The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.

Because of Anti-German sentiment after World War II, the town was renamed Havlíčkův Brod ("Havlíček's Ford") in honor of the writer Karel Havlíček Borovský, who was born nearby and grew up and studied in the town.

According to a legend recorded by chronicler Wenceslaus Hajek, Brod was founded in 793, however, this year is highly unlikely.

The first written mention of a settlement called Brod is from 1234, but it is referred to as probable counterfeit.

[4] Until 1918, the town was part of Austria-Hungary, head of the Deutschbrod – Německý Brod District, one of the 94 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Bohemia.

[8] The main industrial employers based in the town are Futaba Czech s.r.o., a manufacturer of car parts,[9] and Pleas a.s., a producer of underwear founded in 1939 which continues the long tradition of the textile industry in the town.

In addition to the main station, the municipal territory is served by four other train stops: Havlíčkův Brod-Perknov, Mírovka, Pohledští Dvořáci and Dolík.

[12] The town is a crossing of two major Czech roads, I/34 from České Budějovice to Svitavy and I/38 from Mladá Boleslav to Jihlava, Znojmo and the Czech-Austrian border.

The town is home to the ice hockey club BK Havlíčkův Brod.

FC Slovan Havlíčkův Brod is a football club, playing in lower amateur tiers.

It is lined by valuable burgher houses in Renaissance and Baroque styles, some of them with preserved Gothic elements.

It its alcove there is one of symbols of the town, a skeleton of betrayal who opened the gates to the enemy army in 1472 and was punished for it.

The original early Gothic building from the late 13th century was built by the Teutonic Order.

The 51 metres (167 ft) high tower of the church is the main landmark of the town.

[15] Štáfl Cottage is a unique folk architecture house, protected as a national cultural monument.