Mariánské Lázně (the former name – Marienbad) is the second biggest resort in Czechia known for its mineral springs, romantic atmosphere and nature. It is a city with long history bordering with modern amenities and comfort, where one can spend a vacation with health benefits.
The city is located 180 km from Prague and 48 km from Karlovy Vary. The valley is surrounded by mountains from three sides, so you can already imagine what a picturesque area it is. In addition, near resort there are about a hundred of mineral springs and about 40 in the resort. The first curative effect of the sources was discovered by the monks of the nearby Teplá monastery in 1528.
For a long time, local springs remained unknown due to impassable forests and swamps. Their popularity came only in the 18th century and people started to use them for medicinal purposes. In 1818 Mariánské Lázně was declared a public resort.
History of the resort
In 1193 the Czech prince Hroznata founded a monastery of the Order of the Premiers in the Teplá village. Monks discover healing springs, but could not guess how to use their properties until the 17th century. The first medical investigations of the local water were in 1606.
In the 18th century people started to settle down on the territory adjoining the monastery. Besides, that was because many of them wished to be healthy. In 1818 Marienbad received the status of a resort and in 1865 the status of the city. It brought the building of the railway, connecting Mariánské Lázně with the major Czech cities and Vienna in 1871. The city became incredibly beautiful and well maintained.
The list of famous visitors is really large: Nikolai II, Edward VII, Franz Joseph I, Chopin, Wagner, Johann Strauss, Antonin Dvorak, Goethe, Ivan Goncharov, Friedrich Nietzsche, Franz Kafka, Rudyard Kipling, Jan Neruda, Sigmund Freud and Thomas Alva Edison. Even Mark Twain described the city as the most beautiful and modern place in Europe.
Features of treatment in Mariánské Lázně
Nowadays the resort offers a wide range of services and healing procedures based on complex spa treatment. It also includes an individual treatment plan that takes into account all the features of the patient’s state of health. It is clear that the treatment uses only local natural medical products. The recommended duration of treatment is 3-4 weeks.
The standard program includes:
- Medical examinations;
- Laboratory tests;
- Individually formulated curative plan;
- Drinking course according to the doctor’s recommendation;
- Doctor’s lectures;
- Diet on the recommendation of a doctor;
- Swimming pool;
- Beauty and health programs.
People come to Mariánské Lázně not only with specific health problems, but also simply for rehabilitation courses, for improving vitality, rejuvenation, weight loss.
Attractions in Mariánské Lázně
Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
Roman Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary stands in the middle of the square of Goethe. Its distinctive feature is 33 steps leading to the main entrance and symbolizing 33 years of the life of Jesus Christ.
Church of St. Vladimir
In 1825 Russian visitors gave funds for the construction of a new church. However, something went wrong and all the money was transferred to the construction of the Catholic Church. This particular building, resembling Russian and Byzantine buildings appeared only in 1900. King I. Vorontsov-Dashkov ruled the construction and gave the Orthodox Church 5 bells that were seized and remolded to cannons during the First World War.
Among the interior elements it is necessary to note the iconostasis, created by Russian masters. For more than a hundred years, the Orthodox Church of St. Vladimir has been decorating the city.
Its rich interior and unusual architecture attracts many tourists on excursions to the temple. From here one can also enjoy a magnificent view of the city below.
Main Colonnade
As it is the healing resort, the main decoration of the Mariánské Lázně is Kolnáda Maxima Gorkého. This arcade building is 119 meters long, with a cast-iron base and openwork metal arches. The coffered ceiling of the colonnade is painted with a cycle of frescoes “Passion by flight”.
Gamelik Lookout Point
In 1876 the city’s authorities invited a famous architect to work on improving the territory of the hill. He successfully completed it creating another attraction of the resort. The height of the tower is 20 meters with 100 steps leading upwards. The total high of the hill is almost 730 meters.
You can also climb to the viewing platform from the hotel “Panorama” or from the Bohemia miniatures park. It is open to visitors all year round. In addition, visiting it in the evening time you will see a magnificent view over the center of the city, highlighted by bright lights.
Geological Park
The geological park of Mariánské Lázně adjoins the city museum. Its territory occupies about 10 hectares therefore travelers have a chance to enjoy the picturesque views that open behind each curve of the path.
The park is based on the territory of the Slavske forest. Walking there you will notice information boards with all the necessary information about the local flora and fauna. This park was also created for demonstration of geological formations and local minerals, thereby learning more about the history of the city itself and the whole region. The whole route takes approximately 1 hour to cover.
City Theater
The building of the Municipal Theater (Městské divadlo) appeared in 1865-1868 years. In 1905 the theater got the Art Nouveau style look. In comparison with other cities there is no own troupe. However, each year the theater hosts hundreds of tours, concerts, music festivals. In addition there is also a theatrical gallery which often becomes a platform for exhibitions.
Lookout tower on Pansky Hill
The Pansky Hill has long been known to the locals and guests of the Mariánské Lázně resort as a place from where you can see the whole city, the Dyleni Hill and the beautiful Slavkov Forest. The observation tower is the newest building in Mariánské Lázně. It was erected very quickly and opened to the general public in 2008. The height of the tower is 55 meters, but the viewing platform itself is located at a level of 40 meters.
There are 207 steps are leading to the observation deck. For the safety of the guests the observation tower does not work from November 1 to March 15. Any other time the entrance is free.
Miniature Park
The city’s park of miniatures is called “Boheminium”. It is really worth visiting the place as it shows the very best attractions and sights from all over the Czech Republic, though much smaller. Since 1999 the exposition has been constantly replenishing. The territory of the park occupies several hectares.
All layouts are made in scale 1:25 and exactly correspond to certain tourist sites.
Models of beautiful Czech castles, cathedrals and churches, bridges and monuments, mills and railway stations appear before the guests as if you look at them from a height of 200 meters. To create them the authorities invited a famous master. All in all, such time spending activity will be a pleasure both for adults and children for sure.
City’s Museum
The City Museum (Městské muzeum) is located in the house where the poet Johann Wolfgang Goethe lived. It shows the history of the resort, the personality of Goethe, the geological and natural features of these places.
Chopin museum
The Polish composer Frederic Chopin often came to Mariánské Lázně. The local authorities decided to establish a museum in his name in 1960. The property of the museum displays several rooms where the museum itself, the concert hall and even the hostel for the guests of the resort are located. In the Chopin House Museum you can see an exhibition of his personal belongings, learn more about his life and work.
Moreover, in the concert hall you can enjoy some of his masterpieces on the record or sometimes listen to live orchestra performance. The Chopin Society annually organizes a festival in Mariánské Lázně named after a famous Polish composer.
Kynžvart Castle in Mariánské Lázně
The first castle in this area was built in the 13th century and its ruins are still visible on the mountainside above the palace. But over time, the owner decided to build a magnificent mansion of impressive size. The process finished in 1623 with a building in the Renaissance style. Later he enlarged and re-decorated the house in the Baroque style.
Originally, Kynzvart Castle was not in Mariánské Lázně, but in the countryside. But since the construction the city has grown and now this place has practically become a suburb.
Later, Chancellor Metternich rebuilt the building in the style of Viennese classicism and placed here the most famous part of the collection – the Chancellery Library. The modern exterior of the castle is quite simple, but the most interesting things are inside.
The building has preserved all the interior decoration items, furniture, utensils, personal belongings and so on. Many rooms keep a completely original appearance, even up to the arrangement of furniture. This is a museum in the form of an apartment house: the exhibits are simply hung on the walls and arranged on the tables as they were once placed by its owners.
The two most unusual parts of the museum are the Cabinet of Rare items and the Chancellor’s Library. The castle is open from April to October from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (in July and August – until 5 p.m.
Teplá Monastery
Teplá monastery is one of the most impressive monasteries in the Czech Republic. It was founded by a local knight named Groznata in the late 12th century. In the 17th century the exterior and interior changed from the Gothic to the Baroque and many new buildings appeared. The second time in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The complex still operates a monastery of the same order but it is also open to tourists so you can see it inside.
The outer decoration combines Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and classical buildings side by side. The most impressive building is the main church of St. Mary. The interior decorations date back to the 18th and 19th centuries to the Baroque style. There are many very beautiful sculptures and paintings by the best masters of the country.
In the monastery there is an interesting museum, displaying ancient, rare or some remarkable items, mostly associated with the church. The main building of the monastery dates to the 17th century, and in the late 19th and early 20th centuries it got new decorations.
The most interesting place in the monastery is the library. This is one of the largest collections of ancient literature in the country, hence there are more than 100 thousand exhibits.
- Work hours: February to December, daily from 11 a.m. on Sunday and from 9 a.m. on other days and until 3:30 p.m. (from May to September until 5 p.m.).
Ticket price: 100 CZK.
Leisure
The sports infrastructure is also a well-developed brunch in Mariánské Lázně. In 1905, the English King Edward VII personally laid one of the first in the world classical golf fields. Most noteworthy, the local golf club (Royal Golf Club Mariánské Lázně) is marked by the personal award of Elizabeth II.
A couple kilometers from the resort there is Lake Regent. On the territory you will find the local yacht-town with a club, parking for yachts, guest houses and sports grounds. But for this, you can also have fun after all of the procedures and enjoy Bellevue casino, Irish pub or disco clubs.
Best restaurants
Here you can enjoy delicious Czech national cuisine as well as international meals for any taste. There is the list of the best places where to eat in Mariánské Lázně.
- Park Restaurant (Address: Poštovní 195);
- China – Town (Address: Hlavní 42/18);
- Medité (Address: Hlavní 279/7);
- Česká hospůdka (Address: Klíčová 10);
- Pueblo Mexicano (Address: Chebská 255);
- Restaurace Piccolo (Address: Nerudova 291/1);
- Medite (Address: Hlavní 279/7);
- Elektra (Address: Lužická 425/8).
Where to stay
If you don’t want to stay in one of the many resorts you can choose one of the following properties. These are the lists of the best hotels and apartments with excellent service, amenities and healing procedures:
How to get from Prague to Marianske Lazny
Here are the most convenient ways to get here. Time schedule of train or bus departure may change, so be sure to check them before planning.
Prague – Marianske Lazny by bus
Marianske Lazny is situated not far from Prague, so the way won’t be too long and tiring. Buses depart from the main station in Prague. But be sure to check the date and price before leaving.
Prague – Marianske Lazny by train
It will take approximately 3 hours to get here and the tickets cost about 10 Euro. Take the regional train from Prague main station to Marianske Lazny station and enjoy the beautiful views from the window. More information about time schedule and prices here.
Prague – Marianske Lazny by car
Travelling by car is the fastest way, which is about 1.50 hours. The distance between cities is 170 kilometers and besides car rent price services, you should also include fuel expenses for 14 liters of fuel (approximately 20 Euro).
Marianske Lazny resort review
Going there you will get not only healing benefits from mineral springs and healing procedures. You can also discover the history of the city and its attractions as well as enjoy the beauty of architecture. Besides, you can discover the city with local guide tours and get the maximum from your trip there.
