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In the traces of the springs

Set on a walk on Karlovy Vary colonnades surrounded with numerous sights of historical value. If you fail to see at least some of these jewels that will be the same as if you have never been in Karlovy Vary. It would be like going to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. This sightseeing tour includes a cable car ride.

The walk begins rather unexpectedly at the unofficial ‘spring’, the Becher liqueur. Yes, our trip starts on T. G. M. Street at the Jan Becher Museum situated directly on production premises. First you walk through the basement, observe displayed pieces and watch a short instructional film. If you decide to have a taste of the Becher liqueur in the place of its manufacturing, be careful since there will still be a few kilometers’ walk awaiting you.

Name	Opening hours	Admission fee
Jan Becher MUSEUM T. G. M. 57, Karlovy Vary reservations: phone: +420 353 170 177 fax: +420 353 229 421 e-mail: muzeum@jan-becher.com web: www.becherovka.cz	Mon - Sun 9:00 - 17:00	Adults: 100,- Children/students: 50,-

Pass through the archway on Dr. David Becher Street above the museum and walk up the hill. Go straight to Krále Jiřího Street that is built up with luxury villas, most of them erected in the late 19th century. Some of them have been transformed into hotels de-luxe.

Almost at the end and left-hand side of the street (right after the turn) you can see a structure that does not really fit in the company of residential villas. It is the orthodox church of St. Peter and Paul built in a Byzantium style. At a park lagoon opposite the church, you can stop in a restaurant called Little Versailles.

Just a few meters from the church at the end of the street turn left. Make a few steps and you will find yourself in front of the statue of Karel Marx. Turn to the left again and walk down the hill on Sadova Street until you reach Dvořák Park on the Tepla river bank.

You are standing at the building of the Military Spa Institution. Next to this sanatorium is the first of our several colonnades, namely the Park Colonnade. Three springs well out in its vicinity: the Freedom Spring, the Park Spring, and the Snake Spring.

If you would like to try any of these, or other, springs, you should never combine them with alcohol and nicotine. Take the spring water by small sips do not drink it by big gulps. . It used upon prescription only. One more caution: Cold springs have laxative effects and warm springs have constipating effects (So go easy on your drinking cure, making sure you do not have to look for public conveniences.). Mineral water is drunk from special cups that can be bought at every newsagent’s or souvenir shop.

Park Colonnade (1880, Fellner a Helmer)

Name	Description
Snake Spring 30°C	Spa guests could first try this spring in 2001. Compared to the other springs, it contains less minerals and more CO2. The spring runs out from a snake mouth on the Park Colonnade.
Park Spring 47,4°C	In the mid 19th century, this spring spouted out during the excavation of the foundations of the Military Spa Institution. Its original name was the Emperor’s Spring. It wells out on the MSI premises MSI next to the colonnade. It is accessible daily from 6:00 until 18:30.
Park Spring 60°C	The spring was discovered in the second half of the 19th century during the construction of Spa III. It has been known under its current name since the end of World War II. Its original name the Spa Spring was later changed to the Franz Joseph I Spring. An alcove covering this spring is situated between Spa III and the mill Colonnade.

Leave the Park Colonnade and walk upstream to another colonnade. On the right you will see Spa III. a place hosting regular chamber music concerts. The Mill Colonnade (Mlýnska kolonáda) is just a few steps away.

Mill Colonnade was built in the years 1871 - 1881 by architect Josef Zítek. It spans over 5 springs. The structure boasts about 124 Corinth-style columns, a spa orchestra place and interesting allegoric painted scenes.

Mill Colonnade (1871 - 1881, Josef Zítek)

Name	Description
Rock Spring 53°C	Before the year 1845, this spring rose into the Tepla River. Following some landscaping modification, this spring was taken to the place of the present-day Mill Colonnade.
Libuše Spring 62°C	Originally called the Spring of Elizabeth’s Roses, this spring was made by four smaller springs flowing together.
Prince Václav I Spring 65°C	The water from this spring was used to produce Karlovy Vary curative salt of. At the end of the 18th century, its yield and force allegedly matched those of the Thermal Spring. The Prince Václav I Spring outlets into two spring vases. The Prince Václav II Spring flows out in front of the colonnade, across from the orchestra place.
Prince Václav II Spring 58°C
Mill Spring 56°C	This spring has been used for therapeutic purposes since the 16th century, initially mainly for baths. In the past, the water from this favorite spring could be bought from nearly every Czech chemist.
Rusalka Spring 60°C	From the 16th century until the year 1945 this spring was known as the New Spring (Nový pramen). The water exhaled from this spring used to be more popular than that from the Mill Spring. The spring even had its own colonnade called the New Spring Colonnade that was later reconstructed and called the Mill Colonnade.

When you please your eyes with the charm of the largest colonnade in Karlovy Vary, keep on walking upstream. On your left you will see the Information Center and the Golden Key House, the seat of the Regional Museum. Two building farther is the Paderewski Club, a well-known place that hosts concerts, theater performance and meeting with writers. If you walk behind the turn, you will stand in front of three colonnades.

The Karlovy Vary Regional Museum

Name	Opening hours	Admission fee
Golden Key House Lázeňská 21/3, Karlovy Vary phone: +420 353 223 888 web: www.kvmuz.cz	Wed - Sun 9:00 - 12:00 and 13:00 - 17:00 (lectures and exhibition)	Adults 20,- Children 10,- Family 25,-
Former building of the district administration authority Nová louka 23, Karlovy Vary phone: +420 353 226 252	Wed - Sun 9:00 - 12:00 and 13:00 - 17:00 (permanent exposition, exhibitions)	Adults 30,- /15,-* Children 15,-/10,-* Family 55,-
Museum library Study room for the professional public Zámecký vrch 22, Karlovy Vary phone.: +420 353 224 433	Research project day Mon 8:00 - 18:00 Wed 8:00 - 16:00 If you want to research materials in the library, please report your visit on the phone.

Cross over to the left side of the street and meet with the largest thermal spring in Karlovy Vary. Even those who have seen it before are always impressed when facing its unchanged energy again.

The Thermal Spring Colonnade), as its name implies, conceals the most abundant and best-known spring in Karlovy Vary. In 1975, the present-day structure replaced a temporary wooden colonnade that had enclosed the The Thermal Springsince the end of World War II. The space underneath the colonnade is fitted with infrastructure for the drawing, distribution and thermal regulation of thermal water. 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.

Besides the Thermal Spring itself, the Thermal Spring hall also has a restaurant, public conveniences, several souvenir stores, etc. The second floor of the building looks down at the first floor from a sideway on which you can find an art gallery or boutiques. The hall is open daily from 6:00 until 19:00..

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

Name

Description

Thermal Spring 72°C

On average, this geyser yields 2000 liters of mineral water per minute. Today, it is the only spring used for baths. The Thermal Spring, however, is also used for drinking cure. On the colonnade premises there are a total of 5 fountains with the water from this Spring, the individual fountains offer water that is 72, 57 and 41°C hot. The column of the spring water can spurt up to 12 m high due to the effects of high pressure.

Above the building of the Thermal Spring Colonnade is the church of St. Mary Magdalene. The church replaced a former gothic church that was reduced to ashes. The baroque edifice was designed by an acclaimed architect, Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer. Tourists can see not only the church premises but also an underground crypt. Its guided tours can be arranged in the Information Center.

Leave the church and go back around the Thermal Spring until you get to the Market Colonnade.

The Market Colonnade was built in the 1880’s according to designs inspired by Swiss architecture it was meant to arch over mineral springs for a transitional period only. The building structure you can see today copies the style of the original design and was finished in 1991. In this colonnade two springs flow out: the Market Spring and the Charles IV Spring. Across from the colonnade there is theZawojski House.

Market Colonnade (1883, Fellner a Helmer)

Name	Description
Market Spring 62°C	Since its discovery in 1838, this has disappeared and reappeared several times. Several drills were made to ensure its regular flow required for prescribed use.
Charles IV Spring 64°C	Perhaps it was the curative power of this spring that made Emperor Charles IV build a spa community in this place. The discovery of Karlovy Vary is illustrated by in a relief attached above this spring.

Chateau Colonnade (1911 - 1913, Friedrich Ohmann)

This colonnade is situated above the Market Colonnade. It has two parts: The Upper Spring Colonnade and the Lower Spring Colonnade. 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.

Name	Description
Lower Chateau Spring 55°C	Practically, this is one spring that is distributed into two vases. However, the higher altitude of the Upper Spring and physical laws endowed the Upper Chateau Spring with a different temperature and the CO2 content than its lower branch. The Lower Chateau Spring is available to the public at the Market Colonnade. Its water exhaled at the Chateau Colonnade can be consumed only by the clients of the Chateau Spa. Unfortunately, you cannot see the statue of the Spirit of the Springs.
Upper Chateau Spring 50°C

The Market Colonnade is guarded by the originally gothic structure of the Chateau Gate, the remainder of a little castle belonging to King Charles IV that burnt down in the early 17th century. In the 18th century, the gate was reconstructed in a baroque style and renowned spa visitors were welcomed from its platform.

Now you can set out for the last spring. If you are tired, have a rest in one of numerous cafés or restaurants. After all, proper spa treatment involves slow walking, spiritual balance, relaxation, and long walks. The other part of your walk is still waiting for you, so pace yourself.

Pass the Thermal Spring, cross the river bridge, and continue to a cable car station in Theater Square. The cable car leaves 4 times an hour. But you will keep on walking through a rock massif to the Imperial Hotel, one of the city’s dominants. The hike takes 2 minutes. While at the hotel building, take a walk around and enjoy the sight of its picturesque scenery. Then walk behind the hotel and take a zigzag path descending to the Tepla River. Hiking up and down the serpentine route is quite strenuous. If you do not feel fit enough, follow the route leading around the tennis courts and to a public transport stop ‘Libušina’ where you can take a ride down the hill to the to the Richmond Hotel on bus No. 11. From there you can walk on Slovenska Street against the river stream until you find yourself in front of the Richmond Parkhotel.

On your way to the Štěpánka Spring, you will see the Art Gallery on the right side of the road. On the left, Spa VI (Sun and gas spas) stood until the year 2006. The poor static properties of the building necessitated its demolition. Today, the former spa is commemorated only by an alcove covering the Dorotka Spring. Dorotka is a so-called dry spring i.e. a large amount of gases and a small amount of water wells out in this place.

Name	Opening hours	Admission fee
Art Gallery, Karlovy Vary Goethova stezka 6, KV phone: +420 353 224 387 fax: +420 353 224 388 e-mail: info@galeriekvary.cz web: www.galeriekvary.cz	Mon - Wed 9:30 - 12:00 and 13:00 - 17:00 Gallery holds regular cultural and educational programs for the public that may request changes in the operating hours.	Depends on a project Every first Wednesday of the month all of the gallery’s exhibitions can be seen free of charge.

Gazebo at the Richmond Hotel

Name	Description
Štěpánka Spring 13°C	This spring was discovered in 1884. Its composition made it an indispensable part of drinking cure. However, the spring vanished in the first half of the 20th century. It was re-discovered as late as 1993.

The Štěpánka Spring was the last stop on our tour. In the park surrounding this spring you can see a Japanese stone garden, a deer statue and monuments dedicated to Beethoven and Mickiewicz. To return to the downtown, take bus No 2 or 11 leaving from the Richmond stop that you passed before when walking to the hotel.

Those who are still full of energy and stamina and feel like hiking the spa forests should get off at the stop Panorama from where they can continue to, amongst others, Three Crosses.

We believe you enjoyed your walk introducing you to our springs. Hopefully, you will come back again, bringing along your family or friends for whom you can be a good, experienced guide.