Wine goblets and snail shells. South Moravia is full of interesting buildings

On Kobylím vrch (334 m above sea level) there is an original lookout tower since 2018. It has the form of an unfinished circle that remotely resembles a snail’s shell. Elderly or handicapped visitors or families with prams can easily reach its top.

It does not have a single step, it is an inclined plane made special by signs on the floor that remind the historical milestones of the village. You will have a view of the vineyards of the villages of Kobylí, Vrbice and Čejkovice. In addition, an educational trail leads here from the village of Kobylí among the vineyards.

One of the greatest architects of today, Josef Pleskot, is responsible for the wine house Sonberk near Mikulov, which is set in the middle of a vineyard. It was created in collaboration with the cellar master Oldřich Drápal, thanks to this connection, for example, a corrugated roof was created, under which the grapes dry on wooden frames. The roof is supposed to resemble the swaying of vines in the summer breeze or the movement of the surface of the nearby Nové Mlýn. Visitors can learn more about this attraction during a tour of the house, which must be arranged in advance.

In Slovácko, the Radošov lookout tower with its symbolic shape of a wine glass, but made of wood and steel, is worth a visit. A hiking trail less than three kilometers long leads here from Veselí nad Moravou. Vršek Radošov is located at an altitude of 242 meters above sea level, the observation tower is fifteen meters high and offers a panoramic view of the White Carpathians, Pálava and Vizovické vrchy.

Fifteen colorful houses attract visitors at first sight. Twelve of them serve private owners, three houses are for rent. In the cellar it is then possible to taste Velkopavlovic wines. In this case, the visitor is sure to hit “home” from the wine cellar.

In Kurdějov, near Hustopečí, there is the Gurdau winery, which was completed last March. The architect Aleš Fiala is the author of the reinforced concrete structure sunken into the terrain. It is complemented by acacia and oak wood and when viewed from a greater distance it can be seen that it fits perfectly into the surrounding landscape, wine can be enjoyed here on the terrace with impressive views.

The owners describe the building of the Obelisk winery in Valtice with exaggeration as “another of the buildings of the Lednice-Valtice area”. The work of Hana and Pavel Bainar and the company AiD team is ingeniously set in the surroundings. The winemaking operation is located underground, while the glass-enclosed upper floor contains tasting and representative spaces. Among the construction materials we would find stone, concrete, glass, steel and oak wood, the creators were inspired by an ancient temple. As the building ages naturally, it should visually “merge” with its surroundings.

You can also go to Židlochovice in Brno to the top of Výhoň hill for the views. It is located at an altitude of 355 meters and the observation tower itself is 17.7 meters high. You have to overcome three concrete, 61 wooden and 12 metal steps to the lookout tower. The structure resembling a wooden castle tower is the work of architect Pavel Jura, and as the name suggests, the dominant material is acacia. You will have a view not only of Pálava or the Drahanská vrchovina, but also of the cooling towers of the Dukovany nuclear power plant. The lookout tower is part of the tourist circuit, where you can learn about other points of interest thanks to the information panels.

The Archeopark Pavlov historical museum is located ten kilometers as the crow flies from the border with Austria. It is located in the middle of the prehistoric site of Pavlov I, and because it stands in the protected landscape area of ​​Pálava, the architects had to sensitively place it in the surroundings. The building itself is located underground, and only concrete skylights can be seen outside, which look like Pálava limestone rocks. The work won the Building of the Year 2016 award, inside are original stone tools tens of thousands of years old or mammoth bones.

The Gotberg winery building is located in the village of Popice near Hustopečí. The studio Bukolsky architekti is behind it and can be proud of the award “Best industrial building of the South Moravian region of 2009”. From the terrace of the winery there is a view of Pálava and Mušovská jezera, in the basement there is a tasting room nicknamed for its shape Diamant. After the tasting, it is also possible to use seven rooms, which are used for overnight stays for visitors.

In Staré Poddvorov in the Hodonín district, you can see the buildings of the Krásná Hora winery. These are a trio of buildings that are meant to resemble traditional rural barns. Architect Tomáš Havlíček strove for a typical element of a socialist Moravian village to appear inside. In the end, he chose luxfers – there are holes cut into the facade through which the sun’s rays penetrate into the building.

He received several professional awards for his work, so the contracting authorities exaggerate that at one point more architects than winemakers went to the winery, but the situation is said to have evened out. They also add with insight that they do not have a dog, but it is better to arrange a visit in advance.