Zlin

It's time for a small tour through the city of Zlin. This tour is dedicated to those who are thinking of choosing “Univerzita Tomáše Bati ve Zlíně (UTB)” as their Erasmus destination but can't even place this small town on a map.

Firstly, Zlin is part of the Czech Republic, a land-locked country in central Europe which is better known as “the heart of Europe”. It's bordered by Germany in the West, Poland in the North, Slovakia in the East and Austria in the South.

Which part of the Czech Republic is Zlin in?

Zlín, also known as “the Garden City”, is a small Czech city with around 80,000 inhabitants which is located in the eastern part of the Czech Republic. Zlin's history is of great importance as it's what brings this city to life: it was created between 1920 and 1930 by Tomáš Baťa who began developing Zlin's footwear industry in 1894 which consequently spread throughout the world. Eventually, Zlin became the main supplier of footwear to the other countries during peacetime.

What's it known for?

Zlín is famous for the gardens, parks and other green areas that can be found throughout the city. In fact now that it's autumn you can see the beautiful contrast between the lush green trees in the parks and the trees with autumn shades.

Perhaps the most important thing to mention is the industrial vibe the city gives off. In fact, one of its most characteristic elements are the simple, red brick houses seen throughout the entire Zlin region. These houses were built by Tomáš Baťa for his workers.

What should you visit?

1. You definitely have to visit: “Building 21" or the “Bata skyscrapers” which stand at 77.5 meters high. Completed in 1911, it's now home to Zlin's Government Headquarters. On the 21st floor is a terrace which is open year round, where you can see stunning panoramic views of the city.

2. "The Big Cinema": built in 1933, at the time this was the largest cinema in Czechoslovakia, boasting one of the largest cinema screens. Today it holds one thousand people.

3. "Hospital Baťa De Zlín" was founded in 1927, and has become one of the most modern hospitals in Czechoslovakia.

4. The "Tomáš Baťa monument" is a building created in 1933 to commemorate the achievements of Tomáš Baťa. Bata died unexpectedly in an aviation accident in 1932. Since 1955 it has hosted the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra.

6. < strong>“Lešná Zoo”: one of the most visited tourist attractions in all of Moravia. For lovers of nature, why not visit both the zoo and a romantic 19th century palace with a vast English-style park.

For more information, see my previous posts.