Travel Guide Jáchymov

Located 20 km north-east of Karlovy Vary, Jáchymov enjoys a beautiful location at 650 m above sea level in a wooded valley on the southern slopes of the Krušné Hory (Ore mountains). Jáchymov owes its fame to Pierre and Marie Curie, who discovered radium in 1903. But already in the th century, the city was famous for the operation of its silver mines. Jáchymov was hit by the famous sit argent of the Habsburg (or «thaler»), whose name inspired that of the US dollar. During the last forty years of communism, the mines were sadly known to be exploited by prisoners, often opponents of the regime who was burying their health to extract money. Today you can see the site of the Mine de la Concorde (Důl Svornost). It is Bohemia's oldest mine: Opened in 1529, it is still in operation. Its water has been used since 1906 for the local thermal baths; Indeed, the station is now looking for the therapeutic use of radium. The discovery of this element in the waters emerging from Jáchymov mines has allowed a different approach to the treatment of certain diseases, including joint rheumatism and arteriosclerosis. Among the beautiful buildings of the city are the church of All-les-Saints (Všech Svatých), a late Gothic style built in the th century. Above Jáchymov stands Mount Klímovec, culminating at an altitude of 1 244 m, with a panoramic orientation and a superb view of the valley.