Dvořákovy sady (Karlovy Vary) Park

Dvořák sets are located in the heart of Karlovy Vary, in the centre of the city on the edge of the spa area by the bank of the Teplá river. Their borders include the Military Spa Institute, Garden Street and the waterfront. It is one of the three main parks that the city gradually established for its guests and residents in the 19th century.

Only two older parks belonged to the town in the 1970s - the park near the Villa Lützow and Skalník orchards above the Mill Colonnade. With a growing number of spa guests, the city has decided to expand its offer in green. In 1874, the city bought the Wimra photographer's garden for 300,000 gold pieces and converted it into a park from 1876 to 1878. It is assumed that the terrain originally belonged to Winter or Winter's garden. The implementation of the design was entrusted by the city to artistic gardener Jan Hahmann, who was already managing Skalník's orchards. The construction required extensive landscaping, river regulation and increased levels of some garden parts. The park was first opened to the public in 1878.

Shortly after the start of the park, the Blanenský Pavilion, cast-iron concert and restaurant hall was built here in 1880-1881. The builder was Josef Walderт from Karlovy Vary, the design came from the Vienna studio Fellner and Helmer. The building was an interesting example of the spa architecture of the time, but it gradually deteriorated. In March 1965, it was demolished for depravity. It remained only the east wing of the original two-arm promenade porch, which later became part of the Set Colonnade.

More extensive adjustments were made in 1974. The park was newly modified according to the design of architect Adolf Peter. As part of these modifications, a memorial of composer Antonín Dvořák was installed in the park. This bronze statue on a granite pedestal was created by Karlovy Vary sculptor Karel Kuné ml. Park has since been named Dvořák set.

Today, trees of original platinum, oak, maple and elm are spread in the park, accompanied by sandways, flower beds and watercourses with fountains. The remaining Sad Colonnade maintains a cast iron structure, and since the 1980s, there has been a snake spring in the Western rondel. In the park there is a statue of Hygie from 1955, created by Antonín Kuchař and Ludmila Vojířová, Rusalka near the pond and between the colonnade Girl with a pitcher from sculptor František Nonfrid from the late 1960s or early 1970s. The temporary exhibition of digital sculpture - the sculpture of the Pack by Michal Gabriel - was also placed here in 2019. Another thermal source is the Sad Spring in the building of the neighbouring Military Spa Institute. Since 1992, the Spa Park Administration has been in charge of maintenance. The park is visited by a educational dendrological trail of visitors with botanical richness and rare trees such as Dvořák's Platan or Sad Platan.