The town of Stříbro lies some 30 km west of Pilsen on an elevated plain above the deep valley of the Mže river. It was a silver mining settlement as early as in the l2th century. The first known mention of the place is by Fridrich the Premyslide, dated 1183. But the settlement may have been founded in 1131. Before the middle of the l3th century the settlement abandoned the basin and moved up to the rocky ridge. The new strategic position on the Prague-Nuremberg Route gave rise to the later the royal town. The rapid growth in size and importance made Stříbro the fourth largest royal town of the Pilsen region at the beginning of the l5th century. Authorities say, the town had around 300 houses and 2,000 inhabitants. Besides, there were three churches and three monasteries in Stříbro. In 1427, the town was besieged by the crusaders who were then dispersed in the Tachov Battle. Today, Stříbro is a home of 8,000. The protected historical core retained the medieval street network. The square is of extraordinary value, especially the outstanding Renaissance town hall with ravishing grafitti. The notable portals of the Renaissance houses form a unique architectonic group. The circumference of the old town is made of well-preserved walls. The list of sacral monuments includes the diaconian All Saints Church after baroque remodelling, but with the original Gothic tower; the cemeterial Virgin Mary Assumption Church; the St Peter's Church and parts of the St Mary Magdalene's Church. The Minorite Monastery is partly occupied by the museum, the Corridor of the Cross in the monastery's northern wing is a true gem.

Overall view of the town

The Renaissance town hall

A bridge of stone across the Mže River with the Koubka Gate of 1574. In the background the All Saints' Church is shown

The square with a fountain, the Plague Post and the grammar school in the background

The Hussite Fortress