Training Command – Military Academy

T. G. M. Square

Vyškov, a town in the South Moravia Region with 23,000 inhabitants, is situated about 30 km northeast of the city of Brno at the Vyškov Gate, upstream of the Haná River.

The first written records are found in a document signed by Jindřich Zdík, the Bishop of Olomouc, dated 1141. In 1267, the Bishop Bruno of Schauenburk characterized Vyškov as “oppidum forense”, i.e. a settlement of a town-type with its own market place. Development of this settlement into one of the leading towns of the Olomouc Bishopric culminated in the 14th century. During wartime, its quite suitable location increased the danger that the city would be a subject of attacks by enemies. During the Hussite Wars, Vyškov remained loyal to the Bishop of Olomouc, therefore it was captured and devastated by the Hussites. The restoration of the town in the second half of the 15th century is credited to Tas of Černá Hora, the Bishop of Olomouc, a member of the nobles of Boskovice who re-wrote and expanded town privileges that were destructed. A calm period of the 16th and beginning of the 17th century was reflected in an economic prosperity of the town, headed in that time by the town burgomaster and four councilors. Among the crafts, drapery, pottery, and butchery, were the most widespread in that time. In the 17th century, Vyškov was heavily impacted by the Thirty Years War, it was twice besieged by Swedish troops and especially during the second raid in 1643 it was completely wiped out. The town of Vyškov reached its greatest expansion at the end of the 17th century under the reign of Charles of Lichtenstein. A terrible fire in 1753 marked a turning point in the development of Vyškov.

Many historical monuments have been preserved in Vyškov. The remnants of stone reinforcement walls date back to the 15th century. According to the project of architect Giovanni Pietro Tencallo, the chateau was rebuilt from the Gothic castle and it resumed its present appearance in the second half of the 17th century, in the era of Charles of Lichtenstein. The chateau used to have a picture gallery; Italian operas were played in the theatre hall. In 1774, a military hospital was established in the chateau and also plaster and fresco decorations disappeared. At the present time, there is the Vyškov Region Museum in the chateau.

The collections of the Museum consist of historical, archaeological, scientific, ethnographical and fine arts. Well known is a wide collection of the Vyškov folk ceramics. The chateau garden has existed since the 15th century. After the Swedish raid, the garden was rebuilt by Charles of Lichtenstein. The chateau adjoins the town brewery established in 1680. A dominating feature of the triangle-shaped square is the renaissance town-hall from 1569. The Plague Column was sculpted by Christian Pröbstl in 1719. The Baroque fountain on this square with a motif of Ganymed on the eagle is another important historical monument. The Church of the Ascension of Our Lady was built in 1464 – 1466 and the Chapel of St. Otylia comes from 1692. The author of its fresco paintings with a legend of St. Otylia is the Augsburg painter Johanes Drenttwet and Baldassare Fontana decorated the chapel with stuccos. During the fire in Vyškov in 1753, the church was damaged and in 1773 it was re-built according to the Baroque style.

Vyškov has been the seat of a military garrison since 1936, when the 2nd Armored Assault Regiment moved to the city. One year later, the School of Armored Assault Troops was relocated here from Milovice. After WWII, the Armor Technical School started its activities from which the Military School, the Higher Military School and Command and Organization Faculty further developed. It was wound up in 1972 when the Land Forces Military College was established in Vyškov. In 2004, this military college terminated its activity by being incorporated in the Defense University with a seat in Brno.

Currently, the Vyškov Garrison is considered to be one of the most important garrisons within the AFCR and has become the largest training center for military professionals.

Source: Vyškov Tourist Information Centre