Měnín Gate

The Měnínská Gate in Brno is the only one of the city's five original city gates still standing. Its origins date back to the 13th century, when it was part of the medieval city fortifications, which at the time were among the most advanced in Europe. The name comes from the former Měnín quarter, one of the city's four original districts. The gate stood on an important trade route and was therefore especially heavily fortified and guarded, since attackers of Brno often chose to strike precisely here. Over the centuries it was rebuilt several times; among other changes, the barbicans in front of it were torn down in the 17th century after a mighty bastion had been built.

In the 19th century, the gate was reduced by one story and converted for residential use, before it was badly damaged in World War II. After a comprehensive restoration in the 1980s, it was handed over to the Brno City Museum, which has operated it as an exhibition space ever since. The historical importance of the site has been underscored by its protected monument status since 1964, which safeguards the gate along with the surviving fragments of the city wall.

Today, visitors can see a variety of exhibitions in the gate's interior rooms and cellar levels. After the toy museum housed there closed in 2020 due to structural deficiencies, the city is currently preparing a new, comprehensive renovation. This project, which will be accompanied by a multimedia exhibition on the history of Brno's city fortifications, aims to make the gate's historical heritage newly accessible and is planned for the coming years.