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Brno

A crocodile, a wheel and one deliberately crooked story

Find the bent central pinnacle on the portal and, when the passage is accessible, the hanging crocodile and wheel inside.

The Old Town Hall is where Brno stores several versions of itself under one roof. First, the stone: the protected late-Gothic portal is tied to Anton Pilgram and the early sixteenth century. Then the animal: the famous 'dragon' hanging in the passage is actually a Nile crocodile. Brno has a documentary explanation for the specimen and also a much better monster story involving bait and quicklime. Above you, a bent pinnacle gets another revenge legend: Pilgram supposedly twisted it to mirror the councillors' crooked behaviour after a dispute over payment. Do not choose one story and throw away the rest. Instead, separate the objects you can see from the explanations Brno has attached to them.

What is documented — and what is not

Documented fact

The late-Gothic portal of Brno's Old Town Hall is associated with Anton Pilgram's conception and dates to the early sixteenth century.

Evidence: National Heritage Institute (NPÚ)

Documented fact

The object known as the Brno dragon hanging in the Old Town Hall passage is in fact a Nile crocodile.

Evidence: Statutory City of Brno

Legend

Brno's traditional dragon story says a dangerous dragon was killed with bait containing quicklime and the creature was then displayed at the Old Town Hall.

Evidence: Statutory City of Brno

Legend

A Brno legend explains the portal's bent pinnacle as Anton Pilgram's revenge on councillors who treated him dishonestly over payment.

Evidence: Statutory City of Brno

Sources