Czech Prague Mission

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Plzeň

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U Salzmannu House

Pilsen is the fourth largest city in the Czech Republic located in the western Bohemia. It lies on a junction of four rivers: Úhlava, Úslava, Radbuza and Me. In 1295 a.d., the city of Nová Plzeň (New Pilsen) was founded by the Czech King Wenceslas II on the confluence of the Radbuza and Me rivers, only 9 kilometers north-west of the original Old Plzeň. This occured at the crossroads of three important trade routes (Nurnberg, Regensburg and Sachsen). New Pilsen was growing very rapidly and soon became not only an important commercial center, but also the third Royal Town in Bohemia following Prague and Kutná Hora.

J. K. Tyl's Theatre

At the beginning of the 15th century, Plzeň was one of the original centers of Hussite movement, but after expelling the Hussite leader Jan ika and his allies in 1420, it became a firm bastion of the Czech Catholic Church until the 17th century. Rapid economic and cultural growth could be observed in the second half of the 15th century and the following 16th century, which was also the period of intensive construction. As early as 1468 the first Czech book, the Trojanys Chronicle, was printed in Plzeň. The Renaissance period, identified by lively ties with Nurnberg and Regensburg, represents a period of full bloom in Plzeň's history. This period of prosperity was disturbed by the so called Thirty Years War.

St Anna Church

In 1618 the city of Plzeň was conquered for the first time in its history by protestant groups of count Arnost of Mansfeld. A new period of growth came as late as the 19th century with the onset of Industrial Revolution. The world-known burgher, Prazdroj Brewery, was founded in 1848, engineering Škoda Works were founded in 1859, and an extensive railworad network was built in the period from 1861 to 1876. Furthermore, the Grand Theatre, the West Bohemian Museum and the Jewish Synagogue date back to this period.

Town Hall

The city of Plzeň strode into the 20th century as a developed industrial, economic and cultural city, which was soon to experience the difficult setbacks of an economic crisis and two world wars. Plzeň was liberated on May 6th, 1945, by the American army led by General G. S. Patton. After that, the city, as well as the rest of the country, were to ride out more than 40 years of totalitarian communistic dominion. Plzeň has preserved its prominent position among Czech towns until the present day, 700 years after its foundation. With a population of more than 173,000 inhabitants it is an important cultural, economic, transport, commercial and industrial center, known primarily for the products of Pilzener Brewery and Škoda Works. Plzeň is also considered a center of education. Besides a number of elementary and secondary schools Plzeň is the home to the University of West Bohemia and the Medical Faculty of the Charles University.

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