Jáchymov (; or Joachimsthal) is a spa town in Karlovy Vary District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,300 inhabitants. The historical core of the town from the 16th century is well preserved and protected by law as urban monument zone. It is a comprehensive set of Gothic–Renaissance patrician houses. Jáchymov has a long mining tradition, thanks to which it used to be the second most populous town in the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1534. At first silver was mined here. The silver coins minted here since the 16th century gave their name to the Thaler and the dollar. After the Wieliczka Salt Mine ceased industrial exploitation in 2007, the Svornost mine (1525) became the oldest mine still in use in Europe. It is also the first and for a long time the only mine in the world, where radium was mined. The mining cultural landscape of Jáchymov is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a part of the Ore Mountain Mining Region. Administrative parts Villages of Mariánská, Nové Město, Suchá and Vršek are administrative parts of Jáchymov. Etymology The town was founded in a nameless valley called in German just Thal (i.e. "valley"). Later it was named Sankt Joachimsthal after Saint Joachim, meaning "Saint Joachim's Valley". It later developed into the Czech name Jáchymov. Geography Jáchymov is located about north of Karlovy Vary, on the border with Germany. It lies in the Ore Mountains. The municipal territory includes the sumit of the highest mountain of the whole mountain range, Klínovec at , and the third largest mountain, Božídarský Špičák at . The town is situated at an altitude of above sea level in the St. Joachim's Valley. History In 1512, silver was found in the area. The village of Jáchymov was founded by Štěpán Schlick in 1516 under its German name Joachimsthal. The silver caused the population to grow rapidly, and made the counts Schlick, whose possessions included the town, one of the richest families in Bohemia. In 1528, Ferdinand I seized the right of mining, and the Schlick family lost their profitable business. Since 1520, the Schlicks had silver coins minted, which were called Joachimsthalers. They became known in German as Thaler and as tolar in Czech, which via the Dutch or is the etymological origin of the currency name "dollar". The fame of Jáchymov for its ore mining and smelting works