© Photo by Howard Pulling
A castle since 976, a town since 1295, and a Baroque architecture gem since the end of 17th century - this is Plzeň. But it's also an important commercial centre of Bohemia - from medieval trade hub it evolved into the beer-making capital of Czechs in the early 19th century, and then, into the car manufacturing superpower. Local sort of beer, Pilsner, became a generic term, while Škoda cars, trams and locomotive are a common site anywhere in Europe. The town is elected as a European Cultural Capital for 2015.
