Dobřany is situated at an elevation of 352 m on the river Radbuza in West Bohemia. The place was first mentioned as a town in 1260. The privileges granted by Emperor Rudolf II (1576–1612) were confirmed by Emperor Ferdinand III (1608–1657) in 1652. The population was predominantly German from late 17th until the late 19th century; from then on the Czech population was in the majority. The older German name of the town, Dobrzan, was replaced by the name Wiesengrund in 1938. In 1943 the town was severely damaged by an air raid which was intended to hit the Škoda works in Plzeň.

The parish church St. Nicholas was founded by the monastery of Tepl in 1259. The Gothic church was remodelled in Baroque style in 1757–1758. The tower dates from 1694–1700.