Carlsbad history

Foundation and First Mentions

The history of Karlovy Vary is inextricably linked with the name of the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia, Charles IV. According to a famous legend, the city was founded around 1350. The tale goes that during a royal hunt, one of the dogs, while pursuing game, fell into a hot spring, and the water healed its wounds. Impressed by this, the monarch ordered a settlement to be established at this location.

The official birth date of the city is considered to be August 14, 1370, when Charles IV granted the existing settlement of "Hot Spas at Loket" (Horké Lázně u Lokte) the status and privileges of a free royal town. Later, the name transformed into Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) in honour of its founder.

Key Development Factors

The city's development was predetermined by a unique combination of natural resources and political will:

• Geological Factor: The presence of unique thermal springs in the Teplá River valley became the foundation of the city's existence. The entire urban layout was formed around the outlets of healing waters, adapting to the complex terrain of the narrow gorge.
• Political Patronage: The status of a royal town gave residents significant benefits, including exemption from feudal duties and the right to self-governance, which stimulated population growth.

Early Cultural and Economic Features

The economy of early Karlovy Vary was single-profile and entirely dependent on balneology. Unlike neighbouring towns that developed as trade or craft centres, here the service of guests arriving "for the waters" flourished.

The city's cultural life was cosmopolitan from the very beginning. Since medical treatment in the Middle Ages involved taking long baths (up to 10 hours a day), the city quickly became a meeting place for aristocracy and wealthy citizens seeking healing. Notably, Karlovy Vary never had powerful defensive walls, remaining an "open city" for those seeking recovery.

From Foundation to the Baroque Era

• 1370: Emperor Charles IV grants the settlement the status of a free royal town, officially securing its rights and privileges.
• 1522: Physician Wenceslas Payer publishes the first scientific treatise recommending that patients not only take baths but also drink water from the springs.
• 1604: A devastating fire destroys almost all Gothic and Renaissance buildings, forever changing the architectural appearance of the city.
• 1711: Russian Tsar Peter I visits the resort for the first time, contributing to the growth of Karlovy Vary's popularity among European and Russian nobility.
• 1759: Another major fire destroys more than 200 houses, after which the city is rebuilt in the Late Baroque style.

The Golden Age of the Resort

• 1807: Pharmacist Josef Becher begins selling stomach drops, which would later become the world-famous herbal liqueur "Becherovka".
• 1857: Ludwig Moser founds a glassworks factory, the products of which soon gain recognition at the royal courts of Europe.
• 1870: The city is connected by railway to Prague and Cheb, transforming it into an accessible and mass European resort.
• 1881: The Neo-Renaissance Mill Colonnade, designed by architect Josef Zítek, is ceremoniously opened.
• 1895: Construction of the monumental Imperial Spa (Lázně I) is completed, designed by the famous bureau of Fellner and Helmer.

Modern History

• 1929: An international airport is opened, making the resort even more accessible to foreign guests.
• 1946: The city hosts the International Film Festival for the first time, which has become one of the oldest and most prestigious film forums in the world.
• 1977: The Thermal Sanatorium Hotel is commissioned, becoming the main venue for the film festival and a symbol of the city's modern architecture.
• 2021: Karlovy Vary is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the transnational property "The Great Spa Towns of Europe".

Stages of Development and Transformation

The evolution of Karlovy Vary is a consistent process of turning a natural phenomenon into a high-class tourism product. Several key milestones can be identified that shaped the city's economic and architectural landscape:

• Gaining Independence (14th Century)
  The granting of royal town status became the legal foundation for prosperity. This gave local residents the right to independently manage the springs and the income from them, creating a unique economic model fully oriented towards hosting guests rather than agriculture or heavy industry.
• Scientific Revolution in Balneology (16th–18th Centuries)
  A shift in medical methods—transitioning from multi-hour baths to drinking cures—radically changed urban planning. There was an acute need for comfortable walking areas directly by the springs. This led to the birth of the city's main symbol—the colonnades, which became the architectural dominants of the valley.
• Forced Urbanisation (18th–19th Centuries)
  A series of devastating fires became the catalyst for architectural modernisation. The city was forced to abandon chaotic wooden structures in favour of multi-storey stone buildings. This turned a cosy village into a respectable European city with a regular layout, as far as the complex terrain allowed.
• Industrialisation of Brands (19th Century)
  The launch of "Becherovka" production and the opening of the "Moser" glass manufactory took the city's economy beyond seasonal tourism. Karlovy Vary became an exporter of elite goods, ensuring capital inflow and brand recognition for the city even among those who had never visited the resort.
• Transport Breakthrough (1870s)
  Connection to the European railway network shattered the resort's isolation. The accessibility of travel led to an explosive growth in visitor numbers (from thousands to tens of thousands per year), sparking a boom in the construction of grand hotels, such as the famous "Pupp".
• Architectural Flourishing of the "Belle Époque" (Late 19th Century)
  Collaboration with the Viennese architectural bureau of Fellner and Helmer gave the city its imperial gloss. The construction of the theatre, the Imperial Spa, and other monumental buildings finally cemented Karlovy Vary's status as the "Salon of Europe" and the architectural pearl of Bohemia.
• Cultural Diversification (20th Century)
  The creation of the International Film Festival allowed the city to move beyond the image of a "sanatorium for the elderly". This event annually attracts global stars and youth, filling the historic settings with modern energy and contemporary art.

Urban Uniqueness

The appearance of Karlovy Vary is dictated by the complex landscape: the city is wedged into the narrow gorge of the Teplá River. This forced architects to use a terraced layout, where buildings literally "climb" the slopes of the forested hills. The historic centre represents a multi-layered architectural ensemble formed not so much around squares, but along the embankment and around the healing springs.

Architectural Eras and Styles

Due to devastating fires and large-scale reconstructions, practically no medieval buildings have survived in the city. Today's Karlovy Vary is primarily a showcase of 19th and early 20th-century architecture, embodying the luxury of the "Belle Époque".

• Gothic and Renaissance (14th–16th Centuries):

  Practically wiped off the face of the city by the fire of 1604. The only significant witness of that era remains the Castle Tower—a fragment of Charles IV's hunting lodge. It stands on a rocky outcrop and serves as a reminder of the resort's medieval past.

• Baroque (18th Century):

  The style arrived in the city during the recovery period following the fires. The main dominant feature of this era is the Church of St. Mary Magdalene (1737), a masterpiece by architect Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer. Its dynamic façade and complex layout contrast sharply with the surrounding buildings of later periods.

• Historicism and Eclecticism (19th Century):

  The "Golden Age" of the resort defined its current face. Architects, inspired by antiquity and the Italian Renaissance, created majestic colonnades and sanatoriums.

  • Neo-Renaissance: The brightest example is the Mill Colonnade (Josef Zítek). A monumental structure with Corinthian columns and allegorical sculptures, resembling an ancient temple.
  • Viennese Style: The famous bureau Fellner and Helmer gave the city its imperial gloss. Based on their designs, the City Theatre and the grandiose Imperial Spa (Lázně I) were built, combining elements of Neo-Baroque and Neo-Renaissance.
• Art Nouveau and Secession (Early 20th Century):

  At the turn of the century, the strict lines of historicism gave way to fluid forms and floral ornaments. Many private villas and hotels were built in this style, for example, buildings in the West End district. The Hotel Imperial, towering over the city like a castle, also bears features of monumental Art Nouveau.

• Functionalism and Brutalism (20th Century):

  The socialist period left a noticeable, albeit controversial, mark. The main symbol of this era is the Hotel Thermal (1977). This massive concrete building in the Brutalist style stands out sharply against the backdrop of the dollhouse-like buildings of the 19th century but is an integral part of the city's history as the centre of the International Film Festival.

Impact on the City's Atmosphere

The mixture of styles in Karlovy Vary does not look chaotic; on the contrary, it creates the sensation of a theatrical set. Pastel façades of houses with rich stucco moulding, intricate wooden and cast-iron colonnades (such as the Market and Park Colonnades) form a cosy, relaxing atmosphere, ideal for leisurely promenades with a spa cup in hand.

Prominent Figures in the Resort's History

The history of Karlovy Vary is a chronicle of visits by great people. Emperors, creators, and industrialists not only visited the resort but also actively participated in its development, leaving behind architectural masterpieces, world-famous brands, and cultural traditions.

• Charles IV (1316–1378)
  Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia
  The founder of the city. According to legend, it was he who discovered the hot springs while hunting a deer. He granted the settlement the status of a royal town and privileges that allowed a small village to transform into a prosperous resort. His name is immortalised in the name of the city.
• Peter I (1672–1725)
  Emperor of All Russia
  One of the first monarchs to visit the resort for medical purposes (in 1711 and 1712). His visits served as powerful advertising for Karlovy Vary among the European and Russian aristocracy. He took an active interest in the resort's structure and even personally participated in the construction of the "House at the Peacock".
• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832)
  German poet, thinker, and naturalist
  Visited Karlovy Vary 13 times and named it one of the three cities in the world where he would like to live (along with Weimar and Rome). Goethe not only underwent treatment and wrote here but also engaged in geological research of the surroundings, studying local minerals and hot springs.
• Josef Vitus Becher (1769–1840)
  Pharmacist and entrepreneur
  A native of the city who, in 1807, began selling stomach drops based on a secret recipe developed together with the English doctor Frobrig. This medicine subsequently became the famous liqueur "Becherovka"—a gastronomic symbol of the Czech Republic and the "thirteenth spring" of the resort.
• Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer (1689–1751)
  Baroque era architect
  Creator of one of the city's main architectural symbols—the Church of St. Mary Magdalene. His work set a high aesthetic standard for urban development, turning a provincial town into a pearl of Baroque architecture.
• Ludwig Moser (1833–1916)
  Engraver and entrepreneur
  Founder of the world-famous "Moser" glassworks. Thanks to his talent and enterprise, Karlovy Vary crystal began to be supplied to the royal courts of Europe, securing the title "Glass of Kings".
• Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904)
  Czech composer
  A frequent guest of the resort, drawing inspiration here. Karlovy Vary became the venue for the European premiere of his famous Symphony No. 9 "From the New World", which strengthened the city's status as an important musical centre of Europe.