Pilsen (Plzeň) is a city in western Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It has a population of about 160-170 thousand people, and is the fourth largest in the Czech Republic.
The city is known worldwide for Pilsner beer, as the pilsner style of beer was developed in Pilsen in the 19th century, and Pilsen now has the biggest distillery in the country. The city is well known for the Pilsner Urquell (since 1842) and Gambrinus (since 1869) breweries. A popular tourist attraction is the Plzeňský Prazdroj brewery tour where visitors can discover the history of beer.
Pilsen is a centre of business in the western part of the Czech Republic. Since the late 1990s the city has experienced high growth in foreign investment. Many foreign companies now have manufacturing bases in Plzeň, including Daikin and Panasonic.
Pilsen is also home to the University of West Bohemia, particularly well known for its well known for its Faculty of Law, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Faculty of Applied Science.
Sources: