Olomouc is a historic city in central Moravia, Czech Republic, with around 103,000 people, making it the country’s sixth-largest city. First mentioned in written records in 1017, it developed into one of the most important political, religious and cultural centres of medieval Moravia and served as its capital for several centuries. The city was also the site of the assassination of King Wenceslas III in 1306, ending the male line of the Přemyslid dynasty. Its remarkably well-preserved historic centre is dominated by the Holy Trinity Column, a 35-metre Baroque monument completed in 1754 and recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other notable landmarks include St Wenceslas Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace and the Town Hall, whose medieval astronomical clock was rebuilt in an unusual socialist-realist style during the communist era. Olomouc is also home to Palacký University, founded in 1573 and the second-oldest university in the Czech lands. Despite its long history, the city retains a lively student atmosphere, with numerous pubs, restaurants and cultural venues concentrated around its two main squares.

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