On the northern side of Petrov in Brno, there is an uncovered medieval wall

Brno - On the northern side of Brno's Petrov, there is an exposed wall that connects the houses at Petrov 1 and 2 over a length of approximately 40 meters. It is one of the few preserved medieval monuments in the city. According to archaeologist Marek Peška from the company Archaia, the monument is exceptional in its length and because it is purely medieval up to a height of about 1.5 meters, without later alterations. There are distinct brick arches and portals in it, he told ČTK. The work on the wall is part of a large project by the Diocese of Brno, aimed at making the gardens accessible and restoring them to their original form.

According to Peška, the wall dates back to the late Gothic period, likely from the 15th century. It also contains bricked-up arrow slits, which were "teeth" behind which defenders of the castle typically sheltered. Here, however, they had an aesthetic rather than a defensive significance. "Usually, during an exploration, we expect something and something surprises us. Here, it was the Gothic portal," Peška said. According to him, the wall looks ordinary at first glance, and one must find the medieval elements within it.

The wall should have a new plaster in about a week. Peška and his colleagues assume that the wall was never bare and had plaster right from the medieval period. The addition up to its current height took place during the Baroque period. For a long time, it was one of the dominant features of the medieval city on the hill. "Houses in the 15th century were not very tall, which is why it was visible even from the inner city, just like the entire Petrov with the cathedral," Peška said. At the end of last year, similar medieval monuments were uncovered during renovations in Václav Havel Street.

The diocese expects to complete the construction work, which began last year, by next May. "The repair primarily involves land and vegetation adjustments and the rehabilitation of historical enclosing walls. The interior of the extension under the enclosing wall is also set for reconstruction, where new spaces for exhibitions and displays of the Diocesan Museum will be created. A reopening of an opening will occur in the now-exposed wall, and after passing through, it will be possible to descend into the gardens via a new spiral staircase. The public will be able to access spaces that have not been accessible before," said the diocese's spokesperson Martina Jandlová.

There are not many medieval civic monuments in Brno, as the city has been heavily reconstructed. Thus, the largest monument is the old town hall. "Furthermore, there are some cellars and fragments of walls, foundations of houses," Peška stated.