This medieval town in Vysočina has Gothic buildings like the Town Hall and Saint Ignatius Church, plus museums exploring local culture and Jewish history.
In Jihlava, you'll walk past Gothic churches and Renaissance houses in the historic center, explore 25 kilometers of medieval underground tunnels, and visit the graves of Gustav Mahler's parents in the Jewish cemetery. This calm city of 54,000 residents in the Vysočina Region was once a silver mining center, and today hosts Central Europe's largest documentary film festival each autumn.
Exploring the Main Square
Masarykovo Square is the third-largest city square in Czechia at 36,653 square meters. Two baroque fountains from 1797 and a plague column from 1690 decorate its center. Look for the Gothic city hall, operating since 1425, and the rows of colorful Renaissance houses. The Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola completes the square's architectural ensemble.
Underground Tunnels
A 25-kilometer network of medieval passages runs beneath Jihlava's streets - the second-longest underground system in Czechia after Znojmo. Medieval residents used these tunnels for storage and defense. You can join guided tours to explore sections of the passages and learn about their construction and use throughout history.
Medieval Religious Architecture
The 63-meter Church of Saint James the Great dominates Jakubské Square. Built in the 13th century, this early Gothic church is a key landmark in Jihlava's skyline. On the opposite side of the old town, you'll find the Gate of Holy Mother, a surviving part of the medieval fortification system.
Jewish Heritage
The Jewish cemetery from 1869 includes over 1,000 tombstones, including those of composer Gustav Mahler's parents. Mahler grew up in Jihlava, and you can still see his childhood home on Znojemská Street. After the destruction of the synagogue in 1938, the cemetery became the city's only remaining Jewish site.
Documentary Film Festival
The Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, running since 1997, has grown into the largest documentary film event in Central and Eastern Europe. Each autumn, thousands of viewers, directors, producers, and film critics gather in the city. The festival led to creating the Center for Documentary Film, which now houses a specialized library and research facilities.
Getting Around and Day Trips
You can reach Jihlava via the D1 motorway from Prague or Brno. From here, you can visit three UNESCO World Heritage sites within an hour's drive: the Renaissance town of Telč, the Jewish Quarter in Třebíč, and the Church of St. John of Nepomuk in Žďár nad Sázavou.
