The therapeutic benefits of the Karlovy Vary springs have been utilized ever since the Middle Ages. The spa became a center for aristocracy in the 17th and 18th centuries where the town’s most valuable architecture originating from this period as well. The Baroque Church of St. Mary Magdalen, built by K. I. Dientzenhofer in 1727 - 1736 is a beautiful example of this period. The spa’s greatest upsurge occurred only in the 19th century when Karlovy Vary became world famous. The spa buildings, colonnades and pavilions were constructed in the style of a sober Empirical and later, Art Nouveau styles. The center of the present spa bustle in Karlovy Vary is a modern pavilion with the main Karlovy Vary spring, Vridlo which belches its curative water to a height of 17m, and the Mlynska Colonnade. In addition to the curative waters you can also sample delicious local wafers and the traditional Becher liqueur produced from herbs. Individual tours can also include relaxation bath treatment.
History of Carlsbad
The foundation and development of Carlsbad has always been inseparably connected with the soothing curative effect of Its warm mineral springs. They marked the history, architecture, economy and the whole spirit of the city. The springs have fascinated people and have stimulated them since the oldest times. A story of the fantasy world is the popular story according to which Carlsbad springs were discovered by Charles IV, the Czech king and Roman Emperor, at a deer hunting in the middle of the 14th century. The foundation of the spa city at the confluence of the Ohre and Tepla Rivers in the reign of Charles IV is sure not to be such an accidental and romantic act as said in the old story, but almost a regular development result for a long-known place with a curative tradition.
Specialities of Carlsbad
Carlsbad has made a name for itself as a spa. Later however with its specialties and sights typical for this city and its surroundings as well. Speaking of specialties, we mean in particular certain products to be used. In particular Moser glass, named after the founder of the famous glass factory and known as “Glass of Kings” all around the world, ranks among these traditional specialties; this glass used to become a decoration and pride for rulers and other celebrities in many countries all around the world. It is a synonym for a top craft and artistic level.
Bitter-sweet bitters KARLOVARSKA BECHEROVKA (38% of alcohol, 10% of sugar), known as “the thirteenth spring”, is one of the traditional and without doubt the most original specialty of Carlsbad. The history of this delicious drink dates back to 1805.
Carlsbad Wafers are one of the most popular specialties of Carlsbad; they started to be produced by Karl Bayer some time around 1850. At first it was a small-scale domestic output, the wafers were supplied to spa guests as a delicious and easy-to-digest delicacy to be eaten with coffee. Only in 1867, they got their typical taste and golden-colored design. As early as the 18th century, the wafers were produced by means of pliers wafer makers.
Carlsbad china ranks among the specialties that have made Carlsbad famous all around the world. The local china factories have produced not only utility china, but also ornamental, aesthetically harmonized as to shapes and beautifully decorated china. This region has very favorable conditions for the china production as there are raw materials there, which are necessary for the china material production.
A traditional Carlsbad specialty is the renewed production of Carlsbad thermal salt. It is produced for drinking courses of treatment from the Carlsbad mineral springs and is intended for special nutrition in case of digestion diseases, it is also produced as bath salt in white color without any aroma admixtures used in particular in spa facilities and in light green color with pine scent used in aromatherapy.
CARLSBAD SPRINGS
The Hot Spring
Temperature 73°С, CO2 content 400 mg/l. spring discharge 2,000 l/min.
The water for drinking cure is led to five spring vases in the Hot Spring Colonnade. There it is available not only in the original temperature (spring vases A), but also cooled to 57°C (spring vases B) and 41°C (spring vase C).
The Hot Spring became not only symbol of the largest Czech bath resort, but aiso its eternally beating heart .The very fountain geysering up to 14 meters high in the Colonnade Hall, which attracts attention of all visitors of the town, is only one of the branches of the Hot Spring.
The Charles IV. Spring
Temperature 63,8°C, CO2 content 237 mg/l, yield 4,8 l/min.
An old legend says that it was right at this spring where the founder of the spa town himself, the emperor and king Charles IV, tried to cure his sore limbs. There is a relief by Zorkier above the springs vase. Small thermal springs have existed in the place of the present big spring since long ago. They could be found in the arcade of the old town hall When the present wooden colonnade was built, the spring vase got its fixed position and thermal water from it started to be used in the drinking cure.
The Lower Chateau Spring
Temperature 61,4°С, CO2 content 572 mg/l, yield 5,2 l/min.
It can be found inside the Cast le Colonnade which was built from the plans of the famous architect Ohmann from Vienna. There is a sandstone relief behind the spring vase which depicts The Protector of the Springs”. Both the colonnade and the spring were named after the hunting-lodge which had been built by Charles IV’s order.
The Upper Chateau Spring
Temperature 61,4°C, CO2 content 572 mg/l, yield 5,2 l/min.
When the construction of the Castle Colonnade was being prepared in 1911, the head of the Karlovy Vary Spring Office, Robert Kampe, made an interesting suggestion to the author of the building project the architect Ohmann from Vienna. His idea was to bring a small part of water from the Lower Castle Spring to a level which would have been several metres higher. A part of the thermal water from the reservoir of the Lower Castle Spring is diverted to a small pavilion which was built over this “new” spring in 1912.
The Market Spring
Temperature 61,6°C, CO2 content 363 mg/l, yield 4,9 l/min.
An old legend says that it was somewhere between the present Charles and Market Mineral Springs where the founder of the spa town, Charles IV, tried to cure his sore legs.
The Mill Spring
Temperature 52,7°C, CO2 content 451 mg/l, yield 4,5 l/min.
It was named after the mill which used to stand in the neighborhood till the end of the 18th century. The spring gave the name to the biggest colonnade in Karlovy Vary. The spring was known in as early as the 16th century and it was used especially for baths. In 1705 the famous Karlovy Vary doctor F. Hoffmann recommended it for the drinking cure. A spa facility with four boxes was established here soon after it. From the present point of view it was the first balneological facility in Karlovy Vary.
The Water Nymph Spring
Temperature 60,1°C, CO2 content 512 mg/l yield 4,8 l/min.
Originally it was called the New Spring (Novy pramen), although it is known from 16th century. It is the famous New Spring on which the attention of all spa guests concentrated in the 18th and 19th centuries. Since 1748 a wooden colonnade of the New Spring was standing above it. Spa doctors had their surgeries right at the spring. David Becher, a famous Karlovy Vary polyhistor, was one of them.
The Prince Vaclav I. Spring
Temperature I: 63.7°С; II: 60,4°C, CO2 content 363 mg/l, yield I: 4,1; II: 3,6 l/min.
The hot mineral spring was discovered under the rock with the St Bernard statue In 1784. The rock reached as far as the riverbed and closed the road on the left bank of the Tepid River. It was much later that it gave way to the construction of the Mill Colonnade.
The Llbuse Spring
Temperature 59,6°C, CO2 content 440 mg/l, spring discharge 3,1 l/mln.
One of the four curative springs in The Mill Colonnade slightly loses its individuality - traditional standardised spring vase in the Colonnade portico almost gives an impression of uniformity.
The Cliff Spring
Temperature 48,4°C, CO2 content 589 mg/l, yield 2 l/min.
The mineral spring originally came out from the earth on the bottom of the river. Since long ago horses were watered in warm water here and that was why the site got the name the Horse Spa. The spring was improved only in 1845 . after the rock had been broken off. and promenades were built on both river banks. This new source of mineral water was called the Rock Spring.
The Liberty Spring
Temperature 59°C, CO2 content 429 mg/l, yield 5 l/min.
It was discovered only when the foundations tor the building of Spa ill were dug in 1865. It means that it is the youngest spring in the row of the Karlovy vary mineral springs which are used in the drinking cure. A wooden summerhouse was soon built over it which today ranks among listed sights.
The Orchard spring
Temperature 59°C, CO2 content 429 mg/l, yield 5 l/min.
It was discovered only when the foundations for the building of Spa III were dug in 1865. It means that it is the youngest spring in the row of the Karlovy Vary mineral springs which are used in the drinking cure. A wooden summerhouse was soon built over it which today ranks among listed sights.
Snake’s spring
This spring is the one of the last Karlovy Vary springs made accessible to the public. In 2001 during the reconstruction of the Orchard Colonnade this medicinal springs was led into the western roundel of the Colonnade. The spring was called the Snake’s spring in memory of the great number of grass-snakes that used to live behind the colonnade. The spring water is slightly different from other springs thanks to its lower mineralization (ca 3 g.l-1), its low temperature (ca 30°C) and a high content of freely soluble carbon dioxide (over 1600 mg.i-1). Try it it tastes wonderful!
The Stepanka Spring
Temperature 39,6°C, CO2 content 677 mg/l, spring discharge 1,5 l/min.
The spring is very popular among the patients for its high content of carbon dioxide and therefore for its acceptably acidulous taste.