University of West Bohemia

Techmania Science Center is one of the first science centers in the Czech Republic and an important institution of informal education. The project was established in 2005 by the Škoda Transportation joint-stock company and the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. The intention has been to build up a modern, interactive center (often known as a science center) in the industrial estate of the Škoda company. The mission of Techmania is to help the public, especially young people, to get more familiar with science, technology and with the development of human knowledge in general. Another goal is to point out the unanswered questions for which the next generation, the young visitors of the science center, will find answers. The science center opened its gates to the public on November 4, 2008. Since then over 300 000 visitors have experienced science and engineering in an interactive environment of learning in the science center, which is based on explanations of particular physical or mathematical principles by means of game-like activities. The interactivity involves visitors making the exhibits move, so the natural principle will be demonstrated by the particular process. In these cases, learning is based on personal experience. Between 2008 and 2013 the center offered following main exhibitions: The Edutorium, which composes of 60 physics-based exhibits and there are categories for optics, mechanic, electricity, magnetism, acoustics. This part of Techmania is mostly used by school teachers to explain physical phenomenon (over 30% of Techmania's visitors is made up by (high) school groups). There's the Rub! is a collection of Brain-teasers and scientific toys. The exhibition ŠKODA tells the story of the Škoda company and shows, for example, world unique locomotives, a trolleybus or a steam engine from the year 1909, which is used to demonstrate steam power.Between September 2010 and March 2012 the controversial artwork Entropa was displayed at Techmania.The science center was closed down on September 2, 2013 because of its total renovation. The first 3D planetarium in the Czech Republic is going to be opened as a part of the “new” Techmania on November 4, 2013. The main hall of the science center will be re-opened in March 2014 showing new interactive exhibitions dealing for example with renewable sources of energy, physics, human body, water world etc. An integral part of Techmania's activities are the “scientific shows” which demonstrate, for example, static electricity (Van de Graaff generator), Bernoulli's principle, Non-Newtonian fluid and many other phenomena as well as lectures on special topics.

LOGSPEED CZ Aréna is an indoor sporting arena located in Plzeň, Czech Republic. The capacity of the arena is 8,236 people and it was built in 1969. It is currently home to the HC Škoda Plzeň ice hockey team.

Josef Kajetán Tyl Theatre (Czech: Divadlo Josefa Kajetána Tyla) is a main theatre in Plzeň, Czech Republic. The theatre was built between 1899 and 1902 in the neo-renaissance style with some art nouveau elements to the design of Antonin Balsanek. Every year the theatre performs some 18 premieres of drama, operas, operettas, ballets or musicals. Since September 2014, actors of the theatre also perform at the New Theatre.In front of the façade stands a statue of Josef Kajetán Tyl by Alois Soper.

The New Theatre (Czech: Nové divadlo) in Plzeň is a Czech theatre. Construction of the venue cost 880 million CZK. The first performance at the New Theatre was The Bartered Bride from Bedřich Smetana.

The Great Synagogue (Czech: Velká synagoga) in Plzeň, Czech Republic is the second largest synagogue in Europe.

Pilsen Plaza (Czech: Plzeň Plaza) is a 20,000-square-metre (220,000-square-foot) shopping mall and entertainment center in Plzeň, Czech Republic.

The Franciscan Monastery is located near the Main Square in Plzeň, Czech Republic. Originally belonging to the Minorites, the later Franciscan monastery was founded at the end of the 13th century. The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Chapterhouse and Chapel of St. Barbara also belong to the monastery complex. The Franciscan church and monastery are among the city's oldest buildings and, for all the calamities of the Hussite era and Thirty Years' War, have, in essence, preserved their original early Gothic form.

The Square of the Republic (in Czech Naměstí republiky) forms the historical centre of Plzeň, Czech Republic. With a size of 552 by 627 feet (168 m × 191 m) it is one of the largest medieval squares in the Czech lands. Plzeň as a town appears at the end of the 13th century, the square existing since then. Around the oblong square regular blocks of houses delimitated by a rectangular network of streets were built. Archaeologists have identified wooden pavement from the 13th century and another three layers of pavement from the 14th century. The square was cobblestoned in 1859. The stones were replaced by asphalt cover in the 20th century; this replaced again with cobblestones during 2005-2007 reconstruction. In the beginning of the 16th century the water supply became critical. A water tower with a mechanical pump was erected, the water being stored in a leaden reservoir and fed through wooden pipes to public fountains at the main square. A graveyard had existed on the square since the town was established until 1789, when Emperor Joseph II ordered to close such graveyards. The buildings in the square are of predominantly build in Gothic and Renaissance styles. In the courtyards east side remains of the medieval walls are still preserved. The best preserved part of the square is its southern part. Many buildings contain two or three levels of cellars used to preserve food, for wells or as cesspools.The most important historical landmarks are Church of St. Bartholomew (1295, since 1993 a cathedral), the city hall (the building serves as city hall since 1496) and St. Mary's plague column from 1681 by the Plzeň sculptor Kristian Widman, all in the northern part of the square.

Plzeň Zoo (Zoologická a botanická zahrada města Plzně) is a Czech zoo, located in Plzeň in Czech Republic. After Liberec Zoo it is the second oldest zoo in the Czech Republic, founded in 1926 on the river banks of the river Radbuza. Plzen zoo has 40 species of animals from EEP European Endangered Species Programme and is responsible for the European studbook for Dwarf and Thick tailed Maki.

Plzeň (Czech pronunciation: [ˈpl̩zɛɲ] (listen); German and English: Pilsen, in German pronounced [ˈpɪlzn̩] (listen)) is a city in the Czech Republic. About 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of Prague in western Bohemia, it is the fourth most populous city in the Czech Republic with about 181,000 inhabitants. The city is known worldwide for Pilsner beer, created by Bavarian brewer Josef Groll in the city in 1842.

The Cathedral of St. Bartholomew (originally the Church of St. Bartholomew) is a Gothic church located on the Main Square in Plzeň, Czech Republic. It was probably established together with the city around the year 1295. The church became a cathedral in 1993, when the Plzeň diocese was created. It was designated a national cultural monument of the Czech Republic in 1995.

The siege of Pilsen (or Plzeň) or Battle of Pilsen was a siege of the fortified city of Pilsen (Czech: Plzeň) in Bohemia carried out by the forces of the Bohemian Protestants led by Ernst von Mansfeld. It was the first major battle of the Thirty Years' War. The Protestant victory and subsequent capture of the city enlarged the Bohemian Revolt.