Plzen city (Pilsen) and st. Bartholomew's church belong to each other inseparably since the foundation in 1295. In 1993, when Pilsen bishopric was founded, the church of st. Bartholomew became cathedral, which in fact is a bishop church and the centre (heart) of pilsner diocese on the part of West Bohemia. Its inner space is most of all House of the Lord, where believers have been gathering fot divina service for centuries. It is also an open place for everyone who wants to admire the beauty of architecture and paintings and to percieve spiritual atmosphere of all past generations and their self-sacrifice and generosity. You can find Gothic, Renaissance, baroque, secession and cuurent artworks. The most precious are Pilsner Madonna (1384) and sculpture Crucifiction (1450-1455). "Czech altar" by J. Kastner, which is placed in Sternberk chapel, won first prize on the world exhibition in Paris (1900). The cathedral is 58 meters long and 30 meters wide. Unique vault reaches 25 meters high. Church tower with a view is the highest church tower in Bohemia, it's 102m and 26cm high.