History - Příbram

In 1216 the Prague bishop Ondřej bought "the farmstead known as Příbram" and began to build one of his estates here. From the 16th century silver mining here suddenly developed to an unprecedented degree, before suddenly starting to decline in the latter half of the century. In 1579 the farmstead’s status was upgraded to that of a royal mining town and committed to the care of a royal official and master of the mint. From this time the town of Příbram prospered. The town was pillaged during the Thirty Year War and was forcibly re-Catholicised. Svatá Hora–Mariánská Kaple (Holy Mountain-Chapel of St. Mary) became the most famous place of pilgrimage in Bohemia. Successful iron mining helped the town repeat its earlier prosperity, on the turn of the 18th century the iron passing through the town became a considerable source of income. The silver mines stayed open, but provided scant reward. Příbram became famous for having the most lucrative silver mines in the whole of the Hapsburg Empire, it became the seat of the central mining institution and in the mid-19th century got a mining academy, but the profits of this immense wealth passed straight to Vienna. What minute profit there was, however, at least paid for the building of an important middle school, teaching institution and grammar school. From the 1880s the mining stagnated and finally began to decline. The amount of all levels of schools, up to the Mining High School, distinguished Příbram from other country towns. The mid-20th century brought about a fresh reversal for Příbram: the sudden development of uranium mining and the regrowth of the town. The profits however went to the Soviet Union. After November 1989 the big mining businesses and mines perished. Today’s town of 40,000 has become a memorial to the mining industry, and remains a place of pilgrimage.

Culture - Příbram

Perhaps the most important cultural event in Příbram is the Antonín Dvořák Music Festival, which has a 35-year history. It is a cultural event of a high standard and in places its being held is of paramount significance. Large orchestras and choirs perform in the large hall of Divadlo Příbram (Příbram Theatre), but a number of others are take place in unusual, and surprisingly more attractive locations, not only in the town, but also the near surroundings: Památník Antonína Dvořáka (the Antonín Dvořák Memorial) in the nouveau Renaissance mansion in Vysoká, the basilica on Svatá Hora, Kostela sv. Jakuba (Church of St. Jacob), Zámeček - Ernestina (Ernestina Mansion) or the stately home in Hluboš (in 1918 the frequently visited Presidential residence of T.G. Masaryk). The museum, gallery and theatre can also be visited, and a cinema and library are to be found in the town.

Sport - Příbram

Příbram has a good infrastructure from the point of view of the progress of sporting activities and possibilities of active leisure. The Lochovice–Smolotely cycle path goes through the town, and another cycle path was completed directly in Příbram in 2003. The football club FC Marila Příbram is an example of a sports club with a background of development, but in the town there is a winter stadium, tennis hall, the JAKUB climbing wall, minigolf, the SQUASH Club hotel Investa, also with a swimming pool, sauna and gym available for use, and AEROKLUB Příbram for those interested in flying.

Tours - Příbram

If you are in Příbram, you should not miss out on some of the monuments in the surroundings. The main ones are the place of pilgrimage Svatá Hora (Holy Mountain) and Hornické Muzeum (Mining Museum) and especially Památník Antonína Dvořáka (the Antonín Dvořák Memorial) in Vysoká u Příbrami, the castle Zvíkov, and stately home Orlík on the Vltava, the stately homes in Březnice and Dobříš, Památník Karla Čapka (the Karel Čapek Memorial) in Strž u Dobříše, Památník u Ukončení II. Světové Války (Memorial for the End of World War II) in Milín – Slivice, Muzeum – Mincovna (Mint Museum) in Nový Knín, a sample of folk architecture in Drahenice.