200th Birthday of the Father of Genetics!

200th Birthday of the Father of Genetics!

Celebrate the anniversary of Johann Gregor Mendel with us

200th Birthday of the Father of Genetics!
Johann Gregor Mendel was a scientist and the founder of genetics. He formulated the Mendel's Laws of Inheritance based on his experiments. He was born in 1822 and this year we remember the 200th anniversary of his birth! The City of Brno where he worked will commemorate him at the summer Mendel Festival 2022. The festival will bring science, faith and fun together. It will take place between 20 and 24 July and you can be there, too!

Mendel – The Father of Genetics

Johann Gregor Mendel is one of the most important, world-renowned persons associated with Brno. He was a monk and he served as the abbot at the Augustinian Monastery in the city centre. He examined the pea and discovered the laws of inheritance, known as the Mendel’s Laws. It is no exaggeration to call him the father of genetics.

Traces of the Famous Scientist in Czechia

Mendel was born in Hynčice, a small village near Ostrava where you can now find his family house, now a museum open to visitors. He studied at the university in Olomouc. He completed his studies by joining the seminary to become a priest and moved to the Augustinian Monastery in Brno. Mendel was young and full of strength and so the monastery, among other things, sent him to Znojmo to teach at a local grammar school. After that, Mendel’s life was forever linked to Brno and the Augustinian Monastery in Old Brno where he devoted himself to his hobby – research in the area of genetics, as well as to his work of an abbot. The monastery is still there; you will find it at the Mendel Square in the centre of Brno, below the Špilberk Castle, and you can also visit the church where Mendel used to serve masses.

Listen to Both Janáček and Kool & the Gang at the Mendel Festival

What would be a better way to celebrate a birthday, even 200th, than with a festival? Many top musicians will perform on the stages at the Mendel Square in Brno and other places nearby between 20 and 24 July. The programme will open with a concert performed by the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra and the Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno, who will perform the work of Leoš Janáček and present the world premiere of a new piece by one of the most sought-after contemporary composers: Tigran Mansurian Orhnerg – Nahapet Bari, written in honour of Mendel. The church concert will be broadcasted live at the square. Kool & the Gang, the authors of many hits from the United States are the headliners of the Friday programme. The best Czech singers and bands will perform on Saturday afternoon and at the evening concert. The Mendel Festival will also include specialized science meetings and a programme for the general public, such as guided tours of historical places, exhibitions and other events.