The Cathedral of St. Bartholomew dominates the eastern end of Republic Square and has defined the Plzeň skyline since the 14th century. Construction began around 1320 on the site of an earlier Romanesque church; the nave was completed by the late 14th century, the choir in the 15th, and the tower — the tallest in Bohemia at 102 metres — was finished in the 16th century. The building was elevated to cathedral status only in 1993, when the Diocese of Plzeň was created.
The interior is Late Gothic throughout: ribbed vaulting, tall lancet windows, and a choir with excellent stone carving. The central altar houses the "Plzeň Madonna," a delicate limestone figure from around 1390 in the distinctive S-curved pose of the Beautiful Style (Schöner Stil), a type popular across Central Europe in the late 14th century. The tower is open to visitors and worth climbing — 301 steps to a viewing platform with unobstructed views over the city. Entry to the cathedral is free; there is a small charge for the tower.