In which I took the drinking cure

I'm not normally one to drink water (which still baffles my friends), but Goethe and Beethoven couldn't have been wrong about this. They, along with countless others, have visited to Karlovy Vary (aka Karlsbad) to partake in the balneological pleasures of this small spa town. Karl Marx, too, it seems was a repeat customer (1874, '75, and '76).

So the story goes, the hot springs were first discovered in the mid-1300s by none other than Charles IV himself, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, while on a hunting trip: one of his hounds fell into one of the hot springs. Here is a 19th century ivory carving depicting the scene, from the collections of the local museum.

Due to the intense geological activity, a ton of hot mineral-rich water (some exceeding 65°C or 149°F) surfaces. Although bathing is quite popular, and there are innumerable spa resorts there, the "drinking cure" is more commonly used to enhance health and well-being. There are many fountains, particularly in the collonades, to take the water from, typically using porcelain spa cups.


Views of the Mill Spring Collonade. Josef Zítek was the architect of this collonade, and also of the National Theater in Prague.
Over the years, Karlovy Vary has become renowned more than just its water. Pewter (since the end of the 17th century), porcelain (end of the 18th) and glass (19th century) have all been important products of the area. Moser glassworks has allegedly made products for "the court of the King of England, the Shah of Persia, the Queen of Holland, and the court in Vienna" (museum guide).

Standing over the city is the Freundschaftshöhe ('Hill of Friendship') surmounted by the Diana lookout tower. One can walk up through the woods or, pressed for time, take the 5 minute funicular ride up. There, you can look back on the city nestled in the gently rolling hills:


The golden domes belong the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, one of the world's largest Russian Orthodox churches, which was as beautiful inside as outside (but I couldn't take pictures inside).

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Bonus floral images, taken in some of the city gardens: