Plaque to Jan Kozina in Pilsner brewery

The plaque to Jan Kozina sits inside the grounds of the Pilsner Urquell brewery, on the spot once occupied by the Chapel of Our Lady of Cella, also known as Ginter's Chapel. The black granite marker commemorates the final hours of Jan Sladký Kozina, a peasant leader of the Chods who was executed in Pilsen on 28 November 1695. It's an easy-to-miss historical detail tucked inside the working brewery site.

Who was Jan Kozina, and why does Pilsen remember him?

Jan Sladký Kozina (1652–1695) came from Újezd near Domažlice and belonged to the Chods, a community of free peasants who had guarded the western border of Bohemia for centuries in exchange for special privileges. In the second half of the 17th century, the local feudal landowner moved to strip the Chods of these old rights, triggering years of legal resistance and open defiance. Kozina became the public face of that struggle, and after the uprising was suppressed, he was tried and sentenced to death in Pilsen.

Why is the plaque located on brewery grounds?

The land occupied today by the Pilsner Urquell brewery looked completely different in the 17th century — it held the Chapel of Our Lady of Cella, popularly called Ginter's Chapel. Local tradition holds that this was the site where Kozina spent his final moments before being led to execution. Centuries later, when the brewery took over the area, that history wasn't erased: in 1960, more than two and a half centuries after the execution, the brewery marked the spot with a granite plaque.

What does the inscription actually say?

The Czech text translates roughly as: "On this spot, the fighter for the freedom and rights of the Chods, Jan Sladký Kozina, rested for the last time before his execution, 28 November 1695." The plaque is cut from black Swedish granite and was formally unveiled on 5 May 1960. A short commemorative gathering still takes place there each year around the anniversary of the execution.

How does this connect to the legend of Lomikar?

Kozina's story is one of the best-known regional legends in Czech history, popularized by Alois Jirásek's novel "Psohlavci" ("The Dog-Heads"). In the literary version, Kozina supposedly summoned Lomikar — the nobleman blamed for crushing the Chods' rights — to face divine judgment within a year and a day of his death. That line is a literary invention with no historical evidence behind it; it never appears in period records. The execution itself, and its association with this stretch of Pilsen, is what's actually documented.

What should visitors know before stopping by?

The plaque stands within the working premises of the Pilsner Urquell brewery on U Prazdroje street, so seeing it is best combined with a visit to the brewery itself — one of Pilsen's main tourist draws. It's a low-key stop for anyone curious about regional history rather than a standalone attraction, but worth knowing about while walking the brewery grounds.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Jan Kozina plaque located? On the grounds of the Pilsner Urquell brewery in Pilsen, on the site of the former Chapel of Our Lady of Cella (Ginter's Chapel).

Who was Jan Kozina? A peasant leader of the Chods, executed in Pilsen on 28 November 1695 for resisting the loss of his community's traditional privileges.

When was the plaque unveiled? On 5 May 1960. It is made of black Swedish granite.

Is the legend about summoning Lomikar to divine judgment true? No — it comes from Alois Jirásek's novel "Psohlavci" and has no basis in historical sources.

Can the plaque be visited together with the brewery tour? Yes, it stands within the Pilsner Urquell brewery grounds, so it can easily be seen as part of a brewery visit.