History and historical sights
The history of the town has always been closely tied to the castle and its many owners in last centuries.
As a result of numerous fires at the complex, the date of construction and the name of the builder of the castle are no longer known. The spiritual centre of the original settlement, the Church of St Giles, is a dominant architectural feature visible from a great distance. The Town was founded in the west of the castle by Plichta of Žerotín in 1302–1322. The devouted Count Bernard Ignác of Martinice supported the Foundation a monastery, the Church of the Most Holy Trinity and the Loretto at the end of the 17th century. The Marian Plague Pillar was erected in 1711. The new chateau, today a popular tourist destination , was founded by Count Jan František of Vrbno at the beginning of the 18th century. The new Town Hall building became a symbol of town’s independence in 1905. The synagogue was built in the same period.
The Sacrifice sculpture in memory of victims of both World Wars was made by František Bílek, a representative of Czech Catholic Modern Art.