Karlovy Vary – A Day in the Famed Carlsbad Springs

December 18, 2024 by admin

Europe is filled with old resort towns, venerable and opulent but none equal the raw charm of Karlovy Vary. Built around famed mineral hot springs, whose gazified waters rises up like a thick steam in the winter months, this Czech town is surely one of the Great Spa Towns of Europe. Not only is the Austro-Hungarian architecture colorful but it also playful, and will fill your heart with delight. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it may be the greatest display of architecture splendor in Europe, if not the world.

Geography

The town was conceived around its trade, that being the mineral hot springs that turned the city into one of the leading spa towns in Europe. There are 13 primary springs within the vicinity of the city, complimented by 300 smaller springs. Though the center of the old town you will find the warm-water Teplá River, now basically a stone lined channel, flowing into the much wider Ohře, the primary watercourse in the region.

The city is pitched in the lowlands between the steep surrounding hills and follows the shape of the river, undulating with its curvature. From the heights above the town you will find the hills of the Sudetenland in the distance, beyond them lies the German Border. The Sudetenland was once filled with fortifications, built to stall a German military advance into the Czech Republic.

A Brief History

As previously mentioned the town owes its existence to its famed hot springs. As such most of Karlovy Vary’s history will revolve around its position as a center for health and tourism.

Foundational Myth

It is said that the city was founded by the legendary leader of Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire, Charles IV, who from his stay in the royal residence in nearby Loket organized an expedition into the surrounding forests. The famed hot spring was stumbled upon by accident, and miraculously healed the emperor’s injured leg.

The grateful Charles established a spa on the site of the spring that would be named “Karlovy Vary” after the emperor.

Slavic Incursions, Bohemia and German Settlement

The decline of western Rome brought about barbarian migrations south, especially in those Germanic groups from Central Europe. Replacing them were the Slavs who settled throughout the region and into the Balkan Peninsula. Yet in this particular case, it was German speakers from the Holy Roman Empire who would eventually found a city here called Carlsbad. The Germans had been invited by the Bohemian Crown to help develop the regions economy as thy were excellent miners and craftsmen.

However, we also do know that people had been living in proximity of the springs long before their arrival.

Charles IV finally granted the town privileges in 1370. It was a testament to its growing importance. Yet, the city was far removed from the the city you see today. Karlovy Vary would only reach its peak centuries later, in the 19th century, when it was ruled by the Austrian Empire.

Austro-Hungarian Domination

The city played host to an important diplomatic event when conference held here led to the 1819, with the issuing of the Carlsbad Decrees. This anti-liberal crackdown was meant to stall a growing desire for German Unification.

Yet the real transformative event was the publication of medical papers that led to the development of a spa culture here. This was facilitated by the completion of a railway line to Cheb in 1870.

World Wars, Czechoslovakia and the Modern Era

Tourism was disrupted by the advent of the First World War and it was incorporated into the new Czechoslovak State in 1919. This displeased the towns Germans, a vast majority of the population, and there was widespread unrest in the city resulting in the death of some protesters.

This area was part of the Sudetenland, a German majority area annexed by Germany after the Munich agreement in 1938. Without the geographical safety of a ring of mountains around it, the Czech lands would be impossible to defend against the Germans colossus.

After the war ethnic Germans were expelled from the territory as ethnic lines were redrawn throughout Europe. The city continued on a a resort town during the communist’s years, with the addition of a few ugly buildings. Strangely enough, the post communist years saw the city become a mecca for the Russian oligarchs, who unfortunately now own much of the city. Since the 1990’s the city has lost a large share of its population.

Transportation

One of the few modern monstrosities in Karlovy Vary, central station is a hub for both intercity bus transit and railways. It is irredeemably ugly. It is only topped in its awfulness by one other building, the Spa Hotel Thermal hotel.

If you wish to get around Karlovy Vary, it is easy to get by on foot. The Tepla channel can be use for direction either back to the train station (downstream) or into the city center (upstream).

This If you do not wish to do so however there are no tram due to the hills but there are municipal buses that run fairly frequently as well as the Diana, a funicular railways that will take you up above the city for some amazing views.

What to do in Karlovy Vary

After stumbling out of central station, I emerged in a block of ornate buildings with beautiful architecture and varied colors… and the best was yet to come. You will easily loose track of time exploring this city with so much beauty to distract!

Jan Becher Museum

At the southern tip of the city, just east of central station, you will fin the Jan Becher Museum. This is a museum dedicated to the production of Becherovka, if you are not familiar with it, it is a hard liquor of a certain repute in the Czech Republic.

T.G Masaryk Street, Alžbětiny Lázně and the City Market

Just across from the museum, you will see a large older building near the municipal bus terminal. This is the old city market but is now occupied by a grocery store.

Adjoining the museum is T.G Masaryk Street, a pedestrian boulevard with many shops and services.

Among the grand elegant buildings on this street you will find a statue to T.G Masaryk, one of the founders of Czechoslovakia and its first president.

You will also find a palace like spa called the Alžbětiny Lázně.

A Walk Along the Tepla and the Ugly Spa Hotel Thermal

The pedestrian space leads to the Tepla channel, a watercourse that if followed upstream will take you into the city center. This Chanel is line by a host of stunning buildings that only get better as you advance further into the canyon.

One modern monstrosity is Spa Hotel Thermal hotel, but what I would give for its rooftop view of the city!

You can usually find food vendors down by the canal around this spot.

Past the hotel you will come into a more hill laden area where the real beauty of Carlsbad takes shape.

Park Colonnade

Just past the hotel you will find one of the city’s prettiest public spaces, Colonnade park.

At the far end of the park you will find a colonnaded pavilion housing, Spring №15, the Snake Spring. Fill up a bottle and continue on.

Hillside Villas and the Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral

In the hills above this area, you will find a building with golden onion domes that looks like it could have come from Russia rather than the Czech lands. This old church is indicative of the long Russian connection to spa town.

Built in 1893, the design mimics that of The Church of Holy Trinity in Ostankino.

In this section of the city, you will find a lot of grand estates, that have their own lots and are not built to the lot line (not built in rows).

Windsor Spa, Mill Colonnade and Spring 11

Continuing along the channel you will come across your next set of landmarks including the Windsor Spa, the building on the right of the picture below.

You will then find Spring №11, Freedom Spring, housed in a cute gazebo near the Mill Colonnade.

You will also find a path that leads up over the mill colonnade building.

This will offer you excellent views of the surrounding landscape.

The mill colonnade building itself was designed by the Czech architect Josef Zítek and is absolutely gorgeous. Of course it is named after its iconic Neo-renaissance row of 124 Corinthian columns. Inside are a set of 5 hot springs and a space reserved for orchestras, oftentimes these concerts are free.

The surrounding buildings rare also some of the finest in town. Make sure to take your time to have a good look at them!

City Center (Market Colonnade, Holy Trinity Column and the Castle Tower)

To the west of the mill colonnade you will find the city center. It is filled with iconic buildings and structures of importance and is pedestrianized.

My favorite part of the Holy Trinity Column, a monument located at the bottom of a step of stairs with a fountain at its center located, beside the market colonnade pavilion.

You will also find a this beautiful café patio nearby!

The Holy Trinity Column will catch your eye immediately due to the iconic star of David, in gold, at its center. The baroque sculpture was inaugurated in 1716 and unlike the plague markers in other cities, this one is a symbol of gratitude instead of memory, as Karlovy Vary was sparred from the deadly 1713 outbreak. The city has never been a huge center of the Czech Jews so if someone could enlighten me on its significance I would greatly appreciate it, as it is the most curious of details.

The market colonnade is a white pavilion structure conceived near the end of the 19th century housing three mineral springs. Above it is the castle tower, a building you can go up into by elevator for view of the town. This was the site of the towns first castle built by Charles IV, but later donated to local nights who used it to lord over the townspeople, sometime unfairly so, resulting in local conflicts. The Castle was later confiscated by the Austrian King Ferdinand I, to punish the Šlik family for participating in resistance to his rule. From here the castle fell into disrepair, being donated by Emperor Maximilian II to the town to use as a warehouse (and later, the surrounding woods would be given to the municipality). The castle burned in 1604, down but the tower remained and became the new city hall. A watchman remained in the tower to monitor the surroundings. In later years the tower saw additional changes due to fires, renovations and the installation of an elevator and a new spa.

Vřídelní kolonáda Gyser Spring, Theater Square Park and St Mary Magdalene’s Church

If you follow the canal or walk west from the city center you will come across the grand daddy of all hot springs housed underneath the ugly Vřídelní kolonáda.

As you approach the building you will see the steam rise from its underbelly, corroding the hulking beast and asking to be liberated from its shackles.

The church itself is located on the east bank of the canal and dates from the 18th century. The twin baroque are an iconic part of the landscape.

At the front of the ugly concrete monstrosity you will find the geyser, a hot spring fountain that gives off a really neat effect in the winter as steam rises from the fountain’s water. The building with the clock is the Městská spořitelna, a historic landmark.

Just a shorth walk down, you will find Theatre Square Park, named after the Karlovy Vary Theater.

This is also one of the best areas to look out over the canal, towards their the Hotel Atlantic Palace or on the other side, the beautiful Grand Pupp hotel.

Sady Jeana de Carro Park

Above the old town, on the east bank of the canal, you will find a park with great views. To get there scale the path abovce St Mary Magdalene’s Church.

Nestled cozy between villas, the park is a long stretch of grass heading towards a fenced ledge with views. You will also get views of the Hotel Imperial from here.

In my opinion this park offers the best views of the old town castle.

At the south end of the park you will also find a column with the statue of Charles IV topping it.

Hotel Imperial

Situated well above the city, but at a mere Kilometer of the city center, this grand old hotel occupies a prime spot among the villa’s of the city’s elite.

The 1912 Art Nouveau building is one of the most iconic in the city and dominates the skyline due to its unique shape and appearance. At opening it was the most popular hotels in the city, processing over 70 000 visitors a year. primarily due to its panoramic views of the city. It has seen the likes of Businessmen such as the Rothschilds, Polish and Russian Nobility Nobility, Politicians such as Czech president T.G Masaryk, Composers like Richard Strauss and well as Hollywood movie stars.

Under socialism the resort was nationalized and turned into a sanatorium, only returning to private ownership and grandeur in 1992, with a complete reconstruction in 2003.

From the surrounding neighborhood you will get great views of the city.

Visit the Grand Hotel Pupp

Near the next band in the channel watercourse, you will find the Grand Hotel Pupp. Forced to wear the mask of Russian names during the Czech Republic’s time under Russian dominations, the building has once again regained its luster! Dating from 1701, it is a true Czech hotel and has hosted many famed actors for the famed Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Scale above the city and enjoy the lookouts

The best lookout are either above the Diana funicular, one the east side of the city where you will find Diana Observation Tower, Peter the Great Lookout and Charles IV Tower or on the west side where you will find the magnificent Goethe’s Lookout Tower.

From above the funicular station you will find a handful of chapels. The path will lead you up the mountain where you will be able to hike to the towers.

From here you will find many secondary or small memorials and viewpoints such as the Wolfs Ruhe as well.

You will also find the occasional grave and old alpine estate.

The Diana tower itself dates from 1914 and is well worth a visit. At its base is a small butterfly observatory.

The peter the great observation point is by far my favorite however with close up views of the city.

Here you will find a small gazebo as well as a upper viewpoint at a cross.

You will also find the occasional pub up here!

Conclusion

Karlovy Vary still retrains its beauty, un-permeated by the crass modernism that had infected so many Czech cities during the Soviet Era. The few structures that remain from that period stand in stark contrast to the rest of the replenishing city, that has only regained more if its charm has the years have advanced. This is the perfect spa town and little can convince me otherwise!

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