© Marie Thomas-Penette
Karlovy Vary, meaning "Charles' Bath" was named after Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, who founded the city in 1370. It is famous for its hot springs and its colorful and whimsical architecture. For these reasons, it is a popular tourist destination since the 18th century with guests including Tsar Peter the Great, Emperor Franz Josef I, Beethoven, Wagner, Brahms, Tolstoy, and Marx. The town, along with Prague, was the filming location of many scenes identified as being in Montenegro in the 2006 movie Casino Royale.
The Karlovy Vary Region sets itself apart from the rest of the Czech Republic because of its underground network of hot and cold mineral springs which have made Karlovy Vary one of the largest spa treatment centres in Europe. These mineral springs of various temperatures have medical properties which can help people who suffer from digestive tract, metabolic and certain arthritic disorders, to name but a few. About 100 springs rise naturally from underground, but only 12 are used in the treatment of health problems. Mariánské Lázně is another spa town famous for its carefully manicured parks, woods and historical architecture. Františkovy Lázně near the German border is an old spa town which has retained its architecture and monuments, making it one of the most attractive towns in the region. Jáchymov became famous just after its founding in 1516 for its silver mines, and it went on to mint silver coins. The world’s first radium spa was established here by Nobel Prize winners Marie and Pierre Curie.
Cultural and social events are an important part of life in the Karlovy Vary Region. Many of these events are well known all over the world, e.g. the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Mariánské Lázně hosts a Chopin Music Festival and Františkovy Lázně holds summer long concerts including a week of Johann Strauss.
Karlovy Vary
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PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Tel +420 354 222 300
Tourist information for Karlovy Vary region
+ 420 354222232
THEY WERE THERE...
“I am grateful to my illness for having led me to discover the famous Carlsbad. I have been lucky to enjoy some wonderful weather here, as though we had not already had it all summer. Along with that, I am living in a charming abode, and I find myself in the company of the most amiable people.”
Johannes Brahms, Composer
"The next day, Marienbad smiles gently in the autumn sun. There are no cars around, and huge sidewalks are covered with leaves. There is Californian luxury in these grand avenues and this empty space, but the heavy nineteenth century houses lined up next to each other are cracked, worn, torn. They flake, crack and deteriorate. Bureaucracy is like a rainforest gradually engulfing an abandoned city. However, there are many pedestrians dressed leatherette and tergal. We follow the stream. The crowd sinks in the park. We pass the Lil hidden in the trees for unheard pleasure and no longer looks like a hunting lodge. "
Eric Orsena, Writer (1981)
"I am indebted to that source of a very different existence."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Writer and Statesman