One of the oldest mining towns in the country was founded in the mid-13th century near rich sources of silver ore. The importance of the time in the medieval era can be seen in the number of religious monuments (e.g,. the Church of St. James), burghers' houses with Gothic vaults and arcades, and remnants of sizeable Gothic fortifications.
A labyrinth of underground corridors was gradually built in the Middle Ages; recently, this second-largest underground complex has opened to the public. The most significant building from the Baroque period is the Jesuit Church of St. Ignatius on the large oblong square.
Jihlava offers numerous cultural and entertainment possibilities, including a theatre and a ZOO. The city is the seat of the Vysočina regional government.