Hyncice (formerly Heinzendorf), March 2005. The birth place of Gregor Mendel is in northern Moravia (Czech Republic). Entering the village from the south. The white building with the cars parked beside it is the fire station which Mendel built when he was Abbot of the Augustinian convent in Brno.

A general view of the village of Hyncice. The house in which Mendel was born and where he lived until joining the Augustinian community in Brno is the building on the right. Photo taken in summer 1995

The Mendel family home in Hyncice (formerly Heinzendorf), in the Czech Republic. This simple farmhouse (with the grey roof) is where Mendel was born in 1822 and where he lived until joining the Augustinian community in Brno. Photo taken in March 2005. After Mendel's time an extra storey was added.

The church of Vražné (then Grosspetersdorf) where Mendel was baptised and where he worshipped as a child. The priest of this church, Father Johann Schreiber, was a pivotal figure in Mendel's life, teaching him the techniques of horticulture and encouraging him in his studies.

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The tomb of the Mendel and Sturm families in the cemetery at Vražné. A decade ago these remains were scattered round the edges of the cemetery and often overgrown with brambles. Recently this common tomb has been created and the German tombs in the cemetery put in order. Sturm was the family name of Gregor Mendel's brother-in-law Alois, who took over the Mendel family farm (see picture above) in 1841. Mendel himself is buried in the cemetery in Brno.

The church of the Augustinian convent in Brno(southern Moravia), on a summer's day in 1994. This was the church of the community that Mendel joined in 1843.

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The garden of the Augustinian Convent in Brno.This view is looking towards the entrance to the garden, with Mendlovonamesti, Mendel Square, beyond. In the shadows in front of the tree can just be seen part of the foundations of the greenhouse that Mendel used. This was demolished some time after the Second World War, during the Communist era.

The Convent Church of the Assumption, looking from the organ loft down onto the high altar. Here Mendel would often have celebrated mass. Here he was enthroned as abbot in 1868 and here his requiem mass was celebrated in 1884. On that occasion the organ was played by the choirmaster, the young Leoš Janácek, later to become one of the most important composers of the twentieth century.

The Mendel memorial which once stood outside the convent but was moved into the garden during the communist era. Mendel holds his hands out protectively over marble pea plants. Rather more moving is the fact that the plants growing at the foot of the plinth are also Pisum sativum. The previous photograph of the whole garden was taken from just beside this rather idealised statue.

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The Realschule in Brno, now a technical college. This is where Mendel taught until he became Abbot, and where he delivered his famous papers to an uncomprehending audience. The main entrance is on the street to the right of the imposing corner tower. There is a small commemoration plaque on the wall outisde.

A small gem, this one. Tucked behind the monastery, on a steep slope and buried amongst trees, is the original experimental beehive constructed by Mendel for his remarkable investigations into bee breeding. This work was carried out in the 1870s.