Arbour “By the Picture”

Location: On a hill north-east of the spa centre of Karlovy Vary
Period of construction: 1894
Architect: Unknown
Official opening: 1894
Accessibility: Freely accessible

How to get there

Route 1: You may get to the arbour from the centre of Karlovy Vary if you walk for about 3.4 kilometres along the Cesta přátelství (Friendship Path) through the picturesque spa woods, following the blue-marked tourist path from Grandhotel Pupp past the Diana Observation Tower. To make your walk shorter, take the funicular to Diana.

Route 2: If you decide for the second route, travel to the terminal stop in Doubí by Bus No. 6, and walk up the blue tourist path for about 2 kilometres to the former Saint Linhart Café. Then continue for another kilometre following the Friendship Path to the arbour. Parking for passenger vehicles may be found in the vicinity.

History of the structure

The richly decorated wooden arbour for excursionists was built at the busy crossroads in the spa woods south-west of Karlovy Vary upon the order of the Town Council in 1894. A holy picture of the Virgin Mary used to hang on one of the trees near the crossroads of forest paths. The following year, however, the tree was badly damaged in a storm; therefore, a new Pseudo-Gothic niche chapel was built in its place in 1900, in the form of stylized altar of white marble.

Following its complete reconstruction in 2009, the large, richly decorated wooden arbour offers spa guests a nice resting spot during their walks through the Karlovy Vary woods. Besides the small chapel, there is also a stone bench for you to sit on by Karlovy Vary sculptor Hugo Uher in the close proximity of the arbour.