After we have already been to the Bohemian Spa Triangle in the far west of the Czech Republic twice and presented Franzensbad and Karlsbad to you in detail, we are taking you to Mariánské Lázně today. But before we introduce you to the most beautiful sights in Mariánské Lázně, let us first introduce you to the city.
This is Mariánské Lázně
Tranquil Marienbad (the town has just 13,000 inhabitants) has existed for hundreds of years, but like the other spas in the Bohemian Spa Triangle, it only experienced its heyday in the 19th century. It was at this time that the wonderful parks and magnificent villas and hotels were built that still make Marienbad so distinctive today. Many consider Mariánské Lázně to be the most beautiful of the three spas, partly because it is cozier than the much larger Karlovy Vary, but at the same time less provincial than Františkovy Lázně.
Due to its location in a valley, the center is very compact, the long national road leads to the small spa district, which can be fully explored on a one-hour walk. What makes Marienbad so attractive is its immediate surroundings, with numerous hiking trails criss-crossing the forests and opening up many beautiful vantage points. In a way, they fulfill the function of extensive spa parks, such as those found in Franzensbad and Western European spas.
Mariánské Lázně was appreciated by famous personalities such as Goethe, Chopin, Kafka, Nietzsche, Twain, Edison, Freud, Nobel, Gogol and several crowned heads. King Edward VII came here every year for a cure and once even met Emperor Franz Joseph. Edward VII once wrote about the town: “I have traveled all over India, Ceylon, all the spa towns of Europe, but nowhere in the world has the poetry of beautiful nature captured my heart as much as here in Marienbad”. The city also made a special impression on Richard Wagner, who worked here on his operas “Lohengrin” and “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg”.
Main Avenue
Hlavní třída runs for about 2.5 kilometers from the train station to the end of the spa district and a walk there from the train station is not very spectacular at first, but then becomes more and more interesting as the density of cafés, restaurants and small stores increases and you finally reach the magnificent spa district. On the main avenue, you can always take short detours into various parks or side streets or let your gaze wander up the slopes to the left and right, where more and more magnificent villas from around 1900 appear with every meter and you can take in the magic of Marienbad.
The end of the street is marked by the magnificent Hotel Pacifik with its two Nike figures on the tops of the turrets on both sides of the main facade decorated with wonderful stuccoes. On the left, there is also a magnificent building, the Hotel Zvon.
Václav Skalník Park and New Bath
Mariánské Lázně only has one real spa park, but it really is something to behold. It is located to the right of the main avenue just before it ends. Numerous sculptures, benches to rest on, busts of famous personalities (including statues of Emperor Franz Joseph and King Edward VII, who met here), two beautiful ponds with fountains and the calming murmur of the Úšovický potok (Úšovický stream) make the area one of the most popular places in the town. Here you will also find a dendrological nature trail, a drinking fountain with water from the Balbín spring and a bust of Vaclav Skalník. Marienbad owes its structure to the landscape gardener from Prague. He came up with the idea of grouping magnificent buildings around a central park.
At the south-eastern end of Skalník Park stands the most prestigious spa hotel in the entire spa triangle. The New Spa (Nové Lázne) was opened in 1896. Parts of the New Spa, which today as then houses a luxury spa hotel, still look almost unchanged. Three rooms in particular are among the most beautiful Marienbad has to offer: The royal cabin was specially furnished for the English King Edward VII, who visited Marienbad nine times for a cure (here you will find lots of marble as well as a sitting scale, which was used to treat the overweight spa guest).
Just as beautiful as the royal cabin is the imperial cabin, which has similar furnishings and was furnished for Emperor Franz Joseph I. However, the most beautiful room in the complex is the Roman bath. Divided into a cold and a hot water area, the bath was designed by Josef Schaffner and impresses with twenty-one red Tuscan columns, ceiling paintings and natural daylight.
Goethe House
During his last visit to Marienbad, Goethe lived for almost two months in the house, which at the time was still called “Zur Goldenen Traube”. Today, the famous poet-prince is commemorated in an exhibition that includes portraits he made, furniture of the time and a page from Goethe’s herbarium with plants he collected in the surroundings of Marienbad. A lot of space is also given to the personalities of Marienbad at the time with whom Goethe socialized. You can also admire an exhibition on the history of the town, which also provides information on the history of the Egerland region, including the farmhouse and the development of the spa industry in the region over the course of time.
Singing fountain
There is a fountain in Marienbad that can sing! Well, almost at least. 250 jets of water, which shoot up to six meters into the air from a stylized flower in the warm season, form the ideal setting for the relaxed sounds that accompany the water feature of the “Zpívající fontána” (Singing Fountain). The “repertoire” includes classical music as well as modern hits. Every odd hour, spa guests gather around the pool, which is not exactly small with a diameter of 20 meters and was only put into operation in 1986. Whether during the day or in the evening (then with beautiful lighting): The singing fountain with a view of the main colonnade is the secret star of the place and is one of the most photographed sights in the city.
Main Colonnade
Directly behind the Singing Fountain is the Main Colonnade (Hlavní kolonáda), undisputedly the most beautiful sight in the city. It was designed by the Viennese architects Miksch and Niedzielski in the Neo-Baroque style. The 119-metre-long, cast-iron building runs in a gentle curve to the source of the cross and is decorated all over.
Inside, the lobby has a coffered wooden ceiling that is only occasionally interrupted by wonderful frescoes symbolizing man’s dream of flying. The work by artist Josef Vyleťal was created in the 1970s, but corresponds perfectly with its Art Nouveau and neo-Baroque surroundings. There is a small stage inside the colonnade, where concerts are regularly held in summer. At the northern end of the colonnade is another beautiful building, the Colonnade of the Cross Spring, named after a wooden cross that used to stand nearby. The cool water of the Kreuzquelle spring here is relatively laxative, so it is best to exercise restraint when drinking the water.
Vladimir Church
Built between 1900 and 1902 under Gustav Wiedermann (who also designed churches in other towns in the spa triangle), the church is one of the most beautiful places of worship in the city. The exotic-looking exterior is surpassed inside by the gold and cobalt decoration, and the iconostasis in particular is a real eye-catcher. It is made of Majolka tiles and separates the secular from the divine sphere. In 1900, it was exhibited at the World Exhibition in Paris, where it won a prize. The church was donated by a Russian general. As the region was popular with Russian spa guests, donations were repeatedly raised to further decorate the church. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the number of Russian spa guests has decreased noticeably.
Ferdinand Spring Colonnade
The Ferdinand Spring is located to the south of the spa district, but is easy to reach on a leisurely stroll. The spring was probably discovered in the 16th century. King Ferdinand had it investigated in order to extract table salt from it (which was not crowned with success, as this water also has a strong laxative effect). In the early 19th century, it was covered with an elongated colonnade under Josef Esch. The colonnade is made up of three parts, two pavilions to the sides and a central gloriette with a cupola topped with Doric columns. The spring is surrounded by the extensive Auschowice Park (Úšovický park), where the wooden pavilion of the Rudolf Spring is located.
Hamelika Tower
Not all of Marienbad’s sights are as centrally located as the following. It takes around 20 minutes to walk from the center along the King Edward Route on a quiet road that winds its way up the hill to the Hamelika Tower. The 20 m high tower has a diameter of 5.5 m and stands in the middle of a wooded area. It was built in 1876 by local architect Friedrich Zickler in the style of a Romanesque castle ruin and from the outside you might think it is much older and dates back to the Middle Ages.
You can climb the tower around the clock and enjoy the view. Unfortunately, some trees block the view of a large part of the spa district, but the panoramic view to the west of the Bohemian Forest makes up for this. Almost directly behind the spa district, you can make out Eger in the distance on a clear day.
Boheminium
It is not far from the Hamelika Tower to a small amusement park next to a deer enclosure, one of the most unusual sights in Mariánské Lázně. Boheminium Park is one of the largest miniature parks in Europe. On an area of 6 hectares, visitors can experience the Czech Republic in miniature, with around 75 models presenting the country’s most important sights on a scale of 1:25, while information boards tell you all about the country’s most architecturally attractive places. In addition to the models, there is also a pony farm and a large playground. After a hike, you can recharge your batteries in a barbecue and a café.
Excursion tips Mariánské Lázně
Had enough of Marienbad’s sights and want to take a trip to the surrounding area? No problem, because there’s plenty to discover around Mariánské Lázně!
Kynžvart Castle
In the 16th century, a Renaissance castle was built at the gates of the town, which, however, would later see its most famous inhabitant: Klemens Wenzel Lothar von Metternich, the most famous politician of his time, opponent of Napoleon and organizer of the Congress of Vienna. Today you can stroll through the magnificent apartments of the Metternich family and admire gifts from tsars, kings and popes, marvel at objects from Napoleon’s personal possessions and wander through the representative study rooms, libraries and dining rooms. A 265-hectare English landscape park was laid out around the palace by the Viennese court gardener Riedl.
Kladská
There is a small nature reserve in the Kaiserwald forest near Marienbad, where you can walk along a 2 km footbridge through a moor! With a bit of luck, you might spot a wild deer, lynx or wild boar, but even without these animals, a walk around the lake with its numerous information boards is a wonderful experience. The many wooden houses in the Swiss-Tyrolean style are also beautiful to look at. You can stop for a bite to eat in one of these houses. The Auerhahn serves delicious Czech cuisine!
Teplá Monastery
In the 13th century this monastery complex, Klášter Teplá, was built. Over the centuries, the monastery has grown into a huge complex that includes a magnificent baroque church, several museum halls and, in particular, a baroque library that usually takes visitors’ breath away.
The monastery’s collection of mainly German and Latin works comprises over 100,000 books, 30,000 of which are on display in the large library hall. There is also a nice monastery store with products from the monastery and other abbeys.
Mariánské Lázně Sightseeing Book Tip
Did you like the sights of Mariánské Lázně and would you like to take a trip to the Bohemian Spa Triangle yourself? Then my travel guide “CityTrip Bohemian Spa Triangle”, published by Reise Know-How Verlag, is just the thing for you. Here I describe not only a few more Marienbad sights, but also Karlovy Vary, Františkovy Lázně and Cheb in detail and not only present the sights, but also provide you with lots of practical tips for your trip to the Czech Republic.
- Bingel, Markus (Author)
How did you like the article about the sights of Mariánské Lázn? Which other Marienbad sights do you know? Let us know and write us a comment!
