Water trips were in vogue among the aristocracy for a couple of centuries ago. For Russian travelers, the city was discovered by Peter I, who appreciated the possibilities of thirteen mineral springs. Karlovy Vary saw world-famous composers and writers on its streets. Famous politicians and oligarchs, secular lionesses and Olympic champions have been here. But you shouldn't assume that people come here only for treatment. The resort has a lot to see! Interesting museums have been opened in Karlovy Vary, medieval buildings have been preserved for posterity, castles have been restored and wonderful parks have been laid out. In a word, the stay on the waters here is rather pleasant, and the neighbors at the restaurant table are able to keep company with a creative and intelligent person.
TOP-10 attractions of Karlovy Vary
Church of St. Mary Magdalene
Churches and cathedrals of Karlovy Vary are like living pages of a history textbook, through which you can study the city and get acquainted with its past. The Cathedral of St. Mary Magdalene is considered one of the most beautiful churches in the city. Its construction began in the XIV century, and the founders of the cathedral were the knights of one of the orders. After 200 years, the temple was rebuilt, but its history does not end there. The Church of St. Mary Magdalene had yet to survive the fires and destruction, and in the 18th century it was thoroughly reconstructed by the famous architect Kilian Dinkinhofer.
The interiors of the church are made in the Renaissance style. Particularly impressive are the wood carvings that adorn the altar and the sculptures depicting Mary Magdalene. Organ concerts in the temple attract many fans of classical music.
Market colonnade
There is a legend that Emperor Charles IV, popularly called Glutton, treated sick legs in a spring near the market under the Castle Tower. One way or another, but in place of a simple gazebo in 1883, a carved wooden colonnade appeared, built according to the design of the Austrians Fellner and Helmar. Their idea was brought to life by a simple carpenter Esterheier from Vienna, and today the Market Colonnade over the springs of the Lower Castle, Market and Charles IV is called the most beautiful structure of European wooden architecture of the late 19th century.
Mill colonnade
Five mineral springs of Karlovy Vary are united within its walls by the majestic Mill Colonnade. It was built in 1882 on the site of the first pavilion above the New Spring. The author of the project was the architect J. Zitek. The original version of the building in the late Classicism style was not approved, and as a result, the Mill Colonnade has a more modest, but very harmonious and elegant appearance and fits perfectly into the surrounding landscape.
Every summer, the Mill Colonnade becomes a concert venue. The special acoustic properties of the pavilion allow performing classical music performers within its walls.
Peter and Paul Church
Russians in Karlovy Vary not only rested, but also took an active part in the social life of the city. In 1862, Princess Elena Pavlovna took the initiative to raise funds for the construction of an Orthodox church. The implementation of the project stretched out over thirty years, but in 1893, the construction of the church began.
The project was developed by the artist K. A. Ukhtomsky.
In the temple worthy of attention:
- Lower part of the east wall. The sculptural composition depicts the Russian Tsar Peter I with stone craftsmen. By the way, Schlossberg Street, on which a place was allocated for the construction of a temple in the 19th century, now bears the name of Peter I.
- Stained glass in interiors. Most of them are devoted to images of Jesus and St. Basil the Great and John Chrysostom.
- Carved oak iconostasis. The most revered image is a copy of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God, presented to the temple by Emperor Nicholas II.
- Chandelier for 132 candles. Work by contemporary craftsmen, acquired by the temple in 1982.
The history of the church turned out to be tragic. During the First World War, her abbot was arrested, the temple was closed, and the gilding from the domes was removed. In the 30s of the last century, the Peter and Paul Church was restored and services began again in it.
Goethe Tower
The observation deck in Karlovy Vary, from where you can look at the city and admire the picturesque landscapes, is located on the Hill of Eternal Youth. The romantic name, obviously, attracted Goethe, who loved to spend time on the observation tower, climbing the hill almost every day.
The tower was built in 1889. This happened after the wife of Prince Rudolph, having climbed the Summit of eternal youth, was completely fascinated by the views that opened up. Princess Stephanie entrusted the creation of the project to two Austrian architects, and very soon vacationers in Karlovy Vary had a great opportunity to admire the city.
The building was renamed several times. During its existence, it was honored to be the tower of Stephanie, the writer Stifter and even Joseph Stalin, until Goethe was remembered in the middle of the twentieth century.
The tower is 42 meters high. In order to climb it, you have to walk 165 steps.
To get there: bus. N8 to vil. Gurki, then 30 min. on foot or approx. 6 km. walk from st. Grzhbitovna.
Charles IV lookout tower
Another observation deck in Karlovy Vary is located on the Charles IV tower. It was built in 1887 on the Hamersky vrch at an altitude of 514 m above sea level. The hill is located between the Grand Hotel Pupp and the city's Art Gallery. The tower is a faithful miniature copy of the building in the city of Schleswig in northern Germany.
A stone staircase leads to two observation galleries. To get to the very top, you have to overcome 79 steps. From the height of the upper platform, according to tourists, the best views of the old city center open.
Diana Tower
The construction of the Diana Tower was completed in 1914, and on May 27, the observation deck at an altitude of 562 m above sea level was inaugurated. The history of the tower began ten years earlier, when the craftsman Vaclav Drum from Karlovy Vary built a couple of benches on the hill, from where one could observe a wonderful view of the city. Five years later, the top of the hill was connected to the city by a funicular and it became much easier to climb. Soon, the benches no longer matched the scale of the landmark, and the architect Anton Brainl was commissioned to design the observation deck.
The stone tower was equipped with an electric lift - a super-modern invention for those times, and even sedentary holiday-makers now dared to look “at the waters” from a bird's eye view.
Moser
One of the most famous sights in Karlovy Vary is the Moser Museum-Factory, where products from the famous Czech glass are made. Crockery and beads, interior decoration items and crystal goblets - Moser craftsmen blow thousands of items of glass products, most of which have long taken their rightful place in museums and private collections around the world.
The museum was founded in 1875 by Ludwig Moser. Today, his collection includes more than 2,000 samples of unique products made without the use of lead, but using special paints. The secret of the recipe is carefully preserved by Czech masters, but some secrets will be revealed to museum visitors on excursions.
While visiting the exposition, guests will be able to observe the process of making glass products. After visiting the hot workshops, they will be offered to buy souvenirs in memory of Karlovy Vary and an amazing enterprise where history continues, the old craft remains alive, and the results of the craftsmen's work are in demand.
Becherovka Museum
The traditional Czech liqueur "Becherovka" is called the fourteenth healing spring in Karlovy Vary. The recipe for a unique tincture, invented in 1807 by the Czech pharmacist Josef Becher, has been kept in strict confidence since then and is passed down from generation to generation only through the male line of this family. You can learn some of the secrets of making a liqueur to aid digestion at the Becherovka Museum at the Karlovy Vary factory.
The first and main law of the production of liquor is the use of only local water. The second rule is a set of certain herbs, of which more than two dozen names are used in the manufacture of liqueur. The exact list is known only to the technologists of the enterprise, but you will also know some of the names after a tour of the museum.
A tasting of the famous digestive liqueur is part of the tour. Here you can also buy "Becherovka" as a gift to friends and in memory of the trip.
Butterfly garden
The advertising brochure of the beautiful Butterfly Garden in Karlovy Vary recommends wedding photo sessions for newlyweds and couples in love, but other visitors will surely like it here. The tropical garden has gathered under its roof exotic beauties from all over the world - only about three hundred beautiful individuals!
The pavilion is a space of about 100 sq. m., in which butterflies of various colors and sizes are circling. The wingspan of some of them reaches 20 cm.
Of particular interest is the part of the pavilion where the full life cycle of butterflies is presented - from an egg to an adult insect. You can witness a caterpillar transform into a pupa and then see the first flight.
The gift shop in the Butterfly Garden is a real paradise for those who prefer this symbol in clothes or accessories. In the shop you will find mugs and baseball caps, scarves and notepads, stuffed toys and knitted handbags, photo frames and decorative posters decorated with butterflies of all kinds.
