Labyrinth Under the Vegetable Market in Brno: What to Expect
During my half-day trip from Bratislava to Brno, I had not planned on visiting the Labyrinth Under the Vegetable Market. I had hoped to visit the Brno Ossuary beneath the Church of St. James, but tickets were sold out for the entire day by the time I arrived.
Since the Ossuary was sold out, I looked for another underground attraction and decided to visit the Labyrinth Under the Vegetable Market instead.
It ended up being an interesting addition to my afternoon in Brno. My favorite part was the recreated alchemist’s laboratory, although the language difference during the tour made the experience a little more difficult.
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About the Labyrinth Under the Vegetable Market
The Labyrinth Under the Vegetable Market is a network of historic cellars stretching almost one kilometer beneath Zelný Trh.
The cellars were gradually built beneath the houses surrounding the square and were used to store food, wine, and beer before modern refrigeration. They also served as shelters during wartime. In 2009, structural work connected the underground passages into the visitor route that can be toured today.
The tour involves 212 stairs throughout the underground route. That does not mean the Labyrinth is 212 steps straight below the square; the actual depth is about six to eight meters.
Tickets, Hours, and What to Know Before Visiting
The standard visit to the Labyrinth Under the Vegetable Market is a guided tour that lasts approximately one hour.
At the time of this update, the official Brno Underground website lists:
- Adult admission: 180 CZK
- Opening days: Tuesday through Sunday
- Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- First tour: 9:30 a.m.
- Last tour: 5:30 p.m.
- Tour length: About 60 minutes
- BRNOPAS discount: 20%
- Stairs: 212 during the tour
Tours normally depart every hour, with more frequent tours on weekends between June and September.
Tickets can be purchased on-site, and online tickets are available for selected dates and times. Since prices and schedules can change, I recommend checking the official Brno Underground website before visiting.
My Experience with the Czech Tour and Audio Guide
During my visit, the guided tour itself was conducted in Czech. Since I don’t speak Czech, I used a downloadable audio guide.
Each room had a corresponding number that I selected on the audio guide. The English explanations usually lasted around three minutes, while the Czech-speaking guide often talked for considerably longer. I couldn’t understand what the guide was saying, but it was clear that the Czech-speaking visitors were receiving much more information than I was getting from the audio guide. The audio guide still gave me enough information to follow the tour and understand what I was looking at.
If you don’t speak Czech, I recommend bringing your own headphones. I would also check the current language options before your visit, as they may have changed since my trip.
What I Saw on the Labyrinth Tour
The historic cellars now contain a series of exhibits showing how the underground spaces were used and different aspects of life in Brno.
Alchemist's Laboratory
My favorite exhibit was the recreated alchemist’s laboratory.
The room contained equipment associated with alchemy and early scientific study. Of all the displays on the tour, this was the one I found the most interesting.
Wine and Food Storage
Another section showed how the underground cellars were used to store food, wine, and beer.
Before modern refrigeration, the cooler temperatures underground made these spaces useful for preserving goods belonging to merchants and residents around the Vegetable Market.
Lighting the Underground
One exhibit focused on the different ways people illuminated the underground spaces before modern electric lighting.
According to the audio guide during my visit, some workers wore masks while holding candles in their mouths to light the underground passages. The masks helped protect their faces from the heat of the flame.
I found the masks and older lighting equipment on display especially memorable. It was interesting to think about how different exploring these cellars would have been without the lighting used on today’s tour.
Punishments in Historical Brno
One of the darker sections of the tour focused on historical punishments. The exhibit includes replicas of a pillory and a cage of fools similar to ones that stood in Brno’s marketplace during the 17th century. The tour also explains some of the punishments that could be given to dishonest craftsmen, traders, and merchants.
I thought this was one of the creepier parts of the Labyrinth, but it was also interesting to see this different side of Brno’s history.
The Tavern
Near the end of the tour, I walked through a reconstructed period tavern and wine-cellar area.
After seeing exhibits about storage, lighting, alchemy, and punishment, the tavern provided a different look at how these underground spaces are interpreted for visitors today.
Is the Labyrinth Under the Vegetable Market Worth Visiting?
I think the Labyrinth Under the Vegetable Market is worth visiting, especially if you enjoy underground attractions or are interested in Brno’s history. It wasn’t originally part of my plans, but I was glad I visited after finding the Brno Ossuary sold out.
The biggest drawback for me was the language difference. The audio guide provided enough information to understand the exhibits, but it was noticeably less detailed than the explanations given by the Czech-speaking guide. Even with that limitation, I enjoyed walking through the historic cellars, and the alchemist’s laboratory was one of the more memorable things I saw during my afternoon in Brno.
If you don’t speak Czech, my biggest tip is simple: bring headphones for the audio guide.
Tours of Brno
I explored Brno independently, but a guided city tour could be useful if you want more historical context or have additional time in the city. Below are several Brno tours available through Viator. I am a Viator affiliate, which means I may earn a commission if you book through one of my links at no additional cost to you.