In the Czech Republic there are currently 26 statutory towns – all of them have a population of more than 40 thousand and the right to govern and administer their own affairs by the Statute. And they have something else in common –a silver medal struck by Czech Mint. Every year, two medals are added to the series and the one issued this autumn is dedicated to the beautiful town of Olomouc.

In the city with a population of over 100-thousand, history teams with progress. It used to be the centre of Moravia in the Middle Ages, until the Thirty Years War it was the second largest town in the Bohemian kingdom after Prague and also the largest Moravian town. Today it is the seat of Archbishopric and of the Metropolitan of the Moravian Ecclesiastic Province and centre of the Orthodox Church in Moravia. In 1971, the town’s historic part was proclaimed a conservation area – the second largest in the Czech Republic. The most significant monument is the Holy Trinity Column designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Other sights include the Olomouc castle with Saint Wenceslas’ Cathedral, the Bishop Zdík’s Palace and buildings of the Capitular Deanery, the Hradisko monastery and the Saint Moritz church.

Silver half-a-kilogram medal Olomouc is minted in a limited edition of 48 pieces. The medal was designed by outstanding creative artists Miroslav Schovanec and Jan Petr. Schovanec is the author of the reverse which is common for all medals in the series, while Petr created the obverse side. It features a detailed aviation map, which is partially covered by the Holy Trinity Column. Complementing features include designation of the fineness of the metal, the weight and the name of the town. The medal will not only embellish your collection but it will also be a smart collection!