Plzeň

Pilsen (Czech: Plzeň) is in Bohemia, in the Czech Republic in Central Europe. It is the home and birthplace of the Pilsener (or pilsner) beer variety which is derived from the city's name.

It is the 4th largest city in the country and the largest city in West Bohemia, and is a convenient base for exploring this region of the Czech Republic.

See

Sights

• ⊙St. Bartholomew's Cathedral - the Gothic St. Bartholomew's Cathedral was founded in the late 13th century. Its tower (102.26 m/335 ft) is the highest in the Czech Republic. Official website.
• ⊙ The Town Hall - this Renaissance masterpiece was built in 1554-1559, based on the designs of an Italian architect, Giovanni de Statia.
• Historical underground network - a sophisticated system of cellars and tunnels of up to three levels under the whole Old Town area. It is accessible from the Brewery Museum in Veleslavínova street. Official website.
• ⊙ The Great Synagogue - the second largest synagogue in Europe and third largest in the world (after synagogues in Jerusalem and Budapest).
• ⊙Pilsner Urquell Brewery, U Prazdroje 7,  ☎ +420 377 062888. Daily from 12:30PM. Founded in 1842, home to the Pilsner Urquell, the original Pilsener. Tour: 150 Kč. .

Museums

• ⊙West Bohemian Museum (Kopeckeho sady 2) - regular exhibitions
• ⊙Ethnography Museum of the Pilsen Region (nam. Republiky 13) - regular exhibitions
• ⊙Brewery Museum (Veleslavinova 6) - history of brewing in Pilsen
• Techmania Science Center (Borská street) - Modern interactive museum on the premises of the Škoda factory.
• ⊙Patton Memorial Pilsen (sady Pětatřicátníků) - The only American Army museum in Bohemia, opened on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Pilsen and South-West Bohemia. It features the stay of the American soldiers in the region May through November 1945.
• ⊙Ghost Museum (nám. Republiky 33) - The exhibition features the themes of fairy-tale worlds and legends. Recommended especially for children.
• ⊙Puppet Museum (nám. Republiky 24) - Located in the completely adapted historical house No. 24 in the Square of the Republic, the Puppet Museum was expected to be opened in 2009. Exhibitions and workshops will map the unique history and present of Pilsen puppetry and offer interactive activities for both children and adult visitors.
• Pilsen Municipal Armoury (Kopeckého sady 2) - it ranks among the best preserved armouries of the European medieval towns. It began in 1363 when the Emperor Charles IV was building armouries in a planned manner in the royal Czech towns to provide for their readiness. The oldest part includes a set of firearms from the turn of the 14th century. An extensive set of battlement guns with simple fuse systems was created in the first half of the 16th century. The firearms collection is completed historically by muskets from the Thirty-Year War period. Cold weapons are represented in the armoury by morgenstern from the 15th century and arquebuses from the 16th and 17th centuries. The armours of Plzeň burghers are represented by a great number of chest and back plates, shoulder and arm protecting plates, and many helmets of different types.
• ⊙Diocese Museum (Františkánská street) - Exposition of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque sculptures in the cloister of the Franciscan monastery, chapel of St. Barbara with Gothic frescos, exhibition hall in the Baroque monastic refectory. Museum temporarily closed.

Galleries

• ⊙Pilsen City Art Gallery (Dominikánská 2)
• ⊙West Bohemian Art Gallery "Masné krámy" (Pražská 18)
• Jiří Trnka Art Gallery (nám. Republiky 40)

Eat

• ⊙Na Spilce, U Prazdroje 7,  ☎ +420 377 062755. M-Th, Sat 11AM-10PM. F 11AM-11PM. Sun 11AM-9PM. The biggest restaurant in the Czech Republic with 550 seats. Within the grounds of the Prazdroj brewery
• Plzeňská bašta (Riegrova 5) - a stylish Czech restaurant, good meals
• ⊙U Salzmannů (Pražská 8) - the oldest beer restaurant in Pilsen serving Czech traditional cuisine
• Jadran (Bezručova 9) - both Czech and international (especially Mediterranean) cuisine
• ⊙Stará sladovna (Malá 3) - Middle-Age-style restaurant
• ⊙Na Parkane (Veleslavinova 4) - the pub to get truly excellent unfiltered Urquell
• U Pašáka (Poděbradova 12) - microbrewery with home-brewed beer and good Czech cuisine

Sleep

Inside the range of 4 km:

• ⊙   Hotel Plzeň, Plzeň, PC IV - VII
• ⊙   Hotel Trend, Plzeň, PC IV - V

  "... we have an underground car park that is monitored by cameras."

• ⊙   Hotel Roudná, Plzeň, PC V - VII
• ⊙   Vienna House Plzeň, Plzeň, PC VI - VIII

  "... To store your bike, you can use our luggage room at the reception."

• ⊙   Hotel Lions Plzeň, Plzeň, PC III - IV

Useful

Inside the range of 4 km:

• ⊙   Tourist-Information Plzeň, Plzeň