The royal
city of Český Brod

Biskupský Brod soon became an important commercial, market and accommodation centre thanks to its trade, tourism and extensive agricultural background. At the beginning of 14. century, the altered local name Český Brod was used to distinguish it from Německý Brod, which lay on the same trade route.

The character of Český Brod as a bishop’s and archbishop’s town ended during the Hussite Wars, in which the town itself played an important role. Subsequently, in 1437, Český Brod was promoted to a royal town by Sigismund of Luxembourg and given its present-day coat of arms. The subsequent economic boom was interrupted in 1512 when the town was severely damaged by a great fire. During the Thirty Years’ War, the town was plundered twice, which had a strong economic and population impact for a long time.

The most important historical monuments of the town include the Church of St. Gothard, a late Gothic detached bell tower and the old town hall no. 1. The old Gothic cellars and the connecting underground corridor system are still largely preserved under the houses of the historic core of the town. The cellars under the town were probably built for the storage of food, drinks and various valuables. Later, when the town was attacked by Hussite troops, the underground provided shelter from danger. Currently, part of this underground is uncovered, but due to reconstruction, these areas are closed to visitors until further notice. The medieval walls are also an important monument.

Český Brod is a town worth visiting as a starting point for visiting interesting surroundings – the Lipan battlefield, the Dolánky natural site, nearby Kostelec nad Černými Lesy, the Klepec hill protected landscape area, the Tismická basilica, the Tuchoraz fortress, etc.