Bathe like a monarch in Mariánské Lázně Mariánské Lázně Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad)
If you’re looking for a tranquil spot well away from the clamour of the city, Mariánské Lázně is the place for you. From the time that Premonstratensian monks discovered a healing spring in some woodland it was over 600 years before the place acquired spa status, under the name the Maria Spring. In the 19th century spa facilities began springing up around it faster than mushrooms in the local forests. When the poet Goethe fell passionately in love with the young Ulrika there in 1823, a stay in Mariánské Lázně was an obligatory element of the social season. Guests also included Destinnová, Wagner, Chopin, Kafka, Edison and hundreds of others. Its cast-iron colonnade with a Singing Fountain – which resounds with classics of world music ever odd hour (in operation from April to October) – is a real gem and undoubtedly its most popular sight. If you have a romantic spirit, come back in the evening when the music is accompanied by a light show. You can then stroll and taste the mineral waters along a colonnade with a stately cast-iron structure and a wooden coffered ceiling. There are close to 100
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Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad)
healing springs with a high mineral salt content in the town and its environs. Enjoy a mineral bath in the Royal Cabin, which was used by Great Britain’s King Edward VII, or in the Emperor Franz Joseph Cabin.
England’s King Edward VII opened the first golf course in Bohemia here in 1905. The highlight of the club’s history was when, in 2003, it won the right to use the title Royal Golf Club thanks to a generous decision by Queen Elisabeth II. This is just one reason why Mariánské Lázně is the jewel in the crown of Czech spas.
Getting there from Prague: 170 km, 1:50 hour, 2:50 hrs Nearby sights: • The town of Chodová Planá • Teplá Monastery • Bečov nad Teplou Chateau www.marianskelazne.cz
Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad)