On a trip through Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Czechia, when we stayed in the Prague, we visited the city of Karlovy Vary, about 130 km from the capital Prague.
Karlovy Vary is named after its founder, Karlo IV, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
In the middle of the 14th century, Emperor Karlo IV discovered the healing properties of the mud in the vicinity of the hunting grounds and had a spa built there.
There are several legends about how Karlovy Vary was created.
Legend has it that Emperor Karlo IV was hunting and shot a deer with an arrow. Running away from the dogs, the wounded deer fell into the mud. When they pulled the deer out of the mud, the wound was gone.
According to another legend, Emperor Karlo IV himself fell into the mud and on that occasion felt a reduction in the pain in his joints...
On the relief above one spring there is a description of the legend (however, the more acceptable version is that a deer fell into the mud, not the Emperor).
The city, founded in 1370, today represents one of the most famous spa's in the whole world.
The town of Karlovy Vary is surrounded by mountains and forests, and the river Tepla flows through the town, known for its very warm water.
And the warmth of the river is not surprising, given that there are 12 large and over 300 smaller hot water springs in the city, which flow into the river bed. The strongest source throws out almost 2000l of water per minute. Since it is water enriched with sulphur, the smell that spreads through the city is not nice.
We did not come to the Karlovy Vary for spa tourism, but more as tourists to admire the architecture and beauty of the city itself.
But that didn't stop us from drinking the water flowing from those 12 springs.
The water temperature in some springs reaches up to 70°C. The water is good for treating stomach problems, colic pain and respiratory problems and is drunk from special small ceramic vessels.
At each source, it is stated how much is allowed to drink.
Karlovy Vary has a beautiful promenade.
The river Tepla flows through the city, which is surrounded by beautiful baroque buildings and beautiful nature.
There are many bridges over the river. The most famous spa centers, hotels and expensive clothing and jewelry stores are lined up along the promenade.
At the end of the promenade there is a large square with an obelisk, which is a symbol of the Freemasons.
Masons were frequent visitors to the spa, and we took the opportunity to sit down to rest next to the obelisk.
While you are sitting on one of the benches on the promenade by the river, watching and enjoying the murmur of the river or the nearby fountains, you may see carriages passing by. Just like a few hundred years ago...
All major springs are protected by colonnades.
The colonnades were made as canopies to protect spa visitors from bad weather conditions. It has several famous colonnades.
The Mill colonnade, a building with Corinthian columns covering 5 springs.
The Market colonnade, made in the 19th century from wood, which covers several springs, one of which is the oldest, the Karlo IV spring, with a depiction of the legend of how the spa was discovered.
The Colonnade Park, which is built of wrought iron and continues to a small park with a lake, is dedicated to the distinguished visitor of the spa, Antonio Dvorzak(famous composer).
In addition to Karlovy Vary being a world-famous spa, various carnivals are held in the city, as well as a large film festival where the Crystal Globe is awarded as the main prize.
When you move away from the city center and the hot water springs and go to the surrounding hills and parks, you can see countless beautiful villas.
Tucked away between parks and beautiful villas on the hill is the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Paul, a true gem of this part of Karlovy Vary.
Wide streets without a lot of traffic, lots of greenery and parks, lots of flowers are the characteristics of this part of the city.
Walking through the parks and streets, you may meet a few ducks, and you can be sure that you will come across a large number of beautiful villas from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Some of them are ripe for reconstruction, but there are many villas that are in their full glory as they were at the time they were built, when their guests were Gogol, Liszt, Freud, Dvorak, Maria Theresa, Joseph II, Peter the Great, Leo Tolstoy, Franz Joseph Karl Marx, Mozart or Goethe...
When I'm in the Czechia again, I'll definitely visit Karlovy Vary again.
I'm signing off for now.
Greetings my hive friends!