Pilsen Town Hall

Most of the buildings lining Republic Square are fairly typical Czech except for this Renaissance stand-out, commissioned and built over five years from 1554 – 1559. It was designed by an Italian architect Giovanni de Statia. The current rendition, built after the old one was damaged in a fire. It features a gorgeous exterior whose lavish designed make the building stand out like a sore thumb from the plain beige paint of its adjacent neighbours. Made with brick, the town hall famously is fronted with a sgraffito façade covering the second and third floors―where layers of tinted plaster are etched with inscriptions and depictions of Czech rulers and the Pilsen coat of arms; a golden clock tops the front.

Unfortunately, there’s not much to see inside, though it’s free. The first floor interiors are sparse, and the more interesting upper floors are closed to visitors. If you stop by, though, do check out the arched doors and the hooks and rings that used to rig fire-fighting equipment back in the day. There’s also a model of Pilsen and some visitor guides and maps―useful for a first-time visitor to orient themselves in Pilsen.