Příbram is a town in the Central Bohemian Region, 54 km southwest of Prague in the area below Brdy on the river Litavka. Approximately 33,000 people live here. Příbram was famous as a historic mining town, which is now reminiscent of the Příbram Mining Museum, one of the largest mining museums in the Czech Republic, which manages an extensive open-air museum. Now, after the decline of mining, it is known mainly due to the pilgrimage site of the Holy Mountain, where there is a Baroque monastery complex. It is located on a hill directly above the city center, connected to it by a covered staircase. The western dominant of the town is formed by the forested ridge of the Třemošná mountain in Brdy.
Svatá Hora (Holy Mountain)
Svatá Hora, often called the Marian
Baroque Pearl, is one of Příbram's most iconic sights, overlooking the
town from a 586-meter hill for over 300 years. This Baroque complex is a
major Marian pilgrimage site in the Czech Republic, where visitors seek
spiritual solace. Its origins link to a legend from the mid-14th century
under Archbishop Arnošt of Pardubice, but it flourished in the mid-17th
century when Jesuits expanded a simple chapel into a grand temple. Known
as the Marian Baroque gem of Central Bohemia, the basilica remains an
active pilgrimage venue with services and guided tours exploring its
underground passages, bells, and historical elements. Surrounding
features include a square with Calvary, Stations of the Cross, Toufar's
Meadow, a Marian Well, and the 400-meter Svatá Hora Stairs linking it to
the town center. Access is easy by car or on foot, offering panoramic
views of Příbram and the Brdy hills. It's a place of peace, with ornate
interiors featuring frescoes, statues, and a revered statue of the
Virgin Mary.
Mining Museum in Příbram
The Mining Museum in
Příbram, established in 1886, is the largest and oldest of its kind in
the Czech Republic, recognized as a national cultural monument since
2014. Located in the Březové Hory district, it encompasses historic
sites like the Vojtěch Mine (once the world's deepest at 1,000 meters in
1875), Anna Mine, and Ševčinský Mine. Visitors can explore kilometers of
underground tunnels, ride authentic mining trains (including a 350-meter
surface route and underground through the Prokop Gallery), descend via
elevators, and slide 51 meters to a giant water wheel—the only one in
the Czech Republic for mine pumping. Exhibits highlight regional mining
history, steam engines from 1889 and 1914, mineral collections,
folklore, a miner's cottage, and blacksmithing demonstrations. Since
2017, it includes parts of the 1.5 km-deep Bytíz uranium mine, open on
select dates. The museum offers interactive experiences like geological
sample collecting, blending education with adventure. It's partially
wheelchair-accessible, with parking, restrooms, and bike storage
available.
Nový Rybník Sports and Recreation Area
This urban
oasis in Příbram's city center provides a serene escape around a
beautiful pond, ideal for relaxation amid nature. Spanning expansive
green spaces, it features diverse amenities including adventure golf, a
summer cinema for outdoor screenings, a skate park, water playgrounds
and slides for children, air trampolines, a leisure playground with
workout zones, sports equipment rentals, an inline skating track, the
SeZaM bistro for refreshments, a mini-zoo, a littoral zone for wildlife
observation, and a hobbit-themed area for kids. It's a hub for family
outings, sports, and community events, contrasting the town's mining
heritage with modern leisure. The area's design emphasizes accessibility
and sustainability, making it a year-round spot for picnics, cycling, or
simply unwinding by the water.
František Drtikol Gallery in
Chateau Ernestinum
Housed in the historic Chateau Ernestinum,
originally a wooden fortress built by religious estate owners, this
gallery honors František Drtikol, a world-renowned photographer born in
Příbram. One of the town's most significant buildings, the chateau now
hosts regular art exhibitions, concerts, and lectures. In partnership
with Prague's Museum of Decorative Arts, it features a permanent
exhibition on Drtikol's life and work, showcasing his pioneering
photography blending symbolism, nudity, and modernism from the early
20th century. The gallery's setting in the renovated chateau adds
historical depth, with interiors reflecting Renaissance and later
styles. It's a cultural gem for art lovers, offering insights into Czech
modernism.
House of Natura and Surrounding Landscape
Situated
in Příbram's heart, the House of Natura introduces visitors to the
region's natural beauty, richness, and tourism potential through unique
exhibitions. Highlights include an experiential display on the Brdy
area's landscapes, presented innovatively, and details on the former
military base's history—some exhibits are one-of-a-kind in Central
Europe. It serves as a gateway for exploring nearby trails, forests, and
ponds, emphasizing eco-tourism. The surrounding Brdy upland offers
hiking opportunities with views of rolling hills and remnants of mining
landscapes, tying into Příbram's theme of harmonizing industry and
nature.
Nearby Attractions: Antonín Dvořák Memorial
While
slightly outside Příbram in Vysoká u Příbramě (about 10 km away), the
Antonín Dvořák Memorial is often visited as part of a Příbram itinerary.
This neo-Renaissance villa, where the composer spent summers composing
works like his 8th Symphony, now houses a museum on his life, with
period furnishings, manuscripts, and a surrounding park for concerts.
Comparison of Transportation Options from Prague
Here's a
high-level overview of options from central Prague (e.g., Praha Hlavní
nádraží or Smíchovské nádraží stations). Distances and times are
approximate; costs are in CZK (about 1 CZK ≈ 0.04 USD or 0.04 EUR as of
2025).
Car: Duration is 45 minutes; cost (one-way) is 220–330 CZK
(fuel); frequency is N/A; details/route: Drive southwest via D4 motorway
and road No. 18. Rental cars available at Prague Airport or city center
(e.g., via Sixt or Hertz, starting ~500 CZK/day). Traffic can add time
during peak hours. Parking in Příbram is straightforward.
Bus:
Duration is 56–70 minutes; cost (one-way) is 30–40 CZK (PID) or 180–200
CZK (other operators); frequency is every 20 minutes (PID) or 2 daily
(Svarctrans); details/route: Direct buses from Smíchovské nádraží to
Příbram aut.nádr. or Jiráskovy sady, operated by Pražská integrovaná
doprava (PID) or Svarctrans. Book via Busbud or FlixBus apps for
longer-haul options. Comfortable with Wi-Fi on some services.
Train:
Duration is 1h 31m–1h 45m; cost (one-way) is 80–100 CZK; frequency is
every 4 hours (direct) or more with transfers; details/route: Direct
trains by Arriva CZ or České dráhy from Praha Hlavní nádraží to Příbram
station. Some require a change at Beroun (S60 line). 11+ daily
connections. Buy tickets online via ČD website or app; PID tickets valid
for integrated routes.
Taxi/Rideshare: Duration is 45 minutes; cost
(one-way) is 1,000–1,500 CZK; frequency is on demand; details/route:
From Prague center or airport via Uber, Bolt, or local taxis. Convenient
for groups or luggage, but pricier. Pre-book for fixed rates.
Cheapest Option: Bus via PID (30–40 CZK), ideal for budget travelers.
Fastest Option: Car or taxi (45 min), if avoiding traffic.
Tips: Use
the IDOS app or website for integrated train/bus searches. PID zones
cover Příbram, so a single ticket from Prague works. If driving, note
the D4 bypasses the town center.
From Prague Václav Havel Airport
(PRG)
If flying in internationally, PRG is your entry point. No
direct flights to Příbram exist.
Bus: 1h 40m–1h 42m, 85–120 CZK.
Take line 100 bus from airport to Zličín, then transfer to a bus at
Smíchovské nádraží heading to Příbram. Frequent departures.
Train:
2h+, ~100–150 CZK. Bus/train combo: Airport bus to Prague main station,
then train to Příbram (with possible Beroun transfer).
Taxi/Car
Rental: 44–50 min, 1,000–1,500 CZK for taxi; rentals start at 500
CZK/day. Quickest if you have luggage.
Cheapest: Bus combo (from $3
equivalent).
Other Starting Points
From Other Czech Cities:
Trains connect via lines to Písek or Blatná (e.g., from Plzeň or České
Budějovice). Buses via Arriva Střední Čechy.
International: Fly to
PRG, then as above. From Vienna (4h train, ~300 CZK) or other EU cities,
use FlixBus or trains.
Within Příbram: Local buses by Arriva Střední
Čechy; main hubs at the bus/railway station and Jiráskovy sady. Walkable
town center.
In addition to several notes in Old Bohemian legends,
the first real mention of Příbram comes from 1216, when it was the
property of the Prague diocese, later the archbishopric, at the end
of the 13th century silver was already mined here. Příbram received
city rights from Archbishop Zbyněk Zajíc of Hazmburk in 1406, and
was confirmed even after Příbram became the property of the Czech
kings in 1431.
From 1579, Příbram was a royal upper town. In
the Baroque period, the Svatohorská complex was established - the
pilgrimage church of the Virgin Mary surrounded by a square cloister
with corner chapels and a former Jesuit residence. The expansion of
mining continued from the 17th century, in the 18th century five
deep mines were built near Příbram in Březové Hory. In the Vojtěch
mine, a depth of 1,000 m was reached for the first time in the world
in 1875. A fire in the Mariánské důl in 1892 killed 319 miners.
Příbram was one of the most modern European mining districts until
the 1920s.
With the issuance of a decree dated 23 January
1849 in Olomouc by Emperor Francis Joseph I, a mining school was
established for the northern lands of the empire, focusing on
metallurgy. The grand opening took place on November 12 of the same
year in the Zámeček building. He was promoted to a university in
1904 under the name Vysoká škola báňská v Příbrami. The language of
instruction was German, although Příbram was a purely Czech city at
the time. From the beginning, however, there were conflicts with the
Germans and German professors demanded the transfer to the German
region of northern Bohemia, Most, Ústí nad Labem or Liberec, in 1913
the German professors demanded the division of the school into Czech
and German faculties and their assignment to the respective
technical universities in Prague or Brno. After the loneliness of
Czechoslovakia, for a change, they asked for the university to move
to Prague. These efforts continued until the closure of all
universities in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia in 1939.
After the liberation of Příbram, enrollment was made for the school
year 1939/1945 on 4 June, but at the end of June it was rumored to
transfer the university to Ostrava. Decree of the President of the
Republic of 8 September 1945.
During the Second World War,
there was an area of strong guerrilla movement around Příbram.
Příbram was liberated by the Soviet partisans of Captain Olesiňský,
but in nearby Slivice the alleged last shots of World War II fell on
the European continent on May 11, 1945, a day later the last units
of the German Wehrmacht surrendered there. During the communist
regime, the importance of Příbram increased due to uranium mining,
but the local mines were also part of the system of forced labor
camps in the 1950s. The current life of the city was similarly
affected by both the social changes after the Velvet Revolution of
1989 and the cessation of mining activities.
Territorial
integration
The history of territorial integration covers the
period from 1850 to the present. The chronological overview shows
the territorial administrative affiliation of the municipality in
the year when the change occurred:
1850 Czech land, Prague
region, political and judicial district of Příbram
1855 Czech
land, region Prague, court district Příbram
1868 Czech land,
political and judicial district of Příbram
1939 Czech lands,
Oberlandrat Tábor, political and judicial district Příbram
1942
Czech lands, Oberlandrat Prague, political and judicial district
Příbram
1945 Czech lands, administrative and judicial district of
Příbram
1949 Prague region, Příbram district
1960 Central
Bohemian Region, Příbram District
2003 Central Bohemian Region,
Příbram District, municipality with extended powers Příbram