Freedom Square (Náměstí Svobody), Brno, Czech Republic

Freedom Square (Náměstí Svobody), Brno, Czech Republic – Tram route from top of square

Located at the historical centre of Brno, Czech Republic, Freedom Square (Náměstí Svobody) acts as a focal point for this Moravian city. It hosts a variety of events throughout the year including winter fairs, summer festivals, theatre and music events.

Freedom Square (Náměstí Svobody), Brno, Czech Republic – Shared Space Street

Freedom Square (Náměstí Svobody), Brno, Czech Republic – Monument to the Plague

Freedom Square (Náměstí Svobody), Brno, Czech Republic – Overview of square

This space is triangular in shape with a tram route running north south through its centre. The edge of the square is bound by a mixture of historic and modern buildings. Within the footprint of this space the Church of St Nicholas was located, this was demolished in 1869 and only its archeological remains exist below ground today. An early Baroque Plague column from 1689 exists close to its north elevation.

Freedom Square (Náměstí Svobody), Brno, Czech Republic – Interface between public and shared space

The square was reconstructed in 2006 and it has been treated as a single space with a single ground plain. As business’ occupy the buildings to the perimeter of the square controlled vehicular access has been allowed to these ares. These zones have been treated as shared spaces. A fountain was introduced to the north side of the square, with the words of the Brno poet Jan Skácel inscribed at its edge. The paving for the entire space is of a single variety of stone, laid in different orientations depending on the context. Pedestrian crossing points within the shared surface are identified by textured setts. Within the ground plain of the square the outline of the former Church of St Nicholas has been identified by a brass edge laid flush with the paving.