Zámecká kolonáda Spa colonnade

Welcome to Karlovy Vary. You are standing in front of one of the most important and beautiful places in this city, outside the Castle Colonnade. If you look around you now, you'll see how this building majestically thrones on the rock massif. Its position is indeed unusual and it looks very noble. It is located high above the Market Colonnade, which stretches in the valley below you. This vertical relief, where the human work touches a still rock, creates a sense of calm and astonishment. Feel the atmosphere as the raw force of natural stone mingles with the fineness and elegance of architecture. It is a place where the earth seems closer to heaven and where history meets the beauty of nature.

To understand why this building is standing right here, we need to go back deep into the past together. It all began with a very random and miraculous discovery. More than two hundred years ago, exactly in the 1970s, the castle spring was found here. This was a turning point for this whole spa town. This little sprain of water from the depths of the earth has become a source of health and joy for many visitors. First of all, there was no magnificent building. Just a small gazebo that gradually grew and changed according to people's needs. In 83rd year this gazebo was rebuilt according to the design of architect Josef Esch. At that time it was still a modest building, which served primarily to protect the spring and provide shelter to people who wanted to enjoy healing water in peace.

Now look at what's right in front of your eyes. This present, magnificent form that you now admire is the work of a much later golden era. Between eleven and thirteen years of the second millennium, a building was built that still amazes its beauty. The main creator of this magnificent work was the architect Friedrich Ohmann. He's just bringing the style of secession into this place. If you look at the details of the building now, notice the fluent lines and organic shapes. Secession is a style that seeks harmony with nature, shapes that resemble plants or waves of water. This colonnade is not just a building built on a rock, it's a work of art that tries to unify the human imagination with the rock mass on which it stands.

Notice how the architect works with space and how the construction seems to be a natural part of this cliff. One of the most important elements you can see here is the statue of the Spirit of the Springs. This statue was placed in the year 13, when the whole building was completed. It is a symbolic combination of the power of water and the human spirit, which underlines perfectly the importance of this place. This whole space was designed to excite astonishment and make visitors feel the strange energy that radiates from this place.

It's fascinating to see how this place evolved in time. Each architect who entered this place left a piece of his own vision in stone and design. Josef Esch laid the foundations for future significance, Friedrich Ohmann then brought the most impressive form you see today. And we must not forget the name Alexandr Mikoláš, who was also involved in the development of this place. Each epoch has added its own layer and created a whole that you see today.

You may be surprised that this historical monument is not just a museum or a place for mere observation. Although its main function remains to be a part of spa life, it has recently undergone a very important transformation. Between two thousand and two thousand one, the building went through a very large reconstruction. The aim was not only to preserve its historical beauty and Art Nouveau appearance, but to turn it into a modern treatment facility. This means that beneath this beautiful facade today lies modern technology and space designed to care for people's health. It's a perfect combination of history, art and modern medicine.

The interesting thing to think about when you look at these rocks is how that little spring from the 1970s was able to change the whole neighborhood. Imagine the path from a simple sprain of water in the forest to this monumental whole. It's a story about human desire for healing and how we can celebrate nature's beauty through architecture. The statue of the Spirit of the springs that you saw, as if it was still guarding this source of life that was rising from the depths.

Now that you have seen this wonderful memory and understood its history, I suggest you continue along the paths that lead around the rock massif. Take a walk near the spring, perceive the smell of the surrounding nature and take time to observe other details that you may have missed at first glance. Karlovy Vary have many secrets hidden in every stone and in every sprain of water. Every step can lead to further discovery. Thank you for spending this moment with this monument and for hearing our tape. We wish you a very pleasant walk and many beautiful experiences in this wonderful city.