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| Former Telegraf building now a private home. I love the plants in the windows and last time I was here I remember a cat in the window |
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| St. Lucas Church. Still closed to the public like my last visit. I would love to see in side. |
It was a gorgeous sunny day here in the western part of the
Czech Republic although very cold. But being that I am here to get in shape and
lose weight I got myself outdoors for several hours of hiking. Yesterday was an
equally nice day and I did some walking but today I managed to do about three
and half hours despite the cold. In fact it seemed to get warmer the higher up
the hiking paths I got although that could have just been me getting hot from
the exercise.
But first, after breakfast, I went to mass at the Roman
Catholic Cathedral of St. Mary Magdalene which is located in the very heart of
the Karlovy Vary and only a minute or two walk from my hotel. “The church bears
the hallmarks of the High Baroque architecture and it is one of the most
important Baroque monuments not only in Karlovy Vary, but in the entire Czech
Republic. It was built in 1737 on the site of the former Gothic church. Its
interior is decorated with a precious altarpiece, Baroque Eucharist sculptures,
Gothic Madonna and other decorations. The church can be viewed during worships,
which the church of St. Mary Magdalene conducts every day.”
The church also has an underground crypt that contains a
unique funeral chapel, which accommodates the skeletal remains from the former
cemetery which surrounded the church until the year 1784. I didn’t know until I
looked it up online that the crypt existed but it’s closed this time of year
unless is for a tour group and is prearranged.
The 10:00am mass was pretty packed and they had beautiful
organ music and two singers. I of course didn’t understand a word but it’s still
nice and the church offers so much stunning art to look at.
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| Mill Colonnade |
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| Marble Relief in Mill Colonnade above orchestra bandstand |
I walked through town
for a little bit getting some of the mineral water at several of the different
fountains including the Mill Colonnade which was built by Josef Zítek from
1871-1881. “The Zítek’s original vision about the appearance of this
Neo-Renaissance building was substantially different from its final form. The
famous architect originally intended to build it as a two-story structure that
would be even more splendid. Upon the completion the colonnade was not received
with great enthusiasm. Apparently it did not go together with the nature of the
spa center. Since 1893, when it was extended to the Rock Spring, it measures
132 meters. Under its roof, which is supported by 124 Corinthian columns, is an
orchestra stage and five mineral springs. Its inner space is decorated with
allegorical sculptures. Balustrades of the rooftop terraces are decorated with
12 statues. Each of the statues represents a calendar month. The Mill Colonnade
is now perhaps the most popular building in Karlovy Vary, both among the
permanent residents, as well as among tourists.”
The Mill Colonnade really can’t be missed when you make a
visit to this city and you are bound to pass it many, many times especially if
like me you are drinking from some of the fountains located there. The Mill has
several fountains in and around it and I find it fascinating that they all have
names. Now the plaques near each fountain usually just display the temperature
of the water and when you are prescribed your drinking cure routine your doctor
tells you were to go for your water, what time to drink it and how much as well
as the temperature of the fountain you should be drinking from. For the Mill
Colonnade the following fountains exist. Rock Spring, 53 °C - The spring was
rising from the river Teplá until the year 1845. Libuše Spring, 62 °C - Originally
known as the Elizabeth Rose Spring. It was formed by connecting four small
springs. Prince Wenceslas I, 65 °C & Prince Wenceslas II, 58 °C - Water
from this source was used to produce the Karlovy Vary medicinal salt. In the
late 18th century its yield and strength could be apparently compared with the
Hot Spring. The Prince Wenceslas Spring is led to two spring vases. The Spring
I flows out directly in the Colonnade, the Spring II in front of the Colonnade,
opposite the orchestra stage. Mill Spring, 56 °C - The spring has been used for
the spa treatments already since the 16th century. Originally it was mainly
used for bathing. It used to be possible to buy the water from this popular
spring in almost all Czech pharmacies. Rusalka Spring, 60 °C.
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| Sculpture in Park above the Mill Colonnade |
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| Another Sculpture in Park above the Mill Colonnade |
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| Looking down on the roof of the Mill Colonnade and the 12 statues representing the 12 months |
I’ll find out tomorrow what my drinking cure program will
be. It’s so exciting and so many people, well many for the low season, were out
enjoying their water and lots of day tourists were out and about with guides
learning about the town and its miracle cures. I met two young students from Wisconsin
who are studying abroad in Prague for the semester and came down for the day.
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| Forrest Devotion in the Spa Woods |
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| Forrest Devotion in the Spa Woods Original Alter late 1800's |
And then off I went up the hills in the spa woods to some exquisite
places of natural beauty and came upon the Forrest Devotion or Lesní Pobožnost
in Czech. “It was in the late eighteen hundreds originally a simple holy image
of the Virgin Mary, which someone apparently hung as an expression of humility
and gratitude for their successful cure to one of the trees under Russell Rock
(Russelsitze) at the end of the valley in the spa woods west of downtown
Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad). The image hung at the end of an avenue of old beech
trees and the Austrian Empress Elisabeth, known as Sissi who came for treatments
to Karlovy Vary in June and July 1892 used to go there. Other images were gradually
added to that of the Virgin Mary including saints and a simple wooden altar
with kneelers. In the spring of 1990 affected by storm and apparently broken yews
trees and subsequently unknown vandal damaged to the altar and to the historically
valuable picture of the Virgin Mary it required refurbishment and fortunately both
Carlsbad citizens and various institutions including the monthly magazine
publisher promenade, Jitka Kulhánková rushed financial support. It’s gradually
become a popular destination for walks during Christmas and Carlsbad citizens bring
food for the wildlife around. On top of the altar is a wooden cross with Christ
Crucified and in front of the altar is a stone paved area with kneelers and an altar
accompanied by benches and a small pond with an artificial waterfall.”
Here is a picture I took today with the snow covering it and
also a picture I found online of the original shrine in the late 1800’s.
The hike was incredible and lots of others were out and
about including an older women alone, some couples walking hand in hand, a few
dogs out with their parents (one who you can see from my picture came running
up to play with me along the path,) a couple with a stroller (I won’t even ask
how they got it up on the trails all covered in snow,) some kids out with their
parents enjoying the sun and snow and even a cross country skier who I’m amazed
can do it going up a hill. I only thought you did cross country skiing on flat
lands. There was even a dad and his son out on a huge ski mobile type
contraption with massive back wheels.
After a quick lunch when I got back to town I headed to my
hotel to change and go to the public pool at the Castle Colonnade where I spent
an incredible 3 hours relaxing my muscles from the hike, having two treatments
that were included in the entrance fee, a 15 minute back and head massage and a
15 minute rest in the inhalation room (which is like a cave with pumped oxygen
and other healing gases.)
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| Snow on a fur tree it looked like a face to me |
And by 6:30pm when I arrived back to my hotel room I was
pooped as you can imagine. The air here is so clean and fresh and all that
walking and then hours in the warm mineral water swimming pool my body is just
ready for bed. But I am here to get in shape and lose weight so I must get
myself out there every day and walk, walk, walk and do the drinking cure and
treatments and really make the best of this amazing experience
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| Dog running up to me to play |
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| Mineral Water Fountain on one of the hiking trails. |
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| Cross Country Skier in the back ground just before she heads up a steep hill |
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| Mermaid sculpture in a park just below the Spa Woods. I don't think she's related to the Copenhagen and Warsaw mermaid sisters as this one is a frog. It's across from a very progressive playground |
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| Father and son zooming along the hiking trail on their supped up ski mobile |
But first, after breakfast, I went to mass at the Roman
Catholic Cathedral of St. Mary Magdalene which is located in the very heart of
the Karlovy Vary and only a minute or two walk from my hotel. “The church bears
the hallmarks of the High Baroque architecture and it is one of the most
important Baroque monuments not only in Karlovy Vary, but in the entire Czech
Republic. It was built in 1737 on the site of the former Gothic church. Its
interior is decorated with a precious altarpiece, Baroque Eucharist sculptures,
Gothic Madonna and other decorations. The church can be viewed during worships,
which the church of St. Mary Magdalene conducts every day.”
And then off I went up the hills in the spa woods to some exquisite
places of natural beauty and came upon the Forrest Devotion or Lesní Pobožnost
in Czech. “It was in the late eighteen hundreds originally a simple holy image
of the Virgin Mary, which someone apparently hung as an expression of humility
and gratitude for their successful cure to one of the trees under Russell Rock
(Russelsitze) at the end of the valley in the spa woods west of downtown
Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad). The image hung at the end of an avenue of old beech
trees and the Austrian Empress Elisabeth, known as Sissi who came for treatments
to Karlovy Vary in June and July 1892 used to go there. Other images were gradually
added to that of the Virgin Mary including saints and a simple wooden altar
with kneelers. In the spring of 1990 affected by storm and apparently broken yews
trees and subsequently unknown vandal damaged to the altar and to the historically
valuable picture of the Virgin Mary it required refurbishment and fortunately both
Carlsbad citizens and various institutions including the monthly magazine
publisher promenade, Jitka Kulhánková rushed financial support. It’s gradually
become a popular destination for walks during Christmas and Carlsbad citizens bring
food for the wildlife around. On top of the altar is a wooden cross with Christ
Crucified and in front of the altar is a stone paved area with kneelers and an altar
accompanied by benches and a small pond with an artificial waterfall.”
The hike was incredible and lots of others were out and
about including an older women alone, some couples walking hand in hand, a few
dogs out with their parents (one who you can see from my picture came running
up to play with me along the path,) a couple with a stroller (I won’t even ask
how they got it up on the trails all covered in snow,) some kids out with their
parents enjoying the sun and snow and even a cross country skier who I’m amazed
can do it going up a hill. I only thought you did cross country skiing on flat
lands. There was even a dad and his son out on a huge ski mobile type
contraption with massive back wheels.
