Stop 6: Petrov Cathedral (Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul)

May 24, 2025 Categories : Author: silvie.banzet@post.cz
Quiz

Why do the bells of Petrov Cathedral ring at 11 o’clock every morning, instead of at noon?

A) Because a clever defender tricked Swedish invaders in 1645 by ringing “noon” an hour early, so the enemy thought they missed their deadline and gave up
B) Because the bell-ringer long ago liked to start his lunch early, and the habit stuck as a town tradition
C) Because of an old mechanical clock mistake – the clock was once an hour off, and superstitious locals kept it that way for good luck

Explanation:

The Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul (Petrov) is one of Brno’s iconic landmarks. Brno’s skyline is defined by the Petrov Cathedral’s twin spires – and now you’re up close to this 14th-century Gothic beauty (with later Baroque tweaks). The view from up here is fantastic, but the cathedral holds a famous aural quirk: its bells chime noon at 11:00 a.m. each day. The legend behind this is pure Brno cunning. During the Thirty Years’ War, Swedish armies besieged Brno and vowed to retreat if they hadn’t taken the city by midday. Brno’s chief defender, Jean-Louis Raduit de Souches, got wind of this and hatched a plan. On the critical day, as the clock neared 11:00, he had the cathedral bells ring the full noon peal one hour early. The Swedes, thinking they’d missed their chance (since “noon” had passed), packed up and left in frustration. Brno was saved by a timely trick! And ever since, Petrov’s bells honor that legend by ringing “noon” at 11. Cheeky, right? Aside from this quirky custom, the cathedral is beloved for its architecture – step inside to see soaring vaults and stained glass if it’s open. Also, if you’re not winded from the climb, you can ascend the bell towers for a small fee – the panoramic view is worth the extra stairs. But for now, catch your breath and relish the story of how Brno literally rang its enemies out of town. That’s some next-level town pranking.

Petrov Cathedral

Directions to next stop:

Ready for another pint? From the cathedral, walk downhill the Biskupská street, pass Šilingrovo Square on your left, keep walking down the Dominikánská Street and look for entry to Pivovarský dům Poupě (Poupě Brewery House) on your right (address is Dominikánská 15). On the opposite side of the street is the New Town Hall complex – which we’ll get to soon, but first: beer time!