15 INTERESTING FACTS

ABOUT KARLOVY VARY

1
by ROESCU SABIN
2 Mill Colonnade

 There’s no better place to start than this

emblematic landmark, a dignified, twin-
aisled walkway flanked by 124 columns
in the heart of the old town. Here the Spa
Orchestra puts on free concerts
throughout the year, and five of Karlovy
Vary’s 13 hot springs emerge along the
colonnade.
3 Spa Treatments

 Karlovy Vary abounds with day spas,

hotels and wellness centres, and you’re
sure to find the spa that suits your needs
and budget. Most visitors opt for
treatment courses that last a week or
more.
4 Moser Museum

 Karlovy Vary was a centre of excellence

for several trades, but none more
prestigious than glassmaking. In 1893
Ludwig Moser established his glass
workshop here, which remains a
reference point  for the craft to this day. 
5 Hotel Thermal

 This building really doesn’t fit in with

the rest of Karlovy Vary, but that’s what
makes it cool. It’s a 10-storey tower
block from the 1970s, a Soviet artefact
that contrasts with the delicate
architecture of the Old Town. And
although it was unpopular at first it has
become accepted as a landmark.
6 Diana Tower Lookout

 Getting to this sight at the summit of

Friendship Hill depends on how intrepid
you’re feeling. If you’ve got the energy
you can make the climb along forest
trails, and the most comfortable time to
do this is in spring,  early-summer and
autumn.
7 Vrídelní Kolonáda

 Vrídlo is the best-known of all of

Karlovy Vary’s hot springs. At 72 °C it’s
also the hottest, and bursts from the
ground at such pressure that it reaches a
height of 12 metres, kicking out 2000
litres every minute.
8 Jan Becher Museum

 Karlovy Vary is the hometown of

another famous Bohemian artisan. Josef
Becher was an early-19th-century
pharmacist who developed his own
medicinal tonics, and after gaining
success his son Johann built the business
up and began to produce one drink,
Becherovka, on a larger scale.
9 Church of St. Mary Magdalene

 Right next to the Vrídelní Kolonáda is

this grand church that goes back to 1737,
and is one of the most valued pieces of
high baroque heritage in the country.
You can take a look inside during the
summer months, and will get to see a
spectacular altarpiece, a gothic statue of
the Madonna and Baroque Eucharist
sculptures.
10 Grandhotel Pupp

 On a hillside with a commanding view

of Karlovy Vary is this stately 228-room
hotel with a history that stretches back
more than 300 years. It takes its name
from Johann Georg Pupp, a local
confectioner who came to own the
building by marriage. 
11 Stará Louka

 In a city known for its grand walkways,

Stará Louka stands out as the esplanade
of choice. This is one of the most
photographed scenes in the city; a street
of handsome old townhouses on the
north bank of the Tepla River framed by
the evergreen Slavkovský Les hills.
12 Church of St. Peter and Paul

 With its five golden domes there’s no

missing this imposing orthodox church,
which is modelled on the Byzantine
Church of the Holy Trinity in Moscow. It
dates back to 1897 and is unmistakable
evidence of Karlovy Vary’s strong
Russian influence, which continues to
this day.
13 Exercise in the Hills

 Connecting with Karlovy Vary are more

than 180 kilometres of colour-coded
trails for walks and bike rides that wind
through the hills around the town. On the
way you’ll always find something
interesting to see, as these paths have
been used for centuries and various
lodges, lookouts and resting points have
been established in this time.
14 Postal Court

 Tucked in the hills just to the south of

the town, the Postal Court was originally
a stable for postal horses but because of
its location became a staging post for
tourists walking and riding through the
scenery around Karlovy Vary.
15 Market Colonnade

 A white and intricately-carved wooden

building, the Market Colonnade was
only meant to be a temporary structure,
but has stood the test of 100 years. It was
constructed by Fellner and Helmer,
Viennese architects responsible for many
of Karlovy Vary’s spa buildings and has
a splendid pillared arcade at the front. 
16 Golf

 True to its reputation as one of the

region’s foremost destinations for the
wealthy in the early-20th century,
Karlovy Vary has welcomed golfers for
well over a hundred years and offered
the first courses anywhere in Bohemia.
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