Jihlava is a Czech regional and statutory city, located in the
Bohemian-Moravian Highlands and situated on the former
Czech-Moravian border, formed here partly by the river Jihlava.
Historically, it is a Moravian city and even today most of Jihlava
lies on the Moravian side, only the northwestern edge is in Bohemia.
The historic town, founded in the 13th century as a mining town with
silver mining, has been a city monument reserve since 1982. Jihlava
has been the center of the Vysočina Region since 2000. Approximately
51,000 inhabitants live here.
Name
The town is named
Jihlava (German Iglau) after the original merchant settlement near
the church of St. John, which was located near the ford across the
river of the same name, which gave the settlement its name. However,
the origin of the name of the river is not clear. It could have been
named Langobardi, who lived at its confluence with the Dyje, as
Igulaha (hedge creek). However, the name may also come from Slavic
languages, where the word "needle" meant sharp stones in the
riverbed.
Masarykovo náměstí (Masaryk Square)
The third-largest city square
in the Czech Republic (36,653 m²), this sloping, cobbled centerpiece
anchors the historic district. Surrounded by colorful historic houses
and lined with arcades, it features a 1690 plague column, two 1797
fountains, and serves as the vibrant heart of daily life and events. The
square’s medieval layout radiates perpendicular and parallel streets
toward the old city walls, creating an enchanting atmosphere for
wandering—though a modern commercial building in the center (added in
the late 1960s) slightly disrupts the harmony for some visitors.
Dominating one corner stands the Town Hall (Městská radnice), with a
Gothic core from 1425. It gained a Renaissance frescoed façade, clock
turret, and large Gothic hall in the 16th century; a second floor was
added in 1786. Today it houses administrative offices but remains a
symbol of the city’s medieval autonomy and mining-court privileges under
King Ottokar II and later Charles IV.
Church of Saint James the
Great (Kostel sv. Jakuba)
One of Jihlava’s most valuable national
cultural monuments and a defining symbol of the city, this early-Gothic
hall church dates to the 13th century. Its two towers (63 m and 54 m
high) dominate the skyline; the taller one doubles as a public lookout
tower offering panoramic views. Inside, a Baroque Chapel of Our Lady of
Sorrows (1702) and the second-largest bell in Moravia (Zuzana) add to
its grandeur. The church stands on Jakubské náměstí near the main square
and underscores the city’s early religious and mining prosperity.
Other notable churches include the early-Baroque Church of Saint
Ignatius of Loyola (1683–1689) on Masaryk Square with its adjacent
former Jesuit college, the Baroque Church of the Ascension of the Virgin
Mary (originally Franciscan, 13th century), the Renaissance/Mannerist
Church of the Holy Spirit (1547), and the neo-Gothic Evangelical Church
of Saint Paul (1870s).
Gate of the Holy Mother (Brána Matky Boží)
The sole surviving gate from the original five that pierced the medieval
city walls (13th century), this imposing stone structure with its clock
tower and battlements is Jihlava’s iconic symbol. Part of the massive
fortifications built during the royal mining era, it once guarded the
silver-rich town; only fragments of walls and the zwinger (now a park)
remain elsewhere. Climb the tower for sweeping views, then grab a sweet
treat at the nearby popular cukrárna (pastry shop).
Jihlava
Underground (Jihlavské podzemí / Collectors)
Jihlava’s most unique
attraction is this vast subterranean labyrinth—totaling 25 km of
interconnected corridors and cellars excavated up to 18 m deep beneath
the historic center. Originating in the 14th–16th centuries from
medieval mining cellars and later expanded, the system once stored
goods, sheltered residents, and drained water. A modern guided tour
(about 1 hour, max 20 people) covers 1 km across three levels (10–25 m
deep), blending historic labyrinth sections with 20th-century
collectors. Highlights include an exhibition of miners’ lamps, silver
samples, and historic photos; the tour ends in an underground room on
Benešova Street. A signature moment occurs when lights are extinguished
to reveal the mysterious “luminous passage” glowing on the walls. Book
ahead via the Tourist Information Centre on Masaryk Square (adults 100
CZK, children/students 50 CZK; children under 6 not permitted without
adults; steel ladders involved). The site is open year-round except
January, with group bookings available off-season.
Gustav Mahler
House and Jewish Sites
Composer Gustav Mahler (1860–1911) spent his
childhood in Jihlava after his family moved from nearby Kaliště. The
Gustav Mahler House (Znojemská Street) now houses a museum with exhibits
on his family, early inspirations drawn from the Vysočina landscape, and
his later ties to the city. Nearby, the Jewish Cemetery (founded 1869)
preserves over 1,000 tombstones, including graves of Mahler’s parents
and siblings—the only surviving Jewish monument in Jihlava after the
pre-WWII community was decimated. Adjacent Gustav Mahler Park marks the
site of the former synagogue (burned 1939).
Jihlava Zoo
Just a
short walk from the center in a riverside park along the Jihlavka, this
modern zoo (opened 1982) houses around 260 species across five
continents with a “no bars” philosophy emphasizing naturalistic
enclosures. It specializes in big cats, monkeys, and reptiles and ranks
as the most-visited attraction in the Vysočina Region—ideal for families
after exploring the old town.
Additional points of interest
include the Vysočina Museum (regional history and mining exhibits),
remnants of the city fortifications now turned into pleasant green
spaces, and the broader historic streets (Komenského, Matky Boží,
Benešova, Palackého) lined with colorful burgher houses. Jihlava’s
compact, walkable center rewards slow exploration on foot or by the
city’s distinctive trolleybuses.
Medieval
The first mention of a settlement called
Jihlava comes from 1233, when Bishop Robert of Olomouc confirmed the
transfer of goods (where the name Gyglaua - Jihlava also appeared)
of the Teutonic Knights into the ownership of the Želiv Monastery.
In 1234, Margrave Přemysl and Queen Constance with the Porta Coeli
monastery in Předklášteří exchanged, among other things, the Jihlava
farm with the surrounding villages and tolls for other property.
After 1240, Jihlava returned to the possession of Wenceslas I and
soon after (sometime between 1240 and 1243) the upper town was
founded. Probably a lot of people came to the new city, willing to
participate in the mining and processing of silver. As early as
1249, coins minted in Jihlava are mentioned, but it is uncertain
whether the mint functioned here so soon. Even before 1253, the
founding charter of Jihlava was created, which characterized the
city from a legal point of view, but it has not been preserved to
this day.
In 1270 Jihlava received from Přemysl Otakar II.
building regulations, which imprinted the historical part of the
city with a regular floor plan, a rectangular network of streets
with a large square in the middle (later the cadastral area of
Jihlava Inner City). Jihlava, although founded under Wenceslas I,
thus bears the distinctive features of the cities that Přemysl
Otakar II. directly founded. In addition, the city received a
privilege from Otakar, which allowed the townspeople to regulate the
development in the inner parts of the city. Probably this year, a
fortification with a fence and a moat was also built (although the
document talks about the rebuilding of the ruined towers, which
would indicate that some fortifications existed before). Jihlava is
Přemysl Otakar II. he was especially pampered due to the strong
silver mining, which has seen a large increase since the 1970s. In
1272, in connection with silver mining, the king granted permission
to the townspeople of Jihlava to prospectorate inter inter Yglauiam
et Vst. It is difficult to say today what the king's income was from
local mining. He allegedly owned one-eighth - called urbura - of
each mine. However, silver mining, especially in the Jihlava region,
but not only here, was associated with the allegedly famous Otakar
wealth. As Josef Žemlička states in his book Přemysl Otakar II.,
King at the Crossroads of Ages, "it is difficult to compile a
clearly legible image from a mosaic of preserved fragments of
knowledge." However, it is known that in the 70s and 80s of the 13th
century, silver mining in Jihlava and its surroundings was the
liveliest.
During the Hussite wars, the Catholic city of
Jihlava was never conquered by the Hussites. As early as 1420, it
joined the Catholic side, which was probably due to the German
nationality of the majority of the population. In 1422, Jihlava
became a direct witness to the retreat of impoverished Sigismund's
troops, which fled after the lost battle of Německý Brod (today
Havlíčkův Brod). Jihlava experienced a direct threat from Hussite
troops in the years 1423, 1425 and 1427, when Jan Žižka and Jan
Roháč of Dubá, for example, besieged them for a time. However, the
fortress always withstood. Nevertheless, there were large economic
losses, the wide surroundings of the city were devastated, mining
stopped. In 1436, the Basel Compact was proclaimed on Jihlava Square
(now Masarykovo). In 1441, peace was to come between a peace between
Jihlava and Tábor.
During the reign of George of Podebrady,
fighting broke out again. Mostly German Jihlava refused to recognize
his coronation and election, so the Hussite king had to conquer it.
It happened in the autumn of 1458 after a four-month siege. The
stiff resistance was caused by entrenched Catholicism and resistance
against the Hussites. These struggles resulted in a long period when
Jihlava could not get out of the crisis. The revival did not occur
until the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries.
Modern age
The years 1526–1619 are the years of the city's great prosperity.
After large fires, it was reconstructed with significant Renaissance
features. After 1522, Lutheranism prevailed in the town. Crafts and
trade flourished - drapery became a field of Central European
importance. There were a number of surveys again, the miners
restored a number of galleries and stopped a number of new ones. All
this despite the fact that Jihlava, as the only Moravian town, took
part in the first resistance of the estate in 1547 and escaped with
only 25,000 tolars of a fine and the so-called hereditary beer tax.
During the Thirty Years' War in March 1645, the towns were
seized by the Swedes under the command of Lennart Torstenson
(1603–1651), who bribed one woman and she opened two gates for them.
The city was rebuilt into a Baroque fortress with a bastion
fortification. After their departure in 1647, only one thousand
inhabitants remained in the destroyed city.
The city experienced great re-development in the 18th and 19th
centuries, when it became the second largest producer of cloth in
the then Habsburg monarchy. In the 19th century, industry developed
and parts of the walls and gates with narrow passages were
demolished. In 1850, a regional court was established here. In the
years 1864–1928, Jihlava was a statutory city for the first time. In
1923, the village of Dřevo Mlýny was annexed to Jihlava (however,
Bedřichov, Staré Hory and Hruškové Dvory were also part of the
agglomeration). Until 1945, Jihlava and its surroundings formed the
second largest German language enclave in the Czech lands - the
so-called Jihlava language island. In the 1930s, the city was
enriched by works of Czech modern architecture by its leading
representative, the internationally renowned architect Bohuslav
Fuchs.
World War II also affected Jihlava. A few days after
the German occupation, the Jihlava synagogue was burned down (Gustav
Mahler Park was later established in its place). On the night of
April 10-11, 1945, the partisans damaged the bridge near Helenín and
overturned when the train crossed. According to the amateur
historian Jiří Vybíhal, the event is rated as one of the largest
railway diversionary actions of partisans in the period of the
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. German reports speak of the
deaths of 65 and the injuries of 124 soldiers. After the war, the
local Germans were displaced.
In 1969, Evžen Plocek set
himself on fire in the square in Jihlava to protest against
normalization. His memorial plaque is located by the plague column
in the upper part of Masaryk Square. In the historical core of the
city (declared a city monument reserve since 1982) you can find
houses of many historical styles and large remains of the city walls
from the 14th and 15th centuries.
Post - war administrative
development
The abolition of the land organization and the new
regional establishment in 1949 brought Jihlava the status of a
regional city, the center of the Jihlava region. However, another
administrative reform in 1960 annexed Jihlava to the South Moravian
Region with its center in Brno and remained only a district town.
On January 1, 1951, Jihlava expanded its territory to include
Bedřichov, Helenín (including Handlové Dvory and Pančava), Hrušková
Dvory and Staré Hory, while Bedřichov and Staré Hory belonged to
Bohemia. This created the so-called "Great Jihlava". On May 17,
1954, Hruškové Dvory was separated from Jihlava and, on the
contrary, the settlement of Sasov was annexed to Jihlava. On January
1, 1968, Jihlava was expanded to include the village of Pávov.
Another expansion took place on August 1, 1976, when Antonínův Důl,
Červený Kříž, Henčov, Heroltice, Hruškové Dvory, Hybrálec, Pístov,
Popice, Rančířov, Smrčná, Vysoká and Zborná were added to Jihlava.
On April 1, 1980, Horní Kosov, Hosov, Malý Beranov and Kosov were
annexed to Jihlava.
On January 1, 1989, the last expansion of
the town took place, during which Rantířov, Měšín, Cerekvička,
Loučky, Vílanec, Čížov, Rosice were connected to it. In the summer
of 1990, on the other hand, many parts of Jihlava became
independent. Since 2000, Jihlava has once again been the center of
the region, which nevertheless soon changed its name from the
original old-new name Jihlava Region to Vysočina Region. Together
with Karlovy Vary, it is one of the smallest Czech regional cities
by far.
Location and Regional Context
Geographically, Jihlava occupies a
central position within the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands (Českomoravská
vrchovina), one of the most extensive and prominent highland/mountainous
areas in the Czech Republic. This region forms a natural divide between
the Bohemian Massif's western parts and the Moravian landscapes to the
east. The city lies roughly halfway between Prague (≈110–120 km
northwest) and Brno (≈80–90 km southeast), placing it in a transitional
zone of rolling highlands rather than in any major lowland basin or
alpine-style mountain range.
The municipal territory covers about
87.9 km², and the broader Jihlava District (okres Jihlava) is
characterized by rugged, hilly terrain with an average elevation around
540 m across the district.
Elevation and Topography
The
official elevation of the city center (typically measured near the
historical square or main built-up area) is approximately 525 m above
sea level (some sources round to 523–526 m).
The broader municipal
area shows variation, with an average elevation often cited around
550–553 m.
The terrain is hilly and undulating, never flat — expect
gentle to moderate slopes, small valleys, and frequent elevation changes
even within the urban area.
Within the municipal boundaries, the
highest point is Popický vrch (Popice Hill) at 682 m, located near the
southern edge of the city territory.
The lowest points locally are
along the river valley, typically around 490–510 m where the Jihlava
River flows through the city.
The city itself sits in a
relatively shallow valley along the river, but the surrounding landscape
quickly rises into rolling hills and plateaus. The northern part of the
municipal territory belongs to the Upper Sázava Hills (Hornosázavská
pahorkatina), while the southern part lies in the Křižanov Highlands
(Křižanovská vrchovina). These are both subunits of the larger
Bohemian-Moravian Highlands system.
River and Hydrology
The
defining hydrological feature is the Jihlava River (Czech: řeka Jihlava,
German: Igel), a right tributary of the Svratka River (which eventually
feeds the Dyje/Thaya → Morava → Danube system).
The river flows
roughly west to east through the city.
In Jihlava, it forms a modest
valley that influenced medieval settlement patterns.
The municipal
territory contains numerous small fishponds (typical of the Vysočina
Region), which are artificial reservoirs created historically for fish
farming, water management, and mill power.
The broader district
features a dense network of minor streams and brooks feeding the Jihlava
River.
Climate and Natural Conditions
The location in the
Bohemian-Moravian Highlands gives Jihlava a cooler, wetter, and harsher
climate compared to lowland Prague or Brno. Winters are longer and
colder, summers milder, with higher precipitation (often 700–900 mm
annually in the highlands) and frequent fog in valleys. Snow cover lasts
longer than in lower-lying regions, and the area is known for relatively
harsh weather overall — typical of Czech inland highland zones.
Geology and Landscape Character
Geologically, the area belongs to the
Bohemian Massif, built predominantly of old crystalline rocks (gneiss,
migmatite, granite) from the Variscan orogeny, heavily eroded over
hundreds of millions of years. The highlands represent a peneplain-like
upland dissected by river valleys, with only modest relative relief
(rarely exceeding 200–300 m differences).
The landscape around
Jihlava is a classic Central European highland scenery: forested hills,
agricultural fields on gentler slopes, scattered villages, many ponds,
and a mosaic of meadows and woods. The region is not dramatically
mountainous but feels continuously hilly and "broken" (the Czech term
"vrchovina" implies highlands with rounded hills rather than sharp
peaks).