Pilsen’s Old Town Square, now named ‘Republic Square’, is quieter and emptier than its more well-known older brother in Prague. Yet, at 139 m by 193 m, the Square is grandiose in scale, one of the largest in the world when it was first built in the 13th century and still one of the largest in the Czech Republic to this day. Originally floored with wood, it was paved in the 14th century, then cobblestoned in the 1800s, giving the Square its charming look. Before it was cobblestoned, it used to be home to a graveyard and water towers that pumped water to the Square’s fountains. It was a crucial source of water supply for the city back in the day.

Today, the Square plays host to various markets and fairs, as well as a “plague pole”. The pole dates back to 1681 resting in one corner of the Square and three golden modernist fountains in the other three corners, built just five years ago. The “plague pole” is a Baroque style column topped with a statue of Mother Mary, built to defend Pilsen from the plague hundreds of years ago. Wander around the Square, sip a cappuccino at one of the excellent coffee shops nearby, people watch, or check out one of the many historic buildings lining the Square, including the famous Renaissance Town Hall next door, or the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew located smack in the centre of the square.