Drawing of the Museum of West Bohemia - 1928
Provided by George Krejci
Západočeské muzeum - Museum of West Bohemia - 1950s
Photograph © Copyright George Krejci
Západočeské muzeum - Museum of West Bohemia - 2003
Copyright information unknown
Západočeké muzeum v Plzni
Kopeckého sady 2
Plzeň 301 00
Czech Republic
Tel.: +420 377 329 380, +420 377 236 460
Náměstí Republiky - South - 1928
Provided by George Krejci
Náměstí Republiky - South - 1950s
Photograph © Copyright George Krejci
Náměstí Republiky - South - 1991
Photograph © Copyright 1991 Clive Porter
I’d like to talk about some of these buildings. I can’t really comment too much on their architecture - I don’t have any close-up photographs and my memory is too misty to remember any interesting details - I’d need to make a return trip… I’d like to comment a little on the changing commercial / street level face of some of them. After all, this is, historically, a very commercial area.
Náměstí Republiky - South - 1991
Photograph © Copyright 1991 Clive Porter
Náměstí Republiky - South - 1993
Photograph © Copyright 1991 Clive Porter
Náměstí Republiky - South - (date unknown - late 1990s to early 2000s)
Copyright information unknown
Náměstí Republiky - South - 2006
Photograph © Copyright 2006 Eva Haunerová
By the number of Jan Merlian’s portals and window surrounds to found around Plzeň, I imagine that he made a good living during the Rennaisance period.
I didn’t notice this during my visits to Plzeň but looking at photographs of Pražská Ulice and Náměstí Republiky, they seem to be a regular feature. It’s easy to see why as they are very pleasing to the eye.
I wonder if it was in fact Jan Merlian who designed them or if they were chosen by him from the catalogue of an artizan or the period? Were they, perhaps, also copied by others at later periods in history?
Pražská 8
Copyright information unknown
Pražská 13
Photograph © Copyright 2006 Eva Haunerová
Náměstí Republiky East
Photograph © Copyright Clive Porter 1991
Náměstí Republiky South
Copyright information unknown
Malá Ulice
Photograph © Copyright 2006 Eva Haunerová
Number 8 Pražská Ulice is the site of Plzen´s oldest beerhall which dates from 1637. The pub was named after Martin Salzmann who ran it between 1858 & 1908. Salzmann was the guy who had first sent Pilsner beer to Prague in 1843.
U Salzmannů 1858 & 1908
From a postcard
Pražská Ulice in the 1950s
Photograph © Copyright George Krejci
U Salzmannů can be seen on the righthand side of this 1950s photo (above).
U Salzmannů in the 1950s
Photograph © Copyright George Krejci
When I first saw the building in 1991 (see photo below) it was closed and in a sorry state of repair - as was much of Pražská ulice.
U Salzmannů Plzen 1991
Photograph © Copyright 1991 Clive Porter
The quality of the above photograph leaves a little to be desired - I’ll blame it on the sun shining in the wrong direction and the damage the print has received over the past 15 years. Maybe I should just blame it on my lack of skill as a photographer…
U Salzmannů Plzen 2002
Copyright information unknown
I think this later photograph, taken in 2002, shows just how nicely the building was restored.
U Salzmannů Plzen at the end of the 19th Century?
Copyright information unknown
This photograph shows Salzmannová Pivnice which would appear to be on the same site as U Salzmannů and whilst the building has obviously been replaced, the renaissance portal remains.
The University of West Bohemia explains this :
House ref. no. 90 (Prazska Street no. 8 ) “Salzmans’” (U Salzmanu) - originally a Renaissance house which master-builder Jan Merlian (or Skarpalin) built for himself in 1584.
The house was constructed afresh in 1907 and only the beautiful portal with its Italian inscription remained. The house takes its name from an owner of the inn there, who was the first to take Plzen Prazdroj (Pilsner Urquell) beer to Prague in 1842.
This is a helpful explanation as it’s the Renaissance portal which intrigues me. Compare U Salzmannů’s portal with that found accross the street at N° 13 : Jan Merlian’s Portals.
U Salzmannů is once again a pub, restaurant and guest house / hotel. I should love to visit it one day.
If you should have any old or new photographs of this building, I would be very interested to see them!
Restaurace a pension U Salzmannů
Pražská 8
301 00 Plzeň
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 377 235 855
Fax: +420 377 235 886
The Burgher Hall, 1912
From a postcard dated 1912
Drawing of the Burgher Hall, 1928
Provided by George Krejci
Měšťanská Beseda in the 1950s
Photograph © Copyright George Krejci
Měšťanská Beseda 2006
Photograph © Copyright 2006 Eva Haunerová
Měšťanská Beseda 2006
Photograph © Copyright 2006 Eva Haunerová
The Burgher Hall Kavárna
Copyright information unknown
The Burgher Hall Kavárna during renovation in 2001
Photograph © Copyright 2001 Atelier Soukup (Architects), Plzeň
Měšťanská beseda Plzeň
Kopeckého sady 13
Plzeň 301 00
Tel: +420 378 037 926
Fax: +420 377 227 012
