Chotěšov Chotěšov Gass altar in Dobrá Voda Kladruby Mariánská Týnice Pilsen A region of culture New theater, Pilsen Plasy The cultural hotspot of the region is Plzeň, which boasts the title of European Capital of Culture 2015. It hosts the greatest events, music and theatre festivals, concerts, exhibitions, etc. The history of theatre in Plzeň dates back to the 18th century when the first performances began to be played. Today, the city can showcase its brand new modern theatre building that opened in 2014. You can visit hundreds of dramatic, opera, ballet and musical performances in Plzeň theatres throughout the year. The Alfa Theatre in Plzeň, following the old puppetry tradition, is worth visiting. Numerous small theatres are active in Plzeň and across the region. Residing in a 1920 theatre building, the Permanent theatre venue Klatovy has a very diverse repertoire. Plzeň annually hosts the International Theatre festival, the Finale Film festival, the Jazz without Borders jazz festival, and a festival of classical music called The Smetana Days, which has now been held for more than 30 years. Skupa’s Plzeň, the oldest professional theatre festival in Bohemia, reminds us of the strong puppetry tradition in the region. This biennial event of Czech professional and puppet theatre regularly introduces the best ensembles from the Czech Republic and abroad. In summer the streets of the metropolis come alive with music and theatre within the Vivid Street festival. Cultural events take place throughout the year in various places, especially at numerous funfairs and festivities. The region is also known for organising the greatest folklore festivals. A whole range of Czech cultural personalities were born or are active in this region – the composer Bedřich Smetana, the puppeteer Josef Skupa, the painters Václav Brožík and Mikoláš Aleš, the illustrator Jiři Trnka, and the actor Miroslav Horníček. Our tip: The Baroque beauties of the Plzeň region are presented during the summer Baroque festival, which brings a musical programme to châteaux, castles, monasteries and other sights across the whole region. More info at www.zapadoceskebaroko.cz (CZ, DE only) i map menu www Plasy