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Marienbad, the youngest West Bohemian spa, boasts unique natural beauties. The valley in which it is located opens to the south while being protected with forested hills on all the other sides. An altitude of 630 m, clean air, the peace of the environment and the salubrious silence of the woods combine to give Marienbad its characteristic features. Although historical records indicate that the medicinal powers of today's existing natural springs were known as early as in the l3th century.

Marianske Lazne was not funded until the early l9th century. It happened thanks to a medical superintendent Dr. Josef Jan Nehr and Karel Kaspar Reitenberger, the Abbot of the Tepla monastery. It was the garden architect Vaclav Skalnik that made the major contribution to the quick development of the town, which was built up in place of impervious marshes. After the whole valley was drained, an ingenious idea of urban development arose: to do landscaping first so that the park areas would merge into the forest land through the vacant sites, and to conveniently lay out individual buildings only after the first stage had been completed. The charm of Marienbad is a common achievement of a landscapist - an urban planner and an architect. Most of the spa buildings date back to the second half of the l9th century. Those times showed the unprecedented development of the spa town on record as the annual number of visitors exceeded 25 000.

Many recognised personalities and famous artists from all over the world were among the spa guests (e.g. J. W. Goethe, M. Twain, H. Ibsen, F. Liszt, J. Strauss, I. S. Turgeniev, F. Chopin, R. Wagner, C. M. Weber, R. Kipling, T. A. Edison and Czech artists A. Dvorak, J. Dobrovsky, V. Benes Trebizsky and many others). The English King Edward VII, was one of the most frequent guests. In the period of 1899 - 1908 he came to stay nine times in total.

Carefully arranged parks, spa forests, specific architecture, flourishing cultural, sports and social life - those are the features to characterise the beautiful part of our country with medicinal springs gushing out of the depth and giving a sense of sparkling powers from the mysterious depths of the Slavkovsky les (Slavkovsky Forest).

The fame of Marianske Lazne based on their springs. More than 100 acidulous water springs have their source in the neighbouring surroundings and about 40 of them can be found within the territory of the town inself. All medicinal springs to be fund here are cold springs. Having their sources in such a small territory, frequently even in close vicinity of one another, those such varied springs are considered to represent a balneological rarity. Striking difference of mineral springs provides Marianske Lazne powers to influence simultaneously a whole range of diseases of various organs by a mere administration of a dring cure, which is not usually possible in other spa towns.

Mineral springs:
Cross Spring
Ferdinand Spring
Forest Spring
Rudolph spring
Ambrose Spring
Caroline Spring
Maria Spring

History

Mariánské lázně is the youngest spa in West Bohemia. It was founded in the beginning of 19. century, in an area where many springs rise from the ground. Neighbours knew about these springs already many centuries ago, (13. century), but the first person who started to use these springs as a medical treatment, was dr. Jan Josfe Nehr. In 1805, he built the first brick guest house, called „U Zlate Koule“ (At the golden Ball). The interest of clients increased, therefore other houses were build and the small village became a busy town. Name „Mariánské“ comes from Our Lady (her portrait was found near Cross Spring). The town was proclaimed public spa. Another construction boon was registred in years 20 of 19. century, when Abbot of Tepla Monastery encharged landscape gardener Václav Skalník, architect Jiří Fischer and constructor Anton Turner, to change inhospitable surroundings into a precious zone of parks, gardens, buildings, colonnades and pavillons. The aspect of Mariánské lázně is almost the same nowadays then at that time. In 19. century, a plenty of famous personalities from all the world came to Mariánské lázně: Johann Wolfgang Goethe, F. Chopin, R. Wagner, F. Nietzsche, F. Kafka, R. Kipling, M. Twain, T.A. Edison, emperor Franz Josef II. and many more.

At the end of 20. century, several buildings were proclaimed historical landmark. (e.g. church of St. Vladimír, Anglican church, colonnade with Cross Spring pavillon, building of Central Spa, Casino house).

Famous persons who visited ML

Thomas Alva Edison - genial american inventor (lightbulb, microphone, phonograph) He visited Mariánské lázně in 1911 and stayed at newly built hotel Esplanade.

Sigmund Freud – famous Austrian psychiatrist. He visited ML in 1913 and stayd in Villa Turba, nowadays Municipal Library.

Johann Wolfgang Goethe – one of the most famous guests of Marianske lazne. German prosaist and poet, supreme representative of romanticism. Author of „Faust“ and „Werther“. Nowadays, his love story with young Ulrika is connected to this city as a legend.

Henrik Ibsen – norwegian dramatist. Stayed in ML in 1899. Nowadays, one street is called like him.

Franz Kafka – prague jewish writer in German language. He visited ML in 1889 and stayed in hotel Balmoral-Osborne.

Gustav Mahler – famous Austrian composer. Visited ML in 1889 and stayed in house no. 52.

Friedrich Nietzsche – German philosopher, representative of so called „nihilism“. He visited ML in 1880, in house Ermitage.

Johann Strauss – Austrian composer, „king of waltz.“ He visited ML two times: 1890 stayed in hotel Casino and 1891 in Villa Vesna.

Mark Twain – american writor, author of famous Tom Sawyer.

Frederyk Chopin – the most famous visitor of ML. Polisch composer and piano virtuoso. He visited ML in 1836.

Bus lines

from Florenc (Prague) to Marianske Lazne with

„Student Agency“

„A-Express“

from Florenc (Prague) or from Karlovy Vary to Marianske Lazne with

„Autobusy Karlovy Vary“

Trains

There is train from Prague Main Railway Station to Marianske Lazne, aprox. each 2 hours and from Karlovy Vary to Marianske Lazne aprox. every hour.

Flights

You can use Prague International Airport or Karlovy Vary airport and then go by bus or train.

Driving Own Cars

from Prague – drive to „Rozvadovska spojka“, then continue on D5/E50, then take exit 128-Bor for 21 toward Planá/Cheb/200/Tachov. Then, turn right at 21 (signs for Mariánské Lázně/Planá/21/Cheb/Tachov.Don´t forget to acquire your toll sticker in the first petrol station leaving Prague, otherwise you might be penalized! Entrance and parking in city centre is for fee! (you can pay for whole day permission in Municipal police station, Ruská 155)

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Springs and collonades

Curative effects of springs in Marianske Lazne are various, because of the chemical composition of each one. In Marianske Lazne, folowing diseases are treated:

• renal diseases
• diseases of nervous system
• digestive diseases
• metabolism diseases
• respiratory diseases
• dermatic diseases
• locomotive organs diseases

The city of Marianske Lazne is rich in mineral springs. There spring 40 different springs in the city and another 60 in its neigbourhood. A lot of springs have name.
Cross spring (after wooden cross, found next to the spring). Used mainly for digestive diseases, as it has laxative effect.
Rudolph´s spring (after prince Rudolph). Used for renal diseases, for its diuretic effect.
Mary´s spring (after Virgin Mary´s portrait, found next to the spring). Used in gas form. Effective in cardiac diseases.
Ambros spring (after Tepla monastery Abbot). Used for renal diseases, for its diuretic effect.
Karolina´s spring - for renal diseases, mainly for person who have kidney-stones, as it contains a lot of magnesium (helps to stop creation of kidney-stones).
Forest spring – acidulous water, good for respiratory and digestive diseases.

All the springs have temperature between 7-10 C and contain a lot of ferrum.

Museums

Miniaturpark (Krakonoš 665)
In this park you can see replicas (scale 1:25) of czech monuments, e.g. castle Cervena Lhota, Black Tower in Ceske Budejovice, rotunda in Rip hill. Opened from Arpil until November.
Worth to be seen!!

Municipal Museum (Goethovo nam. 11)

Monuments

Anglican church „Christ Church“ (Ruská 98, Landmark)
Built in 1879, in the style of Anglican rural construction, in Romanic and Gothic style. The church was visited many times by king Edward VII. Nowadays, it serves as concert hall.

Orthodox church of st. Vladimir( Ruská 347, Landmark)
Built between 1900-1902, as a replace of previous orthodox oratory, inside town hall. Built with money from flag day.

Roman Catholic church of Ascension of Virgin Mary (Goetheho square)
Built between 1844-1848, in Byzantine style.

Krakonos Hotel
Belong to jewels of architectural work of Marianske Lazne. Opened in 1903. King Edward VII. stayed here several times, same as other heads of state.

Cultural Events

Singing fountain
Built between 1982-1986, during reconstruction of promenade. The fountain offers music performance each impar hour, from 7:00 until 21:00. Performance at 22:00 is exception. Compositions by Mozart, Chopin, Smetana, Dvorak, Bach sound there. The fountain has 10 springs, which can be combinated into tens of them. The main spring can reach 6 m. high.

Music festival of Fryderyk Chopin
Every year, in the middle of August. (this year it was between 16. – 23.8.2008). Show of piano virtuosos and bands from all over the world.

Inauguration of spa season
Every year, the second weekend in May.

Make trip to historical towns, castles, spas

Kynžvart castle - built in 17. century, in barock style. Rebuilt in klassicism style, in the middle of 19. century.
Inside the castle, there is a collection of article of virtu (coins, medals, porcelain and arms) of prince Metternich, austrian cancellor. You can find there also a big library and a lot of manuscripts.

Teplá monastery – built in the end of 12. century by Hroznata (1160-1217), member of Přemysl dynasty. This monastery belonged then to Premonstratensians which had a beneficial effect on culture, education, science and art. Premonstratensians also built spa center of Mariánské lázně (abbot Karel Reitenberk).

Františkovy lázně – the smallest spa of „spa triangle“, near border with Germany. Built in 1793. You can find there a lot of classicism buildings.

Cheb – one of the oldiest cities in Czech republic. Founded already in 9. century. This city has a unique arquitecture and it was declared markland. Every year, bross band festival performs here.

Kladská - nature park, aprox. 9,5 far from Mariánské lázně. You can reach it by bus or walking. The track goes to small hunting castle, then along the pond Kladský and nature preserve Kladské rašeliny, called Tajga. Total lenght of track: 1,6 km.
Walking on this tracks does not require special clothes and physsical effort.

Smraďoch - part of nature preserve: peaty moor. There is a spring of sulphide, which smells all around, that´s why this nature preserva is called „Smraďoch“ (stinking).
Distance from Marianske Lazne is: 5,4 km.
Entrance: 160 m behind forest restaurant „Nimrod“.

Sport & Relax

Golf course – nature park 45-hectare. Opened in 1905, by English king Edward VII.

Cyclist traces – in Marianske Lazne, there are 6 different cyclist traces of different lenght.

Skiarea – offers high-quality ski area, with different levels of difficulty. Lenght: 1450 m. There is also funicular and two modern tows, with capacity of 2500 persons. Opened daily, from 9:00 to 16:00. Evening skiing from 18:00 to 21:00. There is a skibar, skirental, skiservice. There is also snowboard school.

Tennis – Club Tennis Agens was found around 1930. There are 9 tennis courts on your disposition. Famous tennis personalities, such as Ivan Lendl, Petr Korda, Cyril Suk, Edmonsson, Loyed and many others played here.

Salt caves – There are 3 salt caves in Marianske Lazne.

• Salt cave in Krakonos hotel, made from 20 tonnes of salt, proceeding from Dead Sea. Entrance fee: 100,- CZK/adult, 50,- CZK/child.
• Salt cave in Berlin hotel, made from salt rocks, proceeding from Himalayas. Entrance fee: 120,- CZK/45 minutes/adult.
• Salt cave Salina, made from salt rocks, proceeding from Himalaya y salt from Dead Sea. Entrance 140,- CZK/hour/adult.

Salt caves have a benefitial effect on human´s organism. It can substitute stay at the seaside. It provides the human organism with iodine and mikro elements. There is also very favourable climate. Stay into the salt caves have a benefitial effect on patiets who suffer from digestive diseases, thyroid gland diseases, respiratory diseases, cardiac diseases and others.

Restaurants

Restaurant JIZERA (Tyršova 414, Mariánské Lázně 353 01)

Restaurant PARK (Poštovní 195/19, Mariánské Lázně 353 01)
There is also music vine cellar Maxim-Oldies Club.

Restaurant SVEJK (Chebská 244/2, Mariánské Lázně 353 01)

Internet Cafes

PC Centrum (Za Školou 18/3, Mariánské Lázně 353 01)

Music vine cellar Maxim-Oldies Club for middle age guests (Poštovní 195/19, Mariánské Lázně 353 01)

Discoteca oldies Jalta for middle age guests (Hlavní 42, Mariánské Lázně 353 01)

Music club Na Rampe concerts (Kollárova 707, Mariánské Lázně 353 01)

Discoteca La Bazaar (Nákladní 200, Mariánské Lázně 353 01)

 

Mary's accommodation service is ready to arrange one day guided trips as well as longer independent stays in this charming city.

Please, contact us for more information about accommodation and programs, we can arrange for you. travel@marys.cz