During the Bronze Age, there were already settlements in this western region of Czechia, where Karlovy Vary is now situated. Now in our modern times, Karlovy Vary is the ultimate and largest Czechia SPA town. It is historically famous for possessing 13 hot springs and 300 smaller springs; you can see them on almost every step while walking through the town centre.
Maxim Gorky Colonnade is the icon for the SPA building in the Region of Karlovy Vary. In fact, it’s the largest construction in Czechia! The steel structure was built in the neo-baroque style and was untouched by attacks during the Second World War. The ceilings of this building present a metaphor of humans’ desire to fly – the frescos of these are depicted in one of my other photographs from Mariánské Lázně.
A trip to the Karlovy Vary region is never a bad idea! This photo I took was on the second evening of our stay in this SPA town – I thought it depicted the spirit of the place quite well; the vacant park with barren branches at a calm in the night. And a cherry on top includes a Public Spa that’s made available – giving visitors a place to go and relax.
The Springs at Mariánské Lázně has proved to be a growing and popular destination through the centuries, for the greatest community of people from Europe’s history. Those dwelling in this area where The Springs at Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad) was situated, held beliefs of healing from many diseases. This particular Spring in the photo above – Rudolfův pramen (Rudolph’s Spring) contains high amounts of calcium.
The Maxim Gorky’s Colonnade is an icon of Marianske Lazne or Marienbad in my language. The Colonnade was built between 1888 and 1889 in the renowned style that is Baroque. In the summer during the evening hours, there are displays nearby of “singing fountains”. What a perfect scenery for SPA holidays!
Every time you pass through a building that appears like no other, look up! You may discover frescos that grab your attention instantly and that will likely prompt you to want to see them again repeatedly. These newly discovered beauties were decorated on the ceiling of Maxim Gorky’s Colonnade in the Mariánské Lázně spa town in the Czech Republic.
Charles Bridge has two towers – one from the side of old town and one from the Mala Strana district. This one closer to the old town is open for visitors. Originally, I planned to take photos of just the bridge, but there were simply too many tourists. So, I went up hoping to have some good composition from the tower, where I would have city view and the sunset together in one shot.
Tourists from around the globe visit Prague Old Town, attracted by its well-preserved historic sights. When you cross the Charles bridge though, you will find yourself in a bit different world. Malá Strana is known for colorful streets and cozy cafés. However, it is also a place with ornamental buildings in which are embassies.
The name of the Vinohrady district of Prague literally means ‘vineyards’ in English. While nowadays this is an urban area, in the middle ages this land was covered in vineyards. On the photo you can also see the Roman Catholic Church “Nejsvětějšího Srdce Páně” or “Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord”. Another significant city sight, visible here, is the Žižkov Television Tower, adding a high-tech touch to the landscape.
During our last stay in Prague I decided to make my way to Prague Castle, which was built in the 9th century as the largest ancient castle in the world, before any day trippers would be there in order to capture it in the golden light of the shy morning sun. I love to get my camera out before the day dawns and watch the world slowly wake up – to me this is very special.
