Market Colonnade

Location: On the left bank of the Teplá River in the historical centre of Karlovy Vary
Period of construction: Between 1882 and 1883
Architect: Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer
Official opening: 1883
Springs: Pramen Karlav IV. (Charles IV Spring), Dolní zámecký pramen (Lower Castle Spring) and Tržní pramen (Market Spring)
Accessibility: Freely accessible

How to get there

Route 1: You may reach the Market Colonnade if you walk from the Hot Spring in the spa centre across Jánský most (Jánský Bridge) to Tržiště (Market) Street. The spring seeps are located inside the promenade hall of the Market Colonnade. This short walk is approximately 200 metres long and takes about 5 minutes.

Route 2: If you decide for the second route, travel by Bus No. 2 from the "Tržnice" (Market) city bus terminal to the "Divadelní náměstí" (Theatre Square) terminal stop. From there, follow Route 1 to Tržiště (Market) Street and to the colonnade.

History of the structure

The seep of the mineral spring located in the historical Tržiště (Market) below Zámecká věž (Castle Tower), which is known as the Charles IV Spring, was originally called Žrout (Glutton) and according to legend, Emperor Charles IV himself healed is ailing limbs with its waters. The oldest baths in Karlovy Vary once stood on this site. The spring seeps were originally protected by a simple columnar arbour and a short promenade hall.

The current richly carved wooden colonnade was built in Swiss style on the site of the old Town Hall according to the design of famous Viennese architects Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer between the years 1882 and 1879. The own construction of the colonnade, intended as a temporary structure, was commissioned to master carpenter Oesterreicher from Vienna. During 1904 and 1905, the colonnade was prolonged to cover the seep of the Market Spring based on the design of the Director of the Municipal Building Office, Franz Drobny.

Inside the Market Colonnade, you may find the seeps of three mineral springs: the Charles IV Spring, the Lower Castle Spring, and the Market Spring.