rotunda sv. Kateřiny

Contains one of the oldest fresco compositions in the Czech lands, depicting the Přemyslid dynasty and the donor couple Konrad II of Znojmo and Mary of Serbia.

The rotunda is the only surviving piece of Znojmo's original Přemyslid castle, all that remains of a fortress that once crowned the rock above the Dyje. Inside, the walls are painted in concentric bands rather than isolated scenes: a Marian cycle low down gives way to the dynastic portrait gallery above it, with angels and the Holy Spirit gathered at the apex of the dome. The paint is fresco-secco, applied to dry plaster rather than wet, part of why the pigments have survived nine centuries largely intact. Access is tightly restricted to protect them, which is part of why they have kept their colour so well. Despite a plain, squat exterior, it was declared a national cultural monument in 1962 and is often called the most precious Romanesque monument in Moravia.

From riders

What you'll see

A round, thick-walled Romanesque chapel with a stone tower, set on the castle rock above the Dyje, looking out over the river valley to the Znojmo viaduct.

Practical

Heritage-listed. Open during daylight hours.

Checked 13 August 2026

CastleHistoryFrescoes