You may have walked past it a hundred times and thought it was just that big church with two towers by the park. It is not a church. It is a synagogue, and not just any synagogue: the Great Synagogue in Pilsen is the largest synagogue in the Czech Republic, the second largest in Europe after the one in Budapest, and the fifth largest in the world after two in Jerusalem, one in New York and the one in Budapest. And this is exactly where the best events in Pilsen next week begin - the ones we have picked for you. You do not need to be an expert in Judaism or a regular on the club scene. All you need is the desire to experience the city a little differently: once in the silence beneath a Moorish vault, and once on the dance floor.
Best events in Pilsen: two distinct tips for next week
Next week Pilsen offers mainly two very different options - an intimate talk at the Great Synagogue on Sunday 12 July and a dance evening at Buena Vista club on Thursday 16 July.
We will not pad this out. There are not ten stadium-level names to choose from in Pilsen this week. What you do have are two events with real substance, each aimed at a completely different person. One will sit you down and offer reflection on language and learning, the other will get you on your feet. If you are looking for the best events in Pilsen and do not want to scroll aimlessly through listings, this is a solid starting point. And the advantage of Pilsen is clear: the centre is small, so you can comfortably fit in both if you spread them across the week.
You will find both events with their date and venue directly on our site. Below we break down what to expect from each and why to go, even if the topic does not immediately grab you.
Talk at the Great Synagogue: Learning and the sacred language
On Sunday 12 July the Great Synagogue in Pilsen hosts a talk by Zuzana Šoši Dostálová on learning and Hebrew as a sacred language. An intimate evening that fits the space of the synagogue like a key in a lock.
The first of our tips is Zuzana Šoši Dostálová: Learning and the Sacred Language, taking place on 12 July at the Great Synagogue in Pilsen. The topic is clear from the title: education and Hebrew as the "sacred language". And you would be hard pressed to find a more fitting place to discuss it.
It is no coincidence that a programme like this takes place here. The synagogue today does not serve only for tours. In addition to religious purposes, its outstanding acoustics and unique atmosphere make it a concert and exhibition hall. A talk on language and learning is exactly the kind of intimate event that such a space is suited for. There is quiet here, history seeps from the walls, and the topic gets the setting it deserves.
If you are wondering where the evening will take you, expect a talk format, not a concert. It is spoken word, with room for questions and a topic the author knows intimately. We will say more about who Zuzana Dostálová is in a moment, because her name and family history give the whole evening a second layer of meaning.
Why the Great Synagogue is itself a reason to come
Even if the talk topic does not appeal to you, the building is worth a visit on its own. A monumental late 19th-century structure that survived the war and decades of neglect, now back to life after a major restoration.
The synagogue was built at the end of the 19th century. Construction took place between 1888 and 1892 and it was built in the Neo-Romanesque style with Moorish elements, designed by Vienna-based architect Max Fleischer and reworked by Pilsen builder Emanuel Klotz. The dimensions are impressive: it is a monumental building with two 45-metre towers and a three-nave layout. Those two towers, impossible to miss from the centre of Pilsen, stand over forty metres tall. An interesting detail: the towers were lowered compared to the original design and the project was reworked to make it entirely clear that this was not a Christian church.
Most striking, however, is what the building survived. In January 1942 the Nazis deported 2,605 Jewish residents of Pilsen to Terezín. During the war the synagogue was used first as a sales warehouse for the confiscated furniture of deported residents, and later as a workshop where German soldiers' uniforms were sewn. The fact that we can sit here at a talk today is, in a sense, one of history's ironies. Years of neglect followed the war, and only a recent restoration brought the building back to life. Between 2019 and 2022 the synagogue and the adjacent rabbi's house underwent extensive restoration and were reopened to the public on 20 April 2022. The building has had formal protection for a long time: in 1992 it was declared a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.
A practical note for anyone who would like to visit outside of the talk. In addition to evening events, guided tours are held here and they are worth it. During a guided tour including a visit to the rabbi's house and a climb up one of the towers, you will learn about the construction and restoration, the history of the Jewish community in Pilsen, walk through the permanent exhibition and get a glimpse of the ritual bath, the mikveh. Guided tours take place on Sundays from 10:30, last 75 minutes and are not suitable for children under six. Where to find the building? The Great Synagogue is located in the city centre of Pilsen on Sady Pětatřicátníků street.
Who is Zuzana Šoši Dostálová
A cellist and writer, daughter of director Zeno Dostál. The Jewish thread runs naturally through her life and work, so a talk on the sacred language in a synagogue has a personal dimension for her.
The author's name deserves a few extra lines, because it explains why her and why here. Zuzana Dostálová (born 14 June 1976 in Prague) is a Czech cellist and writer. Music is no sideline for her: she studied at the Prague Conservatory and in 2002 completed her cello studies at the Music Faculty of the Janacek Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno and since 1996 she has been a member of the Czech National Symphony Orchestra.
She entered the world of books later, and fully. She made her literary debut with the novella Why Everyone Leaves in 2016. Before that she launched an unusual project: in 2014 she founded a Facebook group called Stories from the Wall, based on the concept of relay story writing. The backstage world of music never leaves her at the writing desk either. Her novel Carnival of Animals (Paseka 2023) is a wry portrayal of the hard life of musical artists.
And now the second layer. Her father was film director, writer, screenwriter and chairman of the Jewish Community Zeno Dostál (1934-1996). It is precisely this family thread that makes the talk on learning and Hebrew at the Great Synagogue more than just a lecture on a given topic. It is a meeting with someone for whom the material is personal, not merely academic. If you are more interested in the musical side of her life, browse our artists directory as well.
Dancing in Pilsen: an evening at Buena Vista club
From the ceremonial quiet of the synagogue we move to a completely different genre. On Thursday 16 July, Buena Vista club hosts Dancing in Pilsen, an evening for those who prefer to experience culture with their feet.
The second tip is for the body, not the mind. On Thursday 16 July, Dancing in Pilsen takes place at Buena Vista club. If you would rather choose a dance floor over a bench, you are in the right place.
Buena Vista is no ordinary venue and the building itself is an experience. The avant-garde multicultural centre Buena Vista Club, whose appearance is reminiscent of the architecture of the extravagant Austrian Friedensreich Hundertwasser, was opened in Pilsen by local company BARFI-Invest. The club has been open since April 2006 and the programme was varied from the start: live and recorded music of various genres, DJs, theatre performances, exhibitions and vernissages. The club also builds on an older tradition: it loosely continues the legacy of the club of the same name that was already an integral part of the cultural scene in Karlovy Vary years ago.
Inside it looks different from a regular bar. Everything is in curves and rounded shapes, from the stage through the gallery and bars to the roof trusses; the club feels as if it is in motion and has plenty of nooks where you have a view of everything while still keeping your privacy. The hall is on the intimate side. The club for 150 people is suitable for all kinds of use, from acoustic to rock concerts, classical music, theatre and corporate events. That captures well why a dance evening fits alongside concerts here.
Where exactly is it? The club is in the centre of Pilsen and according to its own website the entire building is located at Kollárova Street number 20. Opening days are worth checking: Buena Vista Club is open five days a week, from Tuesday to Saturday. If you cannot decide between the club and the synagogue, take a look at our concerts or theatre listings to get a full picture of what else is on in the city.
How to keep track of the programme and tickets
For club evenings, buy through the organiser's official channels and bear in mind that door prices are usually higher than advance prices. For the synagogue, follow the channels of the monument's operator.
Briefly and to the point: at club concerts at Buena Vista it is common for the door price to be higher than the advance price, so buying a ticket in advance saves both money and hassle. The club lists its programme and advance sales on its website; for Pilsen events often through Plzeňská vstupenka. For the Great Synagogue programme it is worth following the monument operator's channels. And if you are planning further ahead than just next week, our events calendar is the quickest way to find out what is on in the region.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best events in Pilsen next week?
We highlighted two. On Sunday 12 July the talk Zuzana Šoši Dostálová: Learning and the Sacred Language at the Great Synagogue, and on Thursday 16 July Dancing in Pilsen at Buena Vista club. Each targets a different kind of visitor, so both the thinker and the dancer will find something.
Where exactly is the Great Synagogue located?
In the centre of Pilsen. You will find the synagogue on Sady Pětatřicátníků street. It is impossible to miss thanks to its two tall towers and it is just a few minutes' walk from the historic core.
What makes the Great Synagogue so exceptional?
Mainly its size and its story. It is the largest synagogue in the Czech Republic, the second largest in Europe after the one in Budapest, and the fifth largest in the world. It survived the Second World War and decades of neglect, and after restoration it now serves as a concert and exhibition space as well.
Where is Buena Vista club and when is it open?
According to the club's website, the building is at Kollárova Street number 20 in the centre of Pilsen. It is open five days a week, from Tuesday to Saturday.
Where do I buy tickets?
Always through official channels. For club evenings through the Buena Vista Club website and Pilsen advance ticket sellers; for the synagogue programme through the monument's operator. Advance tickets are also usually cheaper than buying at the door.
Sources
- Zuzana Šoši Dostálová: Learning and the Sacred Language - 12 July 2026, Great Synagogue in Pilsen (kdykam.com)
- Dancing in Pilsen - 16 July 2026, Buena Vista, Pilsen (kdykam.com)
- Great Synagogue (Pilsen) - Wikipedia
- Great Synagogue tours - Visit Pilsen
- Plzeňská vstupenka - Great Synagogue in Pilsen
- Great Synagogue in Pilsen - Kudy z nudy; Slevomat.cz
- Zuzana Dostálová - Wikipedia, Paseka publishing house, iTvar, Forbes
- Buena Vista Club - buenavistaclub.cz, archiweb.cz, Kudy z nudy