WEST BOHEMIA
PLZEŇ (Pilsen, pop. 173,000) - the main city of West Bohemia is situated on the confluence of the rivers Mže, Radbuza, Úhlava and Úslava. It was founded in 1295. The town expanded greatly in the 19th century when most of its coal-mining and engineering works were established. Plzeň is well-known mainly for its ŠKODA Engineering Works, for the Pilsner Urquell Brewery (Prazdroj) and Gambrinus Brewery. It is one of the country's busiest railway junctions, second only to Prague.
The city centre has several valuable landmarks. The 14th-century St.Bartholomew Church, unusually located in the middle of the main square, has the highest church spire in the Czech Republic (103 m). The 16th-century Town Hall, beautiful palaces, old town houses and a Franciscan monastery are also worth visiting. Other sights include the West Bohemian Museum, Museum of Beer-Brewing and J.K.Tyl Theatre. The typical restaurant located at the entrance to the Pilsner Urquell Brewery is most recommended.
KARLOVY VARY (Carlsbad, pop. 55,700) - Karlovy Vary is the biggest and best-known Czech spa. It was founded by King and Emperor Charles IV in the mid-14th century. The spa has some 60 springs, 12 of which are utilized for balneological purposes. Diseases of the liver, gall-bladder and stomach, as well as intestinal and metabolic disorders are treated here.
This fashionable health resort is also attractive due to its historic architecture, beautiful colonnades and sanatoria. Most of its houses were built in the Empire style in the 19th century. The spa has hosted many famous visitors throughout the centuries, including Tsar Peter I, writers Kafka, Schiller and Goethe, as well as composers Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Dvořák and others. The town saw the first European performance of Antonín Dvořák's Symphony from the New World in 1894. Famous visitors are commemorated by numerous statues and plaques. Traffic is excluded from the spa quarter.
The town's theatre, galleries and casinos offer a busy cultural and social life, including music and film festivals. There is an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts and 120 km of hiking trails. Karlovy Vary is also well-known for its glass and china production. Moreover, for almost two centuries, the town has enjoyed fame as the producer of the Karlovarska Becherovka liqueur, the popular Mattoni mineral water and the original Karlovy Vary wafers.
MARIÁNSKÉ LÁZNĚ (Marienbad, pop. 15,500) - Mariánské Lázně is Czech Republic's second biggest spa town. It has 40 healing springs effective in the treatment of diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract, the respiratory tract, nervous disorders and diseases of the motor organs. It is a lovely resort located in a valley surrounded by forests. Mariánské Lázně has numerous 19th-century buildings, large parks, well-marked paths to the nearby forests and lakes, and perhaps the best 18-hole golf course in the country. |
