Plzen Guide: Oldest Historical Monuments

The name New Plzen, as this king's town was called, suggests that there existed another one, the Old Plzen.
One hour walk away, southeast from Plzen at the hill Hurka, above the town of Stary Plzenec, the Plzen Castle had stood. This glorious castle experienced its peak 1,000 years ago. In these days only groundwork of a fortified settlement and the rotunda of St. Peter remain. It is one of the oldest pre-Romanesque buildings in our country. Great significance of the settlement Hurka illustrates its declaration of "Historical Monument".
The Gothic times, with its political and economical changes, required a strategically more suitable place for a town. It was discovered at the confluence of four rivers near the village Malice.
A Gothic church of All Saints served as a tabernacle during the building of a magnificent cathedral which took nearly two centuries to complete.
As a symbol representing the new town, the interior decoration corresponded with its significance.
The Plzen's Madonna of its altar belongs to the most graceful madonna of the "Beautiful Style". It is no accident that her baroque replica decorates the Plague Pillar in front of the church.
Cloisters of Franciscans and Dominicans were constructed close to the walls, pointed gables of burghers houses surrounded the square. But now, you would only look for this Gothic appearance in vain.
A good idea of how it looked many years ago gives you the historical exposition in the underground area of the town.

This collection is available in both English

and Czech

versions.

Milos Wimmer, May 1998