Pilsen guide
The city of Pilsen is located in western Bohemia, at the confluence of the rivers Mže, Radbuza, Úhlava and Úslava, from which the river Berounka originates. It has about 175,000 inhabitants and is the fourth largest city in the Czech Republic. Pilsen is known as an industrial and brewing city, the famous beers Prazdroj and Gambrinus are brewed here. The puppet theater also has a long tradition here, the well-known puppeteers Gustav Nosek, Josef Skupa and Jiří Trnka worked here and the legendary puppets of Spejbl and Hurvínek were created here.
Accommodation
In Pilsen, you can choose from more than 50 accommodation offers. Large hotel chains such as Courtyard by Mariott, Vienna House or Ibis are also represented here. Smaller hotels and guest houses in the historical center (Hotel Rango, Pension and Restaurant Stará Roudná) certainly have their charm, we can recommend the Pension of Small Breweries near the brewery.
History
The first mention of Pilsen (today Starý Plzenec) comes from the end of the first century, when several churches grew up near the Přemyslid fort and the city began to grow. Since the 13th century, the city has become an important trade crossroads and the third largest and most important city after Prague and Kutná Hora. The church of St. Bartholomew in the middle of the square and the Franciscan monastery also date from this period. In the 16th century, the city was severely damaged by fires. In the first half of the 19th century, a decision was made to establish the Municipal Brewery and Škoda's plants were established. The city prospered thanks to the development of engineering and other industrial plants. During World War II, Škoda's plants functioned as an important armory, supplying the German army. The city was liberated by American troops led by General Patton.
Monuments and interesting places
The historic core of the city is protected as a city monument reserve. The dominant feature of the town is the Gothic cathedral of St. Bartholomew, built since the 14th century. Its tower, which measures 102 meters, is the tallest church tower in the Czech Republic and 301 steps lead to its viewpoint.
Before the Second World War, a large Jewish community lived in Pilsen, and in Pilsen you will find the second largest synagogue in Europe - the Great Synagogue.
The jewel of the town is certainly the Renaissance town hall, which consists of two houses, connected sometime in the 14th to 15th century and subsequently rebuilt.
Other interesting monuments include, for example, the Black Tower - which is a late Gothic water tower, which is part of the Pilsen underground. It consists of a complex system of corridors, two to three-storey cellars and hundreds of wells and is one of the largest historical underground systems in Central Europe. You can combine a visit to the underground with a visit to the Brewery Museum, which is the oldest of its kind in the world, and you will learn the history of beer here since the Middle Ages. Of course, beer lovers will also visit the Plzeňský Prazdroj Brewery directly, where they can take a look at the places where Prazdroj has been brewing from the very beginning, and of course there is also a tasting.
Also worth a visit is the West Bohemian Museum, which is one of the largest museums in the Czech Republic and where you will find, among other things, a unique collection of firearms from the end of the 14th century to the 17th century.
The only museum in the Czech Republic dedicated to the US military is the Patton Memorial.
For a beautiful view, you can visit either the lookout tower on Chlum or the Sylván lookout tower.
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