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Historical spa buildings

Military Spa Institution (1855, Hagenauer)

Since its establishment, this facility has served as a medical institution for the army and its servicemen. The building is situated on the left river bank of the Teplá, at the edge of Dvořák Park. Twenty five years after its commissioning, the Park Colonnade was built alongside.

Spa I (1895, Fellner a Helmer)

This breathtaking building is located across from GH Pupp. The wonderful premises of the Emperor’s Baths have been exposed to the years of dilapidation. The partially retained original interiors are accessible during IFF that uses them to hold dance parties and V.I.P. gatherings. During a walk through the spa downtown you can admire the detailed refinement of the building and to commiserate with its pitiable condition.

Spa III (1867, Hain a Labitzký)

this new gothic building situated on the left river bank between the Military Spa Institution and the Mill Colonnade, serves more than the purposes of spa treatment. The concert hall of Antonín Dvořák is the place of regular concerts given by the Karlovy Vary Symphonic Orchestra.

www.lazneiii.cz

Spa V (1906, Drobny)

This spa facility (formerly called Elizabeth’s Spa) is found in Smetana Park. In the year 2004, the building underwent reconstruction during which the swimming pool was transformed into a swimming complex that is also open to the public. Elizabeth’s Spa is the largest spa house in the Czech Republic.

Name	Swimming pool opening hours	Admission fee (entire complex)
Spa V (Elizabeth’s Spa) Smetanovy sady 1145/1, Karlovy Vary tel.: +420 353 222 536 e-mail: info@spa5.cz web: www.spa5.cz	Mon, Wed, Fri* 9:00 - 21:00 Tue, Thu* 6:00 - 21:00 Sat 9:00 - 21:00 Sun 9:00 - 21:00	30min 50 CZK/ prs 1 hours - 90 CZK/ prs 1½ hour 120 CZK/ prs 2 hours 140 CZK/ prs

Thermal (1977)

This spa sanatorium with its own congress center and a swimming pool was erected in the historical city quarter. The ten-storey hotel offers 273 rooms and several restaurants. Every year, the hotel becomes the center of the International Film Festival.

www.thermal.cz

Spa Hotel Imperial (1912)

This hotel is one of the city’s dominants. It was built before World War I and served mainly the rich international clientele. Even after World War II, its accommodation services were sought after by foreigners, most of them, however, coming from the then Soviet Union. Since the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the hotel has been gaining popularity with many notable Czechs and foreigners who have become its frequent visitors. The hotel provides comprehensive spa treatment and wellness, a large number of beautiful rooms, restaurants, and a variety of sports activities.

www.imperialgroup.kv.cz

Grand hotel Pupp (1781)

The world-acclaimed hotel was built in Karlovy Vary thanks to the entrepreneurship of confectioner J. G. Pupp. He purchased two social halls (Saxon Hall and Czech Hall) situated on the site of the contemporary grand hotel. Pupp was determined to reconstruct the halls in a fashion creating a spectacular whole. His legacy was further developed by his children and grandchildren. Nearly one hundred yrs later, specifically in 1893, the hotel complex was completed.

www.pupp.cz

Richmond (1927)

The classicist sanatorium was erected in the place of a former Schönbrun cafe. The hotel is surrounded by a vast park with a number of statues and monuments, including a statue of a deer, L. V. Beethoven monument or Mickiewicz monument. A true rarity of this place is its Japanese Garden.

If you are heading for the Japanese Garden to watch bonsais or Japanese cherry trees, you will be disappointed. The garden is made of stones only. The whole scenery symbolizes water and is meant to provide a meditation retreat. The garden was design by Masumi Schmidt-Muraki a Japanese living in Germany.

www.richmond.eu

Park Colonnade (1880, Fellner a Helmer)

This colonnade once served as the esplanade of the Blanensky Pavillion, that was demolished in the 1960’s. Fortunately, the colonnade has survived to this date, which was mainly due to its general reconstruction. Three curative springs rise right under the colonnade roof or in its immediate vicinity.

Mill Colonnade (1871 - 1881, Josef Zítek)

Architect Zítek’s original vision of the appearance of this new renaissance building differed from its final look substantially. The renowned architect initially designed the building as a two-storey, much more ostentatious structure. Once finished, the colonnade was not received with the warmest feelings and appreciation. Purportedly, it was not in tune with the nature of the spa city.

Since 1893, when it was extended to the Rock Spring (Skalní pramen), it has been 132 m long. Its roof supported by 124 Corinth-style columns shelter an orchestra pit and five mineral springs. Its premises are decorated with allegoric statues.

Market Colonnade (1883, Fellner a Helmer)

The wooden structure inspired by Swiss architecture was meant to arch over mineral springs for a couple of years only. However, when it surmounted the Market Spring and the Charles IV Spring (Tržní and Karla IV.) for more than a hundred years, the local authorities decided to keep it in place and ordered its overall reconstruction.

Chateau Colonnade (1911 - 1913, Friedrich Ohmann)

This colonnade is situated above the Market Colonnade. It has two parts: The Upper Spring Colonnade (Horní pramen) and the Lower Spring Colonnade (Dolní pramen). The interior of the Lower Spring Colonnade is decorated with a relief representing the Spirit of the Springs. The colonnade was shut down for many years. Its reopening took place in 2001 following thorough reconstruction.

Thermal Spring Colonnade (1969 - 1975, prof. Votruba)

From the 16th century onward, the geyser of hot mineral water used to be covered in by many structures: a baroque building, an empire colonnade, a cast alloy colonnade or a temporary wooden colonnade. Another and for the time being still existing structure embracing the spring was erect in the late 1906’s.

The space under the colonnade floor hides infrastructure for the drawing, distribution and thermal regulation of thermal water. However, there are also areas where aragonite ‘grows over’ the souvenirs of Karlovy Vary. The old section of the thermal spring underground will soon be open to the public who will be able to go on a guided tour there.