Česká" heading towards, "TECHNOLOGICKÝ PARK" and get off at the stop "Klusáčkova". 2) Trolley buses no. 34 and 36 from "Česká" heading towards "Vychodilova", and get off at the stop "Klusáčkova". These connections run 7 days a week, from approximately 5:00-23:00. They are very frequent, i.e. every 10 minutes or so. Between 23:00-5:00, there are night buses, which can be caught from the same places, as mentioned above. They are less frequent, i.e. once every hour. Electric current in the Czech Republic is 220V, and there are 2 different plug types, shown below (round pin attachment type): Boarding: Masaryk University provides several canteens, but not all are working during summer holydays. Academic restaurant You can find this modern student canteen in Campus Square complexjust ahead of University campus. Menza offers various kind of food even vegetarian and gluten-free. You can get daily menus or special week's offer. Menus include: Traditional Czech cuisine, many pizzas or steaks, fruit salads and cakes, many non-alcoholic drinks and also dwo kinds of beer (you have student discount forthat;) Open dialy from 10:00-20:00 Mon-Fri, 10:00-18:00 during weekend. Moravské náměstí student's canteen The canteen is located in the building of Masaryk university rectorate. The menu is less various but still offers at least two meat meals, one vegetarian, salads, cakes. Open Mon-Thu 11:00-19:00 Fri 11:00-15:00 Vinařská snack bar The canteen can be found at Vinařská dormitory next to the block Al. Also offers various dishes and vegetarian. The canteen also includes nice cafeteria where you can get your dinner from 14:30-19:30 Open Mon-Thu 8:00-20:00 Fri 8:00-14:30 University cards All medical students will get ISIC card, which allows them to enter the computer room, various departments at the university, and it is used for buying meals in all canteens. The first time you enter a canteen, you have to ask a staff member to put some money onto your card. Next time you want to get a meal, you just put the card near the reading equipment and select the number of the meal, or give it to the lady at the counter (depending on which canteen you're in). The price of average meal can range from 25 to 50CZK (€1-2). Masaryk University Mí MSA Masaryk University is the second largest university in the Czech Republic and the largest in Moravia. It comprises nine faculties with two hundred departments, institutes and clinics, which carry out activities in a wide spectrum of disciplines and areas of research. It has become one of the leading teaching and research institutions in both the Czech Republic and Central Europe. Despite its rapid growth, the university remains the most selective in the Czech Republic in terms of the ratio of students applying for studies to the actual number of students accepted. Masaryk University was also the first higher education institution in the Czech Republic to provide prospective applicants with the opportunity to apply for studies via an electronic application form. The prestigious EUNIS Elite Award 2005 awarded to the university's Information System (IS) is proof of its leading position when it comes to the introduction of information technologies in tertiary education, being the first in Czech Republic and also the first among the new member states ofthe EU. The high rate of success of Masaryk University research teams in obtaining funding for research and development projects offers striking proof that it is also a prominent research university. Science and research activities in 2005 amounted to 560 million CZK (20 million EUR). The new university campus in Brno Bohunice, a project unique within the Central European region, offers new research opportunities and the chance to link these with teaching. RESEARCH Research, one ofthe highest priorities in Masaryk University, is evident both in the close relationship between research and education in its doctoral and Master's degree programmes and in the number of successful research projects carried out across the whole range of disciplines that the university is engaged in. Among the most impressive research results at Masaryk University in recent years are the following: ENZYMES WITH PHARMACEUTICAL IMPLICATIONS A team of experts from the National Centre for Biomolecular Research at the Faculty of Science scored a major breakthrough in discovering new characteristics of enzymes that facilitate the commercial production of a number of substances, includingpharmaceuticals. c 2 it I i MSA STEM CELL RESEARCH Research into blood-forming stem cells under physiological and pathological condition is one of the key research programmes of the Internal Hemato-Oncological Clinic ofthe Faculty of Medicine. PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH INTO CHILD DEVELOPMENT In cooperation with the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University, the Faculty of Humanities of Charles University in Prague and the University of Bristol, the Faculty of Social Studies is carrying out longitudinal studies of the mental, social and health development ofchildren. INFORMATICS AND MEDICAL RESEARCH The Laboratory of Optical Microscopy at the Faculty of Informatics is concerned with the development ofcomputer-operated devices based on optical microscopes that are capable of independent scanning and analysis of images of cells and their parts, allowing 3D images of cells. St.Anne's University Hospital A, CH Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry A,A5 Department of Oncological Surgery Al Department of Clinical Psychology Al lstDepartmentofOrthopaedics A2 2ndDepartmentofSurgery A2,J Department of Urology A5 DepartmentofGynaecology A5 Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery A5,M DepartmentoflmagingMethods 1st Department of Internal Medicine - Cardioangiology Department of Neurology Department of Clinical Biochemistry 1st Department of Dermatology and Venereology D2,E Department of Functional Diagnostics and Rehabilitation Department of Clinical Haematology H,H2 Institute of Pathologic Anatomy Department of Neurosurgery 2nd Department of Internal Medicine Institute of Clinical Immunology and Allergology M, Ml 1st Department of Surgery Department ofAnaesthesiology and Intensive Care Department of Stomatology V Institute of Microbiology J2 PJ Ka menice ai KAMPUS M í MSA J =|HJ Br.P %..H Jihlavská (^) The University Hospital Brno-Bohunice Department of Pulmonary diseases and Tuberculosis Department of Infectious diseases Department of Dermatology and Venerology G Department of Psychiatry CH DepartmentofSurgery 11 DepartmentofPathology 12 Department of Hematology Department ofSurgery, Department of Hemato-Oncology Departments for Diagnostics and Therapy Department ofGynecology HiMSA First time in our hosP'tals You will be introduced to your tutor during first visit, which the resident will ensure. Please be prepared for the fact that tutors speak English but most patients don't. Czech health care system Works on European pluralite type of health care. We have excellent government hospitals that serve the healing patients with general care. The health care system has two sectors: public and private. By law, all citizens staying in the Czech Republic must have some health insurance. You, as a student of our faculty, are insured by our university against damage done at work and your injuries. Recommended clothing In Czech Hospitals you have to wear white t-shirt or shirt (a t-shirt is better), white trousers, white socks, white slippers/mules/shoes (not dirty ones from the street). You can also have a white coat if you don^t have T-shirt and trousers. If you don't have any of them, you will have to buy them here. ■Vt IMSA CountrY in the heart of Europe " The Czech Republic is in the middle of Europe. With its population of over ten million inhabitants and an area over 78 000 square kilometres, it belongs to one ofthe smaller countries from the former Eastern Bloc. Due to its location, it is also one of the most important transit countries. The Czech Republic has a multiparty parliamentary democracy headed by PresidentVaclav Klaus. The Czech economy, situated at 82% of the European Union average, is considered to be one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states. Recent growth has been led mostly by exports to Germany. The Czech Republic was founded on January 1st 1993, when Czechoslovakia broke up into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It became a member of OECD in 1995, NATO in 1998 and the EU in May 2004. The country is historically and culturally divided into three main regions -Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. The country is also divided into 14 administrative regions. The capital, Prague, is tthe biggest city in the country (with a population of over one million) and as the administrative centre, it is the seat of the President, the Government, the Parliament of the Czech Republic and the Supreme Court. The second most important and second largest city is Brno. The Czech Republic has a population of about 10.2 milion. The majority of people living in the Czech Republic are Czech. The biggest minority living in the Czech Republic - almost 2% - are Slovaks, then Poles, Germans and the Romani. The Czech Republic is one ofthe least religious countries in the world. Over sixty percent of people count themselves as atheists. But majority of these atheists like to say: "I believe in something above us". The majority of religious people are Roman Catholics and Evangelical Catholics. The country has a continental climate. You should prepare for a relative hot summer and a cold winter with ice and snow. The Moravian region, where Brno is located, is the hottest and driest region in the Czech Republic. It is great for planting vegetables, fruit and also for the production of wine. 1 i MSA o Czech Republic tourist destinations The Czech Republic is a small country in the middle of Europe, but a lot of tourists visit it every year because it has so much to offer. These tourists search especially for monuments, which are unprecedented in the world and also for natural beauties, which are the pride of this land. The borders of the country are created by mountains, which imaginarily protect architectural treasures inside. We recommend you visit places signed blue. Prague Capital of Czech Republic is Prague. This city is a centre of state institutions, courts, various organizations and companies, political parties, religious associations, universities etc. Dominant is Prague castle which is traditional residence of Czech monarchs and since 1918 it has been a residence of Czech president. At the third yard, there is St.Vitus cathedral. It is the main and also the biggest temple in Prague. It is actually devoted to three saints of Czech history. These are St.Vit, St.Vojtech and St.Vaclav-a patron and protector of Czech lands. In the areal of Prague castle, there is a lot ofvarious churches. For instance, St.George's basilica, St.Cross^s chapel and St.George's monastery. Apart from these, there are nice grounds around the whole complex. The golden street, which is full of very small houses, where goldsmiths lived. Nowadays there are galeries, museums and stalls with souvenirs. The Golden street ends with tower Daliborka. It is a turret from 15th centurywith a dungeon. Vltava is the longest river of the country and flows through the Prague. There are many bridges across the river in Prague and the most interensting and most important of them is Charles bridge. It is located at the place of original Judita's bridge which was destroyed by flood. Karl's bridge is from 14th century when Karel IV. was a king of Czech lands. At the bridge, there are many statues of Czech saints. Well-known are St.Jan of Nepomuk or St.Cyril and Methodius. Prague is full of squares. The most interesting of them are Václavské náměstí and Staroměstské náměstí. At the top of Wenceslas square is the National museum and the statue of St.Václav. The dominant of Old town square is old town hall with astronomical clock-Staroměstský Orloj. Other monuments in the centre: National theatre, Vyšehrad Castle, The Jewish Quarter, Petrin Hill. The whole historical centre of the city is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. MS MSA ) Historical monuments aren't the only wealth of Prague. There is a lot of modern buildings. One example is Dancing house at the quay of Vltava. Prague is a city, but we can find also parts with nature. For example Petrin gardens are ideal for walks and for view of the city, because there is a Petrin tower. The template for this building was the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but our Petrin tower is much smaller. Kutná Hora (A) An urban conservation area played an important role in silver mining in 13th century. Whole city is surrounded by forests. A heart of a town is a scenic square with romantic restaurants. The most visited monument is St.Barbora's cathedral, which is situated near the centre of the city. Apart from this temple you can find other historical monuments, which are worth seeing, such as a Czech museum of silver and medieval mine, Stone house or Stone fountain. We recommend you to visit the famous ossuary. (C) It is a remarkable experience for all medical students. Český Krumlov (B) The city lies on the banks of Vltava around the originally gothic castle komplex. Iťs architectural heritage has remained intact for more than five centuries. This is the second most extensive castle area in the country after Prague Castle. The monument grounds include over 300 gothic and renaissance buildings. Český Krumlov is an important centre of culture, because there are six museums, a well-known City theatre and in the summer the actors play in the garden of castle in a revolving auditorium. Tele The square of Tele is flanked by a set of gothic and renaissance burgher houses with arcades. Houses have renaissance, baroque and classical shields. The square directs to original gothic and renaissance castle from the 15th century with nice renaissance garden and an English park. Other important monuments: the area ofthe former Jesuit college ofthe Holy Name ofJesus, a late gothic Church of St.Ghost, Spirit Parish Church of St.James from the 14th century, the Marian Column and two baroque fountains inthesquare. ■límsa O Lednicko-Valtický areál Princes of Liechtenstein transformed their estate between 17th and 20th century in a big park. This area is among the most modified landscapes in Europe. Adjustments were based on the principles ofthe English parks. There you can find the baroque architecture, the neo-gothic architecture or castles and small buildings built in romantic style. These are Glasshouse, Minaret, New court, Temple of three graces, Obelisketc. Olomouc The city is situated in the middle of central Moravia. For its unique atmosphere, it is a popular center of international conferences and festivals. Olomouc is, next to Brno, a second historical and political center of Moravia. Nowadays the Palacky's university is situated in Olomouc and also the archdiocese. The city is the spiritual and educational centre. Important monument is Column of holytrinity. This pillar, erected in the 18th century, reaches a height of 35 meters. This unique piece of architecture is characterized as "Olomouc baroque". The column is decorated with many statues and sculptures and is the largest in central Europe. Žďár nad Sázavou The city is important thanks to church at the Green hill "Zelená hora". The pilgrimage church dedicated to St.John of Nepomuk was bulit in years 1719-1722. It is a masterpiece of the architect Santini and most original example of the so-called baroque gothic. It is built in a five-pointed star and is surrounded by a cemetery and chapels. A platform is derived from the circle in which is inscribed decagon. Around this circuit turns five chapels with a triangular floor plan and lay out with five chapels in oval shape. The second interesting is the Museum of books which is the only one inthecentral Europe. All of these previous cities belong to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites Hluboká nad Vltavou (D) The castle is the biggest attraction for visitors. It is the neo-gothic monument built in the Tudor gothic style, following the model of english royal Windsor castle. Moreover, there are more attractive targets: zoo Ohrada, luxury golf course, the princely court and Alš^s south bohemian gallery where you can see collection of sculptures and paintings by Dutch painters ofthe 17th and 18th century. Slavkov u Brna Also known as Austerlitz abroad, it is important place in European history, because a battle ofThree emperors took place there on December 2nd 1805. Napoleon's army defeated Austria and Russia. You can also visit: Peace memorial at the Zuran hill where Napoleon had his main tent. A Baroque castle with an imposing garden in French and English style in the centre of the town. Nowadays there is a historical museum which offers multimedia presentation ofthe battle. Czech nature The Czech Republic is surrounded by mountains, which protected bohemian country for centuries from abroad. At the North there are Krkonose, our highest mountains with the top named Snezka. Is in unforgettible experience to see this part. At the South-West it is Sumava. It is one ofthe oldest mountains in the Europe. The top of Sumava is Arber which is precisely on the border with Germany. There is also Lipno barier, which is the biggest water area in republic and was built on the river Vltava. In the East there are the Beskydy Mountains, which are forested with rounded peaks, on the border between Poland and Slovakia. At the South you can find Palava. Palava is protected area with untouched nature 30 km from Brno. It starts from village Pavlov and finish around the city Mikulov and state border with Austria. Local landscape is very preserved and thanks to that you can see a lot of rare animals and plants. There are important archeological areas, because this place was constantly inhabited for thousands years. Mi MSA ) H\;MSA Traveli"gin Czech Republic In the Czech Republic you can travel quite easily to almost everywhere. There are many ways and companies to travel with. Here we have recommended just a few ofthemforyou: BUSES: Student Agency (www.studentagency.cz): This company offers long distance coaches, to many different Czech and European cities (e.g. Olomouc, Hradec Králové, Plzen, Vienna, Berlin, Munich, Paris, Amsterdam etc.). Advantages of this company are a high standard of on board services such as steward, free drinks, free Wi-Fi, free magazines and newspapers, watching movies and listening to the radio. This company goes also almost directly from the airports in Prague or Vienna to Brno (you have only to transfer to another bus at bus station Florenc in Prague ifyou go from airport Ruzyně).The bus stop in Brno is called "Hotel Grand busstation".You can reserve every journeyonline, pay electronically, and then you just need to print the ticket or remember your ticket number. • Journey Prague-Brno takes approx. 2H 30Min (no way to airport included), price is 200 CZK from Florenc bus station (downtown) or 250 CZK from Ruzyně airport. If you have an ISIC card, you will get a discount (170/220 CZK). • Journey Vienna-Brno takes approximately 2H (no way to airport included), price is 190 CZK from Praterstern bus station (downtown) or 310 CZK from Schwechat airport. Megabus (www.megabus.cz) Megabus is another company offering connections to Czech and European cities as well. You can also book yourjourney via the internet. Eurolines (www.eurolines.cz) Another company with similar offers to almost all of Europe like companies mentioned above. ČSAD (www.iizdniradv.cz) This bus company goes to almost every place in the Czech Republic. You can visit many places with them - castles, villages, town, cities etc. Normally you buy tickets fromthedrivers. Tourbus (www.tourbus.cz) Tourbus offers one of the cheapest connections between Prague and Brno. BUS STATIONS: Prague • Florenc bus station (Metro station Florenc, lines B and C) Brno (2different!!): • Hotel Grand bus station (companies: Student agency, Megabus) • Zvonařka bus station (companies: Tourbus, Eurolines, ČSAD etc.) Mi MSA RAILS: České dráhy (ČD) (www.cd.cz) In the Czech Republic, unfortunately we have only one major rail company called České dráhy (ČD). Travelling by rail, for a single person is more expensive than travelling by bus, but it is cheaper ifthere is a group of people travelling (third and every other pays only 50% of the price). Trains depart from Hlavní nádraží (translation: main railway station). FLYING: Although there is an airport in Brno called airport Tuřany, there are not many flights to and fro. So many students travel via two main airports - Ruzyně in Prague (Czech Republic) and Schwechat in Vienna (Austria). Both are approximately 200km away from Brno. There are direct connections (or with one transfer) from both airports services by companies (e.g. Student Agency). TRAVELLING IN PRAGUE You need to have a ticket for public transportation: • 26 CZK, 90 minutes • I recommend you, to get a SMS ticket: www.dpp.cz/en/sms-ticket on your mobile phone - write the text: DPT and send it to the phone number 902 06 26. • Bus No. 119 to Bus/Metro station Dejvická (line A), to get to Florenc station you have to change at Muzeum station to line B • Bus No. 100 to Bus/Metro station Zlicin (line B) and directly to Florenc station History of Brno MS MSA Surrounding of Brno was settled around 4000 BC when the first agricultural colonies were founded. Aproximately 1020 AD Brno castle was built by the duke Bretislav and small colony on the bank ofthe River Svratka started to spread. In 1243 the villages of Brno were united and Brno got the royal town privileges. Famous Cistercian nunnery (monastery for nuns) was founded by queen Eliska Rejcka. During centuries, the town was surrounded by fortifications and its importance was rising. Brno became a prominent meeting point of three big traderoutes leading from Poland, Austria and Hungary. In the Thirty Years War the city besieged by Swedish forces, which did not manage to conquer the city. The Swedish defeat prevented them from marching against Vienna and allowed for more time to create an Austrian offence and end the war promptly. Following the war, the city became a formidable baroque fortress. In 1742, Prussian army tried to capture the city but they also failed to do so. Shortly after that the bishopric was established on the hill Petrov. On December 2nd 1805, the three emperors battle was fought in Austerlitz (Slavkov) near Brno. Napoleon's army defeated Austrians and Russians. In the 19th century, the fortifications were demolished and the city enlarged in Vienna^s architecture style. In this time J.G.Mendel laid the foundations ofgenetics at monastery in Old Brno. During the First republic (1918-1938) university was established and called after the first Czechoslovakian president T.G.Masaryk, Brno fairground wasopened. The second world war was devastating. The city was controlled by Gestapo from Spilberk and many citizens were murdered in Kounicovy dormitories by SS troops. After the war, all German inhabitants were deported. Next communist era brought economical stagnation. Fortunately the city is changing into a lovely metropolis. Manyfinances are invested on science and education. In 2007 the University Campus for medical and nature sciences was opened and become the most modern university building in central Europe. Must see in Brno Spilberk castle The baroque fortress with Petrov hill dominates the skyline of Brno. The old castle was founded by king Přemysl Otakar II in 1277. In 14th century, autonomous Luxembourgs reigned here. During centuries the castle was transformed into forcible baroque fort. The fort resisted all Swedish attacks during the batlle of Brno (1643) under Raduit de Souches leadership. In the 18th century, Spilberk became a nightmare for the whole Europe. The terrific prison was built in Kasematy. The heaviest prison in Austrian-Hungarian empire was called "Dungeon of Nations". This prison was eventually closed in 1961. Nowadays, you can find a museum there. Many famous festivals as Ignis Brunensis, Summer Shakespeare festival and iron fencing exhibitions take place there. Petrov This church was built on the rocky edge of the old part of the city. Together with Spilberk they make upan incommutable panorama of Brno. We can find the cathedral of St. Paul and St. Peter and the bishop's residence there. The cathedral of St. Paul and St. Peter is the oldest church in Brno, its beginnings are datedtoll-12th century. It was rebuilt into a gothic church in the 14th century and it was given the final form in years 1904 and 1905 when the two towers, the dominating features, were built in neogothic style. You can find Petrov on the 10kc coin.. Freedom square (NáměstíSvobody) The dominating feature of the city centre, the square of triangular shape, is Namesti Svobody. The first thing that you may notice is the plague column and Skacel's public fountain where the parts of his poems are written. The whole square is bordered by bourgeois houses where historical elements together with modern ones are gently mixed. The square is an attractive place especiallywhen traditional Christmas and Easter markets take place. Do not forget the annual November gustation of wine from the Czech fields. It is a unique experience. Česká street The pedestrian zone going from northwest part of Namesti Svobody and leading to Jostova - where are many tram stops. Looking for a great place, where anyone meets anyone. You can't miss Česka street, the biggest meeting point where young couples have dates under the clock, classmates start their way around pubs and children wait for their mums. Every day and night time, you can meet someone here. rc - Vila Tugendhat 5A The jewel of functionalism is situated in Cerna pole quarter. It was created by • famous architect Ludwig Miese van den Rohe for Mr and Mrs Tugendhat in 1928. Because of their Jewish origin, they had to escape and the house was used by Willy Messerschmidt, German aircraft engineer. After the second World War, Red army ruined almost the whole interior. After the Velvet revolution, the house was reconstructed and in 2001 hiitss importance was declared by its inclusion in UNESCO patrimony. Capuchin crypt The crypt is situated in the basement of Elevation ofthe Holy Cross Church near Masarykova street. You can find there mummified bodies of more than 50 people, monks and aristocracy from 18th century. The bodies were mummified just by air and you can admire their whole physiognomy. The body of famous Baron Trenck, a leader of dragoon regiment (one kind of Brno beer is named in his honor) and St.Clementine relics are burried there. Jundrovforest If you want to get rest in a forest in the city of Brno, you should go to Jundrov. The wide forest-park is just few minutes by tram from the centre. Many pavements cross this park. You can see mouflons, deer, wild pigs and many other animals there. How to get there:the bus No. 52 from Mendel square ("Mendlovo namesti"), it's the stop "Stará dálnice". Brno Exhibition Centre This fairground is most important exhibition ground in the Czech Republic. It is situated in Pisarky valley near Mendel square. It was founded in 1928. The pavilions were designed by elite architects of that era. Many exhibitions as the international machine, industries exhibit, invex, the concerts ofthe best rock bands like Linkin Park, Rolling Stones can be seen here. How to get there: tram No. 1, tram stop called "Výstaviště". The University campus The complex of the most modern university buildings in Europe. It is situated next to the university hospital of Brno. The theoretical departments of Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Sports Studies are situated there. Take a bus No. 60 or 61 to bus stop "Nemocnice Bohunice" or you can take a trolley bus No. 25 from Mendel square to the same bus stop. Prehrada (dam) This 10 kilometres big dam, also called the sea of Brno, used to be one ofthe most frequent recreation areas where boats are anchored and the green meadows around attract to long walks. It is still a very popular centre of relaxation and sport activities, especially the water sports such as windsurfing, canoeing, sailing, fishing and many more. With regrets we have to say, that swimming in the dam is only on your own risk because of cyanobacteria. The best way how to get there is to take a tram No.l and get out at the "Pristaviste station". If you want to take a longer walk, go to the north to the castle Veveri. Veveri castle The castle lays upon the River Svratka in the north end of Brno dam. Gothic castle was founded in 13th century. During centuries a small manor was transformed into a large castle with huge fortifications and towers. In 19th century countess Ypsilanti rebuilt surroundings into parkside with glasshouses. The area surrounding the castle is hilly and woody, it is a good choice for having a picnic because of the nice view of the dam. You can get there by bus, by bike or by boatacrossthedam. Transportation in Brno MS MSA General information The city of Brno and its surroundings are serviced by a public transport system with unified travel tickets, which you can use for travelling by trams, buses, trolley-buses, microbuses, boats and trains (limited distance). This company is called Dopravni podnik mesta Brna (abr. DPMB) - in English it is called - Brno Public Transportation Company. Tickets Before each journey, the traveller has to have a ticket and validate , u » it immediately after boarding the vehicle. During changes, tickets do not need to be further validated. The validity of a ticket is time and zone limited. If you travel around I ^ Brno you don't have to buy any tickets with extra zones. The ticket . is valid from the moment it is validated for a period specified on it §° and only in those tariff zones marked on the ticket. All tickets are transferable, except the 10 minutes ticket (this one is valid only in the vehicle, where it was already validated). - LEGEND TO PICTURE 1.1.....i^lll^L^ A A ... ticket number B. .. type of ticket C. .. time validity of ticket D. .. zone validity of ticket fl C1!^!^?^ 8 E ... how tickets are used ^mAz^r- p prjce ™?Blrt stop Další zastávka (dalsheE zasta:vkah) Dormitorv Koleje (IcoleyE) Hospital Nemocnice (Nem-atznit2Eh) Tram šalina Ishal i nahí Railway station hlavní nádraží (hlavnseh nahdraihyEs) Good pub dobrá hospoda (dob rah hnzpnds) Vine víno (vee n a) Beer pivo (piva) Thief zloděj (zdodyey) Lunch obed (oby-ed) Dinner večere (verhEre) Breakfast snídaně (sneedanye) Class room učebna [ut:hebnah) Doktor doktor Nurse sestřička ÍSEEtrichka) Toilet záchod (zajkhad} Men/ ladies páni/dámy (pa:nji/ds:my) Shower sprcha MSMSA Czech cuisine Eating habits in the Czech Republic are quite different from the rest of the world. Our cuisine is typical for middle Europe - it is quite heavy, but in combination with our national drink - beer; it is a tasty meal and a delicious experience. Eating is a Czech national sport. You can see many people with their well deserved bellies. We call it "beer pregnancy" or "beerceps". MS MSA The day usually begins with a light breakfast. The main meal of the day is usually the midday meal - lunch. Dinner consists of a small meal but many men raid their fridgesthroughoutthe night! Soups Czech meal consists of two courses - the first ordinary part is a hot soup. It is usually served as part of the menu in restaurants. Most common are beef or chicken broth with noodles or liver dumplings. Sauces Sauces (omáčky) have the leading role in Czech cuisine - usually made from meat broth and vegetables (e.g. tomato sauce, mushroom sauce and sauerkraut soup called "zelňačka" or famous vegetable sauce and marinated beef sirloin called "svíčková"). The main course • Roasted pork, sauerkraut, dumplings ("vepřo-knedlo-zelo") - the most famous Czech meal. You can order it in all Czech restaurants and we highly recommend youtotry it. As a side dish to the sauces we usually serve dumplings (knedlíky) - meal made from a dough (flour, eggs and sometimes potatoes) boiled in hot water. • Goulash - originally a Hungarian dish, that is very popular in the Czech Republic. It is in fact meat broth with red pepper. Also served with dumplings but of a different kind - made from a roll. • Bramboráky - fried pancakes made of rough-grated or fine-grated raw potatoes, flour, milk spiced with marjoram. • Wiener schnitzel - meat fillet in bread-crumbs served with potato salad or fried cheese with potatoes. • Kolace, Buchty - a type of yeast pastry consisting of fillings ranging from fruits to cheese or poppy seeds on doughnuts. Kasmsa ^^Vw ľMhil Hm*»ttii Antennen Beer Brewing has longstanding traditions in the Czech Republic. The first records about beer production relate to 1088 and the first brewery is known to have existed in 1118 and the city of Brno had the right to brew beer from the 12th century. The most famous Czech beer brands are Pilsner Urquell and Budweiser Budvar, but in Czech Rep. you can try many different beers, some ofthem you can find only in specific days during the year e.g. harvest beer "Dožinkové pivo" orgreen beer "Zelené pivo". Practical information Almost all beers produced in the Czech Republic are bottom-fermenting. They are varied in colour from pale "světlé", through amber "polotmavé" and dark "tmavé" to black "černé". Top-fermented wheat beer "pšeničné pivo" can also be found pretty often. Beers in the Czech Rep. are brewed in different strengths from 3-9% of alcohol, which will be expressed also in its taste. In pubs or on the labels you can distinguish this by grade scale. Mostly you can get "tap" beer 10° containing app. 4.4% ale, "lager" beer, brewed between 11° (5% ale.) and 12° (5.5% ale.) and "special" beers, brewed above 13°. Reservations are not obligatory if you want to go for a beer. On one side there is a high possibility that you won't find a free place in the pub you wanted; on the other side there are lots of other pubs nearby you can visit. The most popular days for going for a beer are Friday followed by Wednesday and Saturday, that's why we recommend you to reserve for a place (or make a reservation). Making a reservation is for free; usually you have to be there by 20:00, at the latest. Smoking in the pubs is allowed in Czech Republic, but in some restaurants or cafes you can easily find a non-smoking part, unfortunately this is not the case with pubs. In the next page, you have a IFMSA TOP 5 pubs list. There are alson many other pubs throughout the city- everyone has their own personal favourite! IFMSA CZ - TOP 5 pubs for BEER LOVERS U Richarda • Address: Údolní 7 (behind of the Faculty of Medicine in downtown) • Reservation: 00420 775 027 918, www.uricharda2.cz • 4 kind of beers - Honey beer called in Czech "Medovépivo", Sour cherry beercalled "Višňovépivo", Wheat Beercalled "Pšeničnépivo"and Light lager called "Světlýležák"coming from a small Brno brewery from the city district called Žebětín. Středověká krčma • Address: Česká 6 • Reservation: 00420 542 21 00 21, brno.stredovekakrcma.cz • Every Friday and Saturday historical fencing or belly dancers can be found here. Here, you can try very old Slavic drinks "Medovina"called "mead" in English. It is light alcohol made from honey, you can drink it cold or hot ("Soptící medovina") with a steam coming out of it. Another interesting alcohol would be beer Korma, that is a mixture of mead and a beer. This is the right place to feel the history of Brno. Steak bar Modrá růže • Address: Modrá růže - Kounicova 2 • Reservation: Modrárůže -00420 521248 912 • You can try here almost different 20 beers produced by bigger and smaller breweries and many steaks-even tartar steak from raw beef Minipivovar Pegas • Address:Jakubská4 • Reservation: 00420 542 210 104, www.hotelpegas.cz • This is another small brewery in Brno with its own beers. Most people don't like the staff here, but many like the beers. Pivovarská pivnice • Address: Mendlovo náměstí 20 • Reservation: 00420 543 420 130, www.pivovarskabrno.cz • This is the biggest and most famous brewery of Brno producing its own beer called "Starobrno" for many centuries. You can drink these beers in many pubs and restaurants in Brno and its surroundings. • A very specific kind of beer is so called Green beer "Zelenépivo", which youcan drink on only one day a year - Maundy Thursdays Czech "Green Thursday")." MS MSA fm^fí:, Restaurants There are plenty of resturants, the best choice are Czech pubs and restaurants, with a typical Czech cuisine, of course, you can find many international restaurants such as Italian, Indian, French, Spannish or Asian. It takes time to decide, what your favourite meal is and where you want to have it. You can find a list of some restaurants here. International restaurants are in appendixes. Pegas A well-frequented place due to its nice atmosphere and beer variety. You can also experience here some of Czech traditional dishes. Adress: Jakubská 120 ■ Blahovka Awarded with the certificate of "Best Pilsner Beer" of all Brno, combined with the famous "koleno" (knee pork) makes the perfect spot for those you like to have the "breakfast of champions". Adress: Gorkého 54 Empire At the top ofthe building, it combines the perfect atmosphere with a great view. Also provides a lovely meal giving you the opportunity of tasting something different. M-Palace With the best view over the city and a quite romantic atmosphere makes it a nice choice to hang out with your beloved one. Adress: Heršpická 813 Onyx A casual chic restaurant, well decorated with a nice atmosphere and some food variety makes this place a perfect spot for a cocktail party or a nice place to start your night. Adress: Zámečnická 1 Nightlife There are so many ways how to spend a time in our city when the sun goes down. You can choose between more than 1000 pubs, music clubs, where many Czech or international (pop, music) groups play, or discos. You will be surprised, how long the pubs stay open and you can enjoy well-know Czech beer. But be careful- public drinking is prohibited in the city. We decided to place a list of our favourite restaurants below. MS MSA We want to share our international fellow experiences with you to make this night ridemuch easierforyou;) MIMSA TOP5clubs Mandarin • Address:Jakubské nám.6 • Reservation: barOmoment-bar.com • Mandarin is the #1 stop for all international students. Ifyou are ever at a loss as to which club to go, Mandarin is always waiting. With a social bar area upstairs and sofas and dance floor downstairs, it provides the perfect combination for an awesome night. You are bound to find one of your classmates here anygiven Friday! Remix • Address:_BRANDLOVA 4 Reservation: 606770762 • Remix never fails to provide a fun and messy experience! No student of Brno can say they have partied until they have had a night in Remix. Livingstone • Address: Dominikánské nám. 5 • Reservation: +420 542 210 090 • A MIMSA favourite!!! Set in a interesting environment, Livingstone offers the kind of atmosphere you can't find anywhere else in Brno. Popular to both Czech and international students with music appealing to everyone's taste, from 80's to hip-hop. This club has foosball, an upstairs drinking area, and a separate chill-out room. Metro • Address: Poštovská 6 UMSA • Reservation:515 533 452 • With sofas and movie-inspired posters, this is a great environment to slowly get merry! Metro always attracts a friendly crowd with people only looking to have fun!! Fleda • Address:Stefanikova 24 • Fleda is one of the largest clubs in Brno and hosts the most important club events in Brno. The club is usually booked for big themed events. It has one of Brno's biggest dance floors, multiple bars, chillout area and another small dance floor. A good place to go for groups, and a great place to meet new people from different backgrounds. Cafes It is not a problem to take a coffee or have a lunch on every corner of the city. "Small gardens", that is how we call them, grow up every spring in the front of the restaurants and cafes, where you can sit and enjoy your drinks or meal outside. No matter what it is, if you like some specialities from cafe shops with extraordinary kinds of coffee, if you prefer to drink a beer somewhere in the pub or if you prefer delicious wine which is served right from the barrel, you will be pleasantly surprised by the great prices and nice waiters everywhere. I MS MSA Liberty Cafe A MIMSA favourite! Found near the upmarket shops of Brno centre, Liberty Cafe is a splendid place to have a coffee and a bite to eat during the day, and with late opening hours becomes a good option for pre-drinking before proceeding to a nearbyclub. Cafe Lavazza Your local coffee. Comfortable and relaxing, just right for hanging out and catching-upwithfriends. Solitaire A chic cafe found in the city centre with a pleasant garden area. Offers coffee, moravian wine, beer and fresh food. Can also be booked for private functions. Podnebi A discreet and charming cafe, situated just behind the faculty of medicine. Friendly service, free Wi-Fi, coffee, tea, chocolate, Panini's a good place to go for a chat with friends. The outdoor patio is great in the summer! La Dolce Vita This cafe is located in the historic part oftown, Petrov Brno, nearthe church. It offers a quiet environment with a summer garden and Italian music. La Dolce Vita boasts 38 kinds of hot chocolate, 28 kinds of frappe, specialty coffee, Italian coffee (PORTIOLI), alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, salads, toasts, ice cream sundaes. |T^gM Shopping What is the great advantage of Brno when we are talking about shopping? Anything you could ever need or want can be found right in the city! New stores and supermarkets are opening all the time in Brno. Supermarkets try to cover all customers' needs and their opening time is usually 24h a day. The shopping centres themselves are usually open until 9 p.m. We can mention, for example: Vankovka A warehouse turned into a shopping center with a large variety of shops and cafes. A gallery is the passing point between the central train station and the bus station If you need to find something, that would be the perfect place to start. Olympia The second shopping area is little bit peripheric, with almost one hundred shops, cafes, restaurants or fast foods with the addition of a kart circuit. Challenge your friends and have a great afternoon chilling out. Though out of the city, still a good place to visit for a good time. The cinema complex is also situated there. There is a free bus connection between Vankovka and Olympia with special blue buses. H&M/Zara Because students have to always look their best, the best place to create your style would be Zara and H&M. Address: Česká 161 Vágner A must go to any student who needs books, dossiers or any other kind of study material to be successful in their course. Address: Česká 161 IKEA The perfect place for buy furniture and make your space feel more like home. Address:Skandinávská4 Of course you can find supermarkets as Kau iterspar in Brno The booklet was created by Czech medical students from IFMSA in cooperation with international medical students from MIMSA during their study breaks, so please cut us some slack on the typos! Not one medical student was injured during creation ofthis booklet. THANKS TO: Luis Cardoso Goncalves Cyrrillo (MIMSA coordinator) Martin Kubat (IFMSA coordinator) Matej Halaj (graphic design) And our crew who wrote all of the chapters: Dale Kalina (MIMSA President) Devangna Bhatia (MIMSA) Eliška Lašová (IFMSA) Eliška Dubská (IFMSA LEO) Eva Markvartová (IFMSA) Jindřich Černý (IFMSA LP) Peter Lidinský (IFMSA) Roshan Photay (MIMSA) Vasco André Neves (MIMSA Vice President) Zuzana Simonová (IFMSA)