Coordinates: 49°43′N 13°29′E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Pilsen (Plzeň), Czech Republic

Region (kraj)	Pilsen Region (Plzeňský kraj)
Population	164,180 (2003)
Area	138 km²
Coordinates	49°43′ N 13°29′ E
Elevation	293-452 m AMSL
Founded	1295
Website	http://www.plzen-city.cz

Plzeň [ˈpl̩.zɛɲ] (help· info) (Czech name) or Pilsen (German equivalent, sometimes used in English) is a city in western Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It is the capital of the Plzeň Region and the fourth-most-populous city in the Czech Republic. It is located about 90 km west of Prague at the confluence of four rivers (Radbuza, Mže, Úhlava, and Úslava) which form the Berounka River. Image File history File links Plzeňs coat of arms. ... Region can be used to mean either: any more or less well-defined geographical area of a country or continent, defined by geography, culture or history in political geography, an administrative subdivision of a country or of the European Union. ... A kraj (plural: kraje) is the highest-level administrative unit in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and historically in Czechoslovakia. ... Plzeň Region (Czech: Plzeňský kraj) is an administrative unit (kraj) in the western part of Bohemia in the Czech Republic. ... Plzeň Region (Czech: Plzeňský kraj) is an administrative unit (kraj) in the western part of Bohemia in the Czech Republic. ... The term above mean sea level (AMSL) refers to the elevation (on the ground) or altitude (in the air) of any object, relative to the average sea level. ... Events Mongol leader Ghazan Khan is converted to Islam, ending a line of Tantric Buddhist leaders. ... Image File history File links Location_of_Czech_city_Plzen. ... Image File history File links Cs-Plzen. ... Flag of Bohemia Bohemia (Czech: ; German: ) is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western and middle thirds of the Czech Republic. ... Plzeň Region (Czech: Plzeňský kraj) is an administrative unit (kraj) in the western part of Bohemia in the Czech Republic. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Úhlava (German: Angel) is a river in the Czech Republic flowing out of the Bohemian Forest. ... The Berounka is a river in Czech Republic, it is smaller than many rivers in the area, such as Vltava, and the Mze. ...

History

Pilsen was first mentioned as a castle in 976, as the scene of a battle between Duke Boleslaus II of Bohemia and Emperor Otto II. It became a town in 1295 when King Wenceslaus II granted Pilsen its civic charter and established a new town site, located some 10 km away from the original settlement, which is the current town of Starý Plzenec. It quickly became an important town on trade routes leading to Nuremberg and Regensburg; in the 14th century, it was the third-largest town in Bohemia after Prague and Kutná Hora. During the Hussite Wars, it was the centre of Catholic resistance to the Hussites: Prokop the Great unsuccessfully besieged it three times, and it joined the league of Romanist nobles against King George of Podebrady. In 1468, the town acquired a printing press; the Troyan Chronicle, the first book published in Bohemia, was printed on it. Boleslav II the Pious (died February 7, 999) was the son of Boleslav I the Cruel. ... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... Otto II and Theophano. ... Wenceslaus II on Jan Matejkos painting Wenceslaus II Premyslid (Czech: , Polish: WacÅ‚aw II Czeski) (September 17, 1271 – June 21, 1305) King of Bohemia (1278 - 1305), Duke of Krakow (1291 - 1305), King of Poland (1300 - 1305). ... Town privileges were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. ... Nuremberg (German: Nürnberg) is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. ... Regensburg (English formerly Ratisbon, Latin Ratisbona) is a city (population 129,175 in 2005) in Bavaria, south-east Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Kutná Hora (help· info) medieval Czech: Hory Kutné) is a city in the Czech Republic, in Central Bohemian Region of Bohemia. ... Hussite War Wagons and Hand Cannoneers Hussite Crossbowman and Shield Carrier Hussite War Wagons The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1420 to circa 1434. ... The Hussites comprised an early Protestant Christian movement, followers of Jan Hus. ... Prokop the Great (Czech: Prokop Veliký; d. ... George of Podebrady - statue in KunÅ¡tát (Czech Republic). ... The printing press is a mechanical device for printing many copies of a text on rectangular sheets of paper. ...

Emperor Rudolf II made Pilsen his seat from 1599-1600. During the Thirty Years' War the town was taken by Mansfeld in 1618 after the Siege of Plzeň and it was not recaptured by the Imperialists until 1621. Wallenstein made it his winter-quarters in 1633. The town was unsuccessfully besieged by the Swedes in 1637 and 1648. Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II Rudolph IIs personal imperial crown, later crown of the Austrian Empire Rudolf II Habsburg was an emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, king of Bohemia, and king of Hungary. ... Combatants Anti-Imperialists (Protestants): Sweden Bohemia Denmark Dutch Republic France Scotland England and smaller German states Imperialists (Catholics): Catholic League Holy Roman Empire Spain Austria Bavaria, and smaller German states Commanders Frederick V Gustav II Adolf † Cardinal Richelieu Christian IV of Denmark Johann Georg I of Saxony Johann Tzerclaes, count... Ernst von Mansfeld Ernst, Graf von Mansfeld (also sometimes called Ernst, Graf von Mansfield, Ernst, Count of Mansfeld or Peter Ernst, Graf von Mansfeld) (c. ... The Siege of Plzeň or Battle of Pilsen was a siege of the fortified city of Plzeň in Bohemia carried out by the forces of the Bohemian Protestants led by Ernst von Mansfeld. ... Albrecht von Wallenstein Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein (also Waldstein, Czech: Albrecht Václav Eusebius z ValdÅ¡tejna), September 24, 1583 – February 25, 1634) was a Bohemian soldier and politician who gave his services (an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men) during the Danish Period of the Thirty...

At the end of the 17th century, the architecture of Pilsen began to be influenced by the Baroque style. The historic city center has been under historic preservation since 1989. For the Baroque style in a more general sense, see Baroque. ... It has been suggested that Cultural heritage be merged into this article or section. ...

On May 6, 1945, at the very end of World War II, Pilsen and Western Bohemia were liberated from Nazi Germany by General Patton's 3rd Army; the rest of Czechoslovakia was liberated from German control by the Soviet Red Army. Patton withdrew a few days thereafter, in accordance with the agreements of the Allies. The Communist regime ensured that this liberation of Pilsen and Western Bohemia by the U.S. troops was mentioned fleetingly, if at all. Since 1990, the city has organized a yearly Liberation Festival taking place in May, which has already become a local tradition, and has been attended by many allied veterans. May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... 1945 (MCMVL) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ... George Smith Patton, Jr. ... Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the U.S. Third Army. ... Motto: Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Russian: Workers of the world, unite!) Anthem: The Internationale (1922-1944) Hymn of the Soviet Union (1944-1991) Capital (largest city) Moscow None; Russian de facto Government Federation of Soviet Republics  - Last President Mikhail Gorbachev  - Last Premier Ivan Silayev Establishment October Revolution   - Declared 30... The short forms Red Army and RKKA refer to the Workers and Peasants Red Army, (in Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия - Raboche-Krestyanskaya Krasnaya Armiya), the armed forces first organized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War in 1918. ... The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis Powers during the Second World War. ...

In 1953, the totalitarian, USSR-oriented Czechoslovak government launched a currency reform. This decision caused a wave of uprising in many Czechoslovak cities, while the one of Pilsen was the strongest. During May 31 - June 2, 1953 workers in the city of Plzeň, Czechoslovakia revolted in violent protest against currency reform and politics of Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. ...

Education and Economy

Pilsen is a center of academic, business, and cultural life for the western part of the Czech Republic. The University of West Bohemia in Pilsen comprises Faculties of Engineering, Law, Applied Science and others. The University of West Bohemia (Czech Západočeská Univerzita v Plzni, UWB) is a university located in Plzeň, Czech Republic. ...

Since the second half of the 1990s the city has experienced high growth in foreign investment.

Pilsen produces approximately two-thirds of the Pilsen Region GDP, even though it contains only 29.8% of its population.[1] Based on these figures, the city of Pilsen has a total GDP of approximately $7.2 billion, and a per-capita GDP of $44,000, making it one of the most prosperous cities in the Czech Republic.

The Škoda company, established in Pilsen in 1859, has been an important part of the Austro-Hungarian, Czechoslovak and Czech engineering. The company's production had been directed to the needs of the Eastern Bloc, and after the Velvet Revolution, it consequently ran into selling problems and debts. After huge restructuring process it has just two principal subsidiaries: Škoda Transportation (locomotives, tube-trains or trams, since sold to Portland, Tacoma, and Sardinia) and Škoda Power (turbines). Å koda can refer to: Å koda Auto - the leading automobile manufacturer in the Czech Republic, now part of the Volkswagen Group Å koda Works - the biggest industrial enterprise in Austria-Hungary, then Czechoslovakia and now Czech Republic Pity As an interesting aside, Å koda (i. ... A map of the Eastern Bloc. ... Non-violent protesters are fighting with flowers against armored policemen The Velvet Revolution (Czech: sametová revoluce, Slovak: nežná revolúcia) (November 16 – December 29, 1989) refers to a bloodless revolution in Czechoslovakia that saw the overthrow of the communist government there. ... Nickname: City of Roses, Stumptown, Bridgetown, PDX Location in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates: Country United States State Oregon County Multnomah County Incorporated February 8, 1851 Mayor Tom Potter Area    - City 376. ... Old Town neighborhood in Tacoma, with Mount Rainier (Tahoma) in background Nickname: The City of Destiny Location of Tacoma in Pierce County and Washington State County Pierce Mayor Bill Baarsma (NP) Area    - City 162. ... Sardinia (Sardegna in Italian, Sardigna or Sardinna in the Sardinian language), is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (Sicily is the largest), between Italy, Spain and Tunisia, south of Corsica. ...

Many foreign companies now own manufacturing bases in Pilsen including Daikin and Panasonic. There has been much discussion of redeveloping those large areas of the Škoda plant which the company no longer uses. Daikin Industries is a mayor Japan-based manufacturer of air conditioning systems. ... Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. ...

Tourism

The most prominent sights of Pilsen are the Gothic St. Bartholomew's Cathedral, founded in the late 13th century, the tower of which (102.26 m / 335 ft) is the highest in the Czech Republic, the Renaissance Town Hall, and the third largest synagogue in the world (after those of Jerusalem and Budapest). There is also an historic underground tunnel/cellar network open to the public for tours, up to three levels deep running under parts of the Old Town. See also Gothic art. ... Raphael was famous for depicting illustrious figures of the Classical past with the features of his Renaissance contemporaries. ... Great Synagogue of Plzen Great Synagogue - an overall view Great Synagogue - another photo The Great Synagogue (known as Velká Synagoga in Czech) in Plzen is the worlds third largest synagogue. ... Jerusalem (Hebrew:  , Yerushaláyim or Yerushalaim; Arabic:  , al-Quds (the Holy); official Arabic in Israel: أورشليم القدس, Urshalim-al-Quds (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names) is the capital and largest city[1] of the State of Israel with a population of 724,000 (as of May 24, 2006[2... Nickname: Paris of the East, Pearl of the Danubeor Queen of the Danube Location of Budapest in Hungary Country Hungary County Pest Mayor Gábor Demszky (SZDSZ) Area    - City 525,16 km²  - Land n/a km²  - Water n/a km² Population    - City (2006) 1,695,000  - Density 3570/km...

Pilsen is also well-known for the Pilsner Urquell (since 1842) and Gambrinus (since 1869) breweries. The pilsener style of beer, based on Pilsner Urquell, was developed in Pilsen in the 19th century. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Gambrinus is a legendary king of Flanders, and an unofficial patron saint of beer or beer brewing. ... The entrance of a brewery. ... Pilsener or pilsner is a pale lager, developed in the city of Plzeň (Pilsen in German/English), Western Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). ...

Renaissance Town Hall

The Great Synagogue

Download high resolution version (1280x960, 330 KB)Renaissance City Hall of Pilsen File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (1280x960, 330 KB)Renaissance City Hall of Pilsen File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1984x1488, 688 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1984x1488, 688 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ...

Famous people connected with Plzeň

• Petr Čech (born 1982), football goalkeeper
• Karel Gott (born 1939), singer
• Miroslav Holub (1923-1998), poet
• František Křižík (1847-1941), inventor
• Ota Šik (1919-2004), economist
• Josef Skupa (1892-1957), puppeteer
• Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884), composer
• Tomáš Šmíd (born 1956), tennis player
• Martin Straka (born 1972), ice hockey player
• Petr Sykora (born 1976), ice hockey player
• Jiří Trnka (1912-1969), artist
• Růžena Šlemrová (1886-1962), actress, was born there.
• Anna Steimarová (1889-1962), actress, was born there.

Petr ÄŒech (born May 20, 1982 in Plzeň, Czechoslovakia) is a Czech international footballer who is currently a goalkeeper for Chelsea F.C. He is currently married to his childhood sweetheart, Martina. ... Karel Gott singing in German (Triumph of the Golden Voice) Karel Gott (born July 14, 1939) is one of the most successful and widely-known Czech singers (crooners). ... Miroslav Holub (13 September 1923 Plzeň - 14 July 1998) was a Czech poet and immunologist. ... FrantiÅ¡ek KÅ™ižík, approx 1902, portrait by Å echtl and Voseček studios FrantiÅ¡ek KÅ™ižík (July 8, 1847, Plánice near Klatovy – January 22, 1941, Stádlec near Tábor) was a Czech inventor, electrical engineer and entrepreneur. ... Ota Å ik (September 11, 1919 – August 22, 2004) was a Czech economist and politician. ... Puppet Spejbl Puppet Hurvinek Josef Skupa (16 January 1892 Strakonice - 8 January 1957 Prague) was a Czech puppeteer. ... Bedrich Smetanas statue in Plzen Smetana monument in LitomyÅ¡l BedÅ™ich Smetana listen â–¶(?) (March 2, 1824 LitomyÅ¡l, Bohemia,Czech Republic, (then Austria-Hungary) - May 12, 1884 Prague) was a Czech composer, whose best-known composition is the symphonic poem Vltava (The Moldau), second of a cycle of... Tomáš Å míd (born May 20, 1956 in Plzeň) is a former tennis player from Czechoslovakia, who won a total number of nine singles titles during his career. ... Martin Straka (born September 3, 1972) in Plzeň, Czechoslovakia is a player in the National Hockey League. ... Petr Sykora (born November 19, 1976 in Plzen, Czechoslovakia) is an ice hockey player, currently with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim of the National Hockey League. ... Jiří Trnka (24 February 1912 Plzeň - 30 December 1969) was Czech puppet maker, illustrator, motion-picture animator and film director, renowned for his puppet animations. ...

Twin cities

Pilsen is twinned with the following cities: Sign denoting twin towns of Neckarsulm, Germany Town twinning is a concept whereby towns or cities in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural links. ...

• Santo André, Brazil
• Takasaki, Japan
• Yekaterinburg, Russia
• Birmingham, United States

Image File history File links Flag_of_Brazil. ... For other uses, see Santo André (disambiguation) The city of Santo André (Portuguese for Saint Andrew), on the Tamanduatei River, is in São Paulo State 10 km (6 miles) away from the São Paulo city, in the most industrialized region of Brazil. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... Cities Annaka | Fujioka | Isesaki | Kiryu | Maebashi  (capital) | Numata | Ōta | Shibukawa | Takasaki | Tatebayashi | Tomioka Districts Agatsuma | Gunma | Kanra | North Gunma | Nitta | Oura | Sawa | Seta | Tano | Tone | Usui | Yamada Edit this tempate Categories: Japan geography stubs | Cities in Gunma Prefecture ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia_(bordered). ... Snow-covered statue of Sverdlov in Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburgs Church on the Blood built on the spot where the Tsar and his family were executed. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... The city from above Centenary Square. ...

External links

• Municipal website
• Description of Pilsen
• University of West Bohemia
• Plzenska.com - articles about Pilsen