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On 14 August 1370, Emperor Charles IV granted Karlovy Vary royal town privileges, known as the "Loket Town Rights" inspired by the nearby town of Loket. Charles IV stayed in the town in 1370, 1374 and 1376.
On 6 July 1401, King Wenceslas IV confirmed all town privileges to Karlovy Vary, and in addition to them, granted the town the rare right of asylum and the status of an open town without fortification. The spa town special position was strengthened by the privilege of peace and ban on carrying weapons in the town.
After heavy spring rains, water from ponds on the Teplá River burst their dams and caused a disastrous flood on 9 May 1582. The tidal wave wreaked havoc in the town. 36 out of the total of 102 houses were destroyed completely, 18 partially, and all bridges were swept away. Bochov playwright and poet Clemens Steffani published a detailed versed work inspired by the flood.
The most destructive disaster of all times the great fire of the spa-town that brok out on the unfortunate Friday of 13th August 1604. In those days the tow had only 102 houses. The fire consumed 99 of them so only 3 houses remained.
During the Thirty Year War, Swedes plundered the spa town. The war looting and burning of towns and villages by moving troops was taking place throughout the region. Another pillaging of Karlovy Vary by the Sweden troops happened in 1645 and 1646.
On 13 December 1707, Emperor Joseph I confirmed all town privileges, and unequivocally named Karlovy Vary a free royal town.
Russian Tsar Peter I the Great stayed in Karlovy Vary in 1711 and 1712. Here he became famous for his manual dexterity. He helped masons build the house "U páva" (At the Peacock) opposite the Petr House, and forged a horseshoe and an iron bar with his own hands in a blacksmith's shop in Březová. Memorial plaques commemorate both events.
The last execution in Karlovy Vary took place. The local municipal execution site with gallows used to stand on a rock promontory on Šibeniční (Gallows) Hill, in place of today's Bellevue Gazebo.
On 23 May 1759, an extensive fire hit the town. It broke out in the House at the Three Moors in Tržiště (Market) Street. The fire destroyed 224 houses, including the Castle Tower and the former Karlovy Vary town hall.
Based on a court decree from 29 March 1769, Karlovy Vary began to produce thermal salt according to the procedure of Karlovy Vary Hippocrates, physician David Becher. They used to get the salt through thermal evaporation of water from shallow copper pans.
Johann Wolfgang Goethe, German poet, visited Karlovy Vary for the first time on 5 July 1785. The renowned poet, who loved the region here, visited the spa town thirteen times, in 1823 for the last time. In memory of Goethe's spa stays, his bust was unveiled in the town in 1883.
Pharmacist Josef Vitus Becher began his production of the famous Karlovy Vary gastric liquor known as Becherovka. He acquired the original recipe from Christian Frobrig, the personal physician of English Prince Maxmillian Friedrich von Plettenberg in 1805.
On 19 September 1870, the railway between Karlovy Vary and Cheb opened. Karlovy Vary has connected to the European railway network, which resulted in a rapid increase in numbers of spa guests and the town impressive economic growth. The following year, the “Buštěhrad Railway” was put into operation between Karlovy Vary and Prague.
The worst flood in the history of Karlovy Vary hit the town on 24 November 1890, and caused it severe damage. Over 400 shops and over 200 houses were seriously damaged: many of them had to be torn down. The then very popular mayor of the town, Edward Knoll, died during the rescue work.
Karlovy Vary is absolutely unique in the number of curative hot springs in the world.
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