The Dragon of Brno

The legend of the Brno Dragon is an extraordinary tale that attracts the attention of not only Czechs but also tourists from around the world. According to one version of the story, the fearsome dragon, which devoured animals and children, was defeated by a cunning knight. His death occurred as a result of an unusual strategy he used to lure the monster...

According to one of the numerous versions of a Czech legend, long ago, the city of Brno (formerly Brunn) was terrorized by a terrifying dragon that devoured domestic animals and children with gusto. A resourceful knight defeated him by filling the skin of a calf with slaked lime. When the dragon eagerly pounced on the supposed calf and devoured it with relish, the lime began to burn him and incited a tremendous thirst. The dragon rushed to a nearby stream to quench his thirst. He greedily drank the cool water, which, combined with the slaked lime in his stomach, caused an explosion, killing the dragon instantly. A similar legend is known from Krakow (the Wawel Dragon).

It's obvious that the area is swarming with skillful reptile reconstructions. To this day, the preserved remains of a fearsome dragon can be seen hanging from a rope from the ceiling in Brno City Hall. In reality, however, it's not a dragon, but a large crocodile covered in black grease. So, could the Brno dragon be just a crocodile that escaped from a menagerie? Or is the story of the monster entirely fictional, and the crocodile wandered into it by accident? There are many theories about the crocodile hanging from the City Hall ceiling. Its origins are unknown. However, it is well known that it has been hanging there since at least 1608...