Blansko is the natural hub of the Moravian Karst: trains run here from Brno, and buses leave from here for Skalní Mlýn. Most visitors simply change here, yet the town is well worth a morning stop. In 2026 it celebrates 890 years since it was first mentioned in 1136. The chateau houses the Blansko Region Museum (Muzeum Blanenska), with an exhibition on the caves and on decorative cast iron; the town also has a wooden church of St Paraskeva, moved here in 1936 from Subcarpathian Rus, and above it stand the ruins of Čertův hrádek (the Devil’s Castle). The biggest event of the year is the St Martin’s Welcome (Vítání sv. Martina), this year on 6–8 November. A guided tour of the museum costs 100 Kč (approx. €4) — a rough conversion only, as exchange rates change.
QUICK LINKS 👀 What to see · 🚆 Getting here · 🎉 Events · 🛏️ Where to stay · ❓ FAQ
If you travel to the Karst by train, you get off at Blansko. If you drive to Skalní Mlýn, you pass straight through it. Yet the town itself is worth a wander, especially if it’s raining or you’re waiting for a bus.
What to see
The chateau and the Blansko Region Museum
The Renaissance chateau in the town centre was built on the site of an older fortified manor house and is now home to the Blansko Region Museum (Muzeum Blanenska). For visitors to the Karst, the most interesting exhibitions are Journeys Underground in the Moravian Karst, A Journey into the Prehistory of the Blansko Region (with a detective game for children) and Blansko Decorative Cast Iron. A children’s play area is included in the ticket price. A guided tour costs 100 Kč (approx. €4), or 50 Kč (approx. €2) for children aged 6–15. The museum is closed on Mondays. For more details, see our article Blansko Chateau and the Museum of the Blansko Region.
The wooden church of St Paraskeva
This is the most unusual building in town. The church was originally built as an Orthodox church in Nyzhnye Selyshche near Khust in Subcarpathian Rus. Construction began in 1601 and was only completed in 1641, because the village had in the meantime been wiped out by plague. In 1936 the Blansko religious community bought it, had it dismantled, shipped to Blansko by rail and rebuilt. The work was carried out by master carpenter Michal Salejčuk and his Rusyn workmen.
The church is a listed cultural monument and is now used by the Czechoslovak Hussite Church.
- Where: Rodkovského 7.
- Open: from June to September on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 2–6 pm. Outside the season, enquire via drevenykostelik.cz.
The Church of St Martin
The parish church stands on the right bank of the River Svitava, on the site of the oldest settlement, known as Staré Blansko (Old Blansko). The present-day town of twenty thousand people grew out of the original hamlet around the little church of St Martin. Its current appearance is Baroque. St Martin is the patron saint of Blansko, and the town’s biggest celebration is named after him.
Čertův hrádek (the Devil’s Castle)
The ruins of Olomučany Castle stand above the Svitava valley, about 3 km from Blansko along the green-marked trail from Klamovka. You’ll find the legend of the devil, along with the route, in our article Devils in the Moravian Karst.
Iron and cast iron
From the 18th century Blansko was the centre of the ironworks of the Salm family, and it became famous for its decorative cast iron. You can read the whole story in our article The Iron Karst. Blansko is also linked with the physician and archaeologist Jindřich Wankel, grandfather of Karel Absolon, and with the Rudice teacher Hugo Václav Sáňka, who worked here as a chronicler in his later years.
Getting here
- By train: direct trains run to Blansko from Brno on the Brno–Česká Třebová line.
- To Skalní Mlýn: bus no. 226 runs from Blansko, taking about 10 minutes. To the Macocha Abyss and Balcarka Cave: take bus no. 232. The bus station is about 100 metres from the railway station. More in our article The Moravian Karst without a car.
- Tourist information: the Blansko information office “Blanka”, Rožmitálova 6, tel. 516 410 470, infocentrum@blansko.cz.
Events
St Martin’s Welcome (Vítání sv. Martina) is the town’s biggest event. In 2026 it runs from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November. The main celebration, with a crafts fair, takes place on Sunday from 10 am in the chateau park. In previous years it has included a historical procession, concerts and a tasting of St Martin’s wines. The full programme will be published by the Town of Blansko and the Cultural Centre.
The harvest of the Olšovec pond in Jedovnice takes place the same weekend, so you can combine the two. See Pond harvests 2026.
Where to stay
Blansko is the best base for those travelling without a car: the trains, the buses into the Karst and the shops are all close at hand.
- Hotel Macocha (Nádražní 1010/13) is close to both the railway and bus stations and has a secure car park. Tel. 606 096 767, website hotelmacocha.cz.
- You’ll find a map of further accommodation in Blansko and the surrounding area in our article Where to stay in the Moravian Karst.
Accommodation availability changes, so always check before you travel.
FAQ
Why is Blansko called the gateway to the Moravian Karst? It is the nearest town with a railway station, and buses run from here to Skalní Mlýn, the Macocha Abyss and the caves.
What is there to see in Blansko? The chateau with the Blansko Region Museum, the wooden church of St Paraskeva from Subcarpathian Rus, the Church of St Martin and, above the town, the ruins of Čertův hrádek.
When is St Martin’s Welcome in Blansko? In 2026 it runs from 6 to 8 November, with the main celebration on Sunday in the chateau park.
How do I get from Blansko to the Moravian Karst? Take bus no. 226 to Skalní Mlýn (about 10 minutes) or bus no. 232 to the Macocha Abyss and the Balcarka Cave.
Information checked as of 11 October 2026. Sources: Kudy z nudy: Wooden Church of St Paraskeva; Blansko Region Museum; Town of Blansko: St Martin’s Welcome; Cultural Centre of the Town of Blansko; Hotel Macocha; KAM po Česku 1–2/2016 and 3/2026 (anniversary and information centre); Ochrana přírody 8/2006 (Salm ironworks).
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