The City of Žacléř is situated under the Žacléř Crest at the height above sea level of 600 m; it is named the eastern gate of the Giant Mountains. The first written reference to the castle Žacléř that protected the business path leading from the Czech inland to the Upper Silesia and that laid foundations for the new settlement, comes from the year 1334. The settlement constructed under the castle was named „Bornfloss“ – “on the springs”. It disappeared unfortunately after the Hussite wars. The new settlement had the statute of the a small town and it is mentioned for the first time in 1553 under the name Bernstadt. The municipal coat of arms with the bear can be connected with this name.  
Strategic location of the manor house and the town contributed to development of agriculture, trade and industry. As early as in the 16th century the paper mill was opened in the Prkenný Důl, glass production in Bobr followed and in the 19th century the spinning mill and the china factory were established in Žacléř. Žacléř became famous mainly by bituminous coal mining, the discovery of which goes back to the year 1570. Mining symbols - hammer and chisel - can also be found on the municipal coat of arms.  
Inhabitants of the town and the whole region suffered very much during the Thirty Years’ War and also in the 18th century during the Silesian wars. In 1628 the exile J. A. Komenský leaves its native country in Černá Voda near to Žacléř.
In the mid 19th century the town became the seat of the judicial and revenue authorities and utilizes nearly exclusively the name Schatzlar – Žacléř.
Development of industry as mentioned above became the pulse for urbanization of the town. Besides the original wooden development (typical porch houses) the town houses and a new school were built during the 19th century; at the beginning of the 20th century the settlement for miners - the “Red and White Colony” - was constructed. A modern hospital was built in the historical centre and in 1912 the building of the regional court was constructed instead of the old  town hall.  
In the period 1935 – 1938 a large underground fortification and defences were constructed in the locality Stachelberg. Nowadays it serves as the museum.
In 1945 many German families were transferred forcibly from Žacléř to Germany. Certain adjacent municipalities disappeared fully or were joined later with the city of Žacléř as its settlements.  
Development of the mining industry in the 50s of the 20th century leads to construction of the mining educational establishment and two large housing estates for the miners - Pilíř and the Božena Němcová housing estate.
After the year 1989 the spinning mill Texlen and the mine Jan Šverma were closed in Žacléř. Žacléř and its whole region are focused on tourism. New boarding houses appear, sports premises are refurbished, volleyball, beach volleyball and tennis are played on the new courts. The marked cycle paths are connected on the frontier with the Polis cycle paths. The year-round sports resort Bret is constructed next to the downhill ski resort Arrakis in Prkenný Důl. In winter you will find the Giant Mountain cross-country ski path above the city. The Žacléř hospital has been converted into the rehabilitation centre Rehamedica. The patients with locomotor system disorders are treated here. In 1999 the regional museum - the Municipal Museum Žacléř - was opened for the visitors at the Rýchor square. The readers can visit the library in the housing estate Na Pilíři. In 2003 the historical centre of the city was declared the urban conservation zone. After 2005 a new housing estate was constructed in the locality Pod zahradami.
Žacléř of our days is a tourist foothills city, developing continuously and ready to welcome its visitors at any time and season of the year.

MICROREGION ŽACLÉŘ

This region has a great natural variety. It associates altogether a region of five municipalities. Four of them - Bernartice, Královec, Lampertice and Zlatá Olešnice - have status of a community, Žacléř has status of a town. Microregion Žacléř is situated in a valley  demarcated by the Giant Mountains easternmost part - the Rýchory on one side and by the Vraní Mountains on the other side. The pass between these ranges of mountains was a very frequented territory especially in the past. A trade route from the Czech inland to Silesia of that time led that way. J. A. Comenius proceeded this way from his motherland. Nowadays, this region offers wonderful views of long distances and memories of bygone days,  unforgettable impressions and experience.