Though the exact date of construction is unknown, records show that the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew probably dates back all the way to the founding of Pilsen itself in 1295, with the first mention of a church on the site surfacing in 1307. Originally a Catholic church, Pilsen and the church were under siege from the revolutionary Hussites in the 15th century, but Pilsen miraculously managed to beat back the tens of thousands of Hussite soldiers. According to lore, Pilsen managed to capture a camel from the Hussites, and in celebration added the camel to their coat of arms and hold an annual celebration, the ‘New Feast of Pilsen’. Tussles continued between Protestant and Catholic forces, but World War II and Communism brought religious tension to an end.

Today, the main draw for visitors is the Cathedral’s awe-inspiring heavy Gothic design and the tallest church steeple in the Czech Republic, which tops out at 102.3 m. Like almost all churches in Czech, the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew was renovated and expanded extensively over the years―the current edition’s main alter “only” dates back to 1883, but maintains the cathedral’s original Gothic style with complementary Neogothic styling. At the centre of the church is one of the most precious Gothic artefacts in Czech―a statue of the Virgin Mary over six hundred years old. It’s impossible to miss the Cathedral, it is in the middle of Pilsen’s town square, and its steeple dominates the skyline.