Our arrival to Pilsen in October 2024 felt like stepping into a city in transition. While the summer crowds had thinned, the energy in Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky) was buzzing as the traditional Havel’s Market was being set up. The scent of trdelník and grilled sausages began to fill the air as craftsmen prepared their stalls—a perfect backdrop for a day of deep historical exploration.

The Grandeur of the Great Synagogue

Our first stop was the Great Synagogue, a building so massive it ranks as the third-largest in Europe and fifth in the world. Walking inside is a breathtaking experience; its Moorish-Romanesque arches and unique oriental decorations are stunning.

There’s a fascinating bit of “tower rivalry” in its history: the original plans for the synagogue’s towers were actually shortened by 20 meters because the city officials didn’t want it to cast a shadow on the nearby cathedral! Today, it stands as a beautiful, resilient witness to the city’s Jewish community, having survived WWII by being used as a storage facility and military workshop rather than being destroyed.+1

Life Above and Below Ground

To truly understand Pilsen, you have to go beneath it. We took the Historical Underground tour, which leads you through a 13th-century labyrinth of cellars and wells nearly 12 meters below the surface.

• The Cold Storage: Historically, these 20km of tunnels were essential for storing food and, of course, fermenting the city’s famous lager.
• The Reward: A highlight for many is the “beer voucher” given at the end of the tour, which you can redeem at local restaurants—a very “Pilsen” way to conclude a history lesson!

After emerging from the depths, we headed to the West Bohemian Museum (the city’s primary history museum). Its arms and armor collection is world-class, but the exhibits detailing the city’s evolution from a medieval powerhouse to an industrial giant really set the stage for our final climb.

A View from the Top

We finished the day by tackling the 301 stairs of St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral. Boasting the tallest church tower in the Czech Republic (over 102 meters), the climb is a workout, but the payoff is unmatched. From the gallery, you get a bird’s-eye view of the market stalls forming patterns in the square below and, on a clear October day, you can see all the way to the Bohemian Forest.

As we looked down at the city Patton’s troops once liberated, the layers of Pilsen—from its medieval cellars to its resilient spirit—felt more connected than ever.