Unique town cellars in Jirkov

The preserved historical town cellars in Jirkov were mostly built between 1555 and 1595. There are 5 similar underground structures in the Czech Republic, and that of Jirkov is the oldest.

In 1555 a big fire involved Jirkov. Due to the fire, first cellars were built and were called The Long basement. Construction was order by the owner of the estate Christopher of Karlovice. Cellars served to a protection of goods, food, supplies and documents in case of fire or other natural disasters and could be used early on brewing, the oldest business tradition in Jirkov. The beer was not only kept into storage, but also fermented, and thus obtained the quality and popularity.

At the same time, next underground work started in close proximity of The Long basement on the basis of a hypothesis of Christopher of Karlovice about an existence of deposits of schist. He was not mistaken. Therefore, in 1556 the mining began at the mine, which was later named St. Christopher. Most ore and its derivatives directed abroad. The mine was mined despite the economic difficulties till 1630s.

Whether the cellars were used for other purposes than brewing and mining was not found in documents. Home owners were also able to mine a sand, what was profitable especially in winter.
Around underground is a few legends. Confirmed, however, is a connection of the former cellars to mine tunnels, linking of cellars with now inaccessible areas under a town square and further to former Červenohrádecký brewery.

In 2003, a volunteer fireman fell in the underground. The fall went without injury, but the city had to find a way how to secure the underground. The cellars should be filled up by a fly-ash from a power station.
Experts from the company Speleo offered a reconstruction of damaged places. They suggested to open the cellars to the public and tourists as a unique underground labyrinth. For the first time, a part of cellars was opened for 6 days in May 2005. It visited 6 197 people. In autumn 2006, Brno TCHAS company completed work on a permanent access to historical underground.