Znojmo is the historical and cultural centre of southwestern Moravia and the second most populated town in the South Moravian Region.

The historic centre of Znojmo is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument reservation.

The royal town of Znojmo was founded shortly before 1226 by King Ottokar I of Bohemia on the plains in front of the rebuilt castle and was fortified.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, networks of burgher houses with a system of underground passages were built as a part of fortifications.

Since the end of World War I, Znojmo was within the newly established state of Czechoslovakia, except for 1938–1945 during the Nazi German occupation when it was administered as part of the Reichsgau Niederdonau.

[9] The special taste is also the result of local type of cucumbers, cultivation method, soil, climatic conditions, processing and also the packaging in which they are kept.

The main attraction of the festival is the historical parade commemorating the visit of King John of Bohemia to Znojmo in 1327.

[14] Overlooking the Thaya River valley, on the edge of the medieval city, is the Znojmo Castle, which was founded by the Přemyslid dukes in the 11th century.

[15] The only remaining trace of this castle is the Romanesque Rotunda of Saint Catherine, the interior of which is covered with 11th-century frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible and illustrating the life of Přemysl the Ploughman.

Beneath the grounds of the old town, there is a vast labyrinth of connected passageways and cellars called the Znojmo Catacombs.

This system was developed in the 14th and 15th centuries for defence purposes, and it contains wells, drainage, fireplaces, trap doors and escapeways that lead beyond the fortifications of the town.

[17][18] The catacombs are the largest system of underground corridors and cellars in the Czech Republic – they are almost 27 km (17 mi) long and up to 4 levels deep.