Skalník Park

Location: Above the Mill Colonnade in the spa centre of Karlovy Vary
Date of foundation: Between 1830 and 1831
Architect: Václav Skalník
Official opening: 15 May 1831
Accessibility: Freely accessible

How to get there

Route 1: You may reach Skalník Park if you start from the Hot Spring in the spa centre and walk along the left bank of the Teplá River past the Mill Colonnade all the way to Lázně III (Spa III). Climb up the stairs leading along  the arbour of the Freedom Spring directly to the park. The short walk through the town centre is about 600 metres long and it will take you about ten minutes.

Route 2: The second alternative is to take Bus No. 1 or Bus No. 4  from the "Tržnice" (Market) city bus terminal to the "Lázně III" (Spa III) terminal stop. From there, continue for about 200 metres across Lázeňský most (Spa Bridge) over the Teplá River along Mlýnské nábřeží (Mill Embankment) and past Spa III to the park.

History of the site

The oldest municipal park in the spa town was designed by Viennese artistic gardener Václav Skalník, who came to Karlovy Vary from Mariánské Lázně in 1830. The park by the New Spring Colonnade and the Pavilion of the Theresa Spring was completed in 1831. Various plants, such as four species of maple, red horse chestnuts, fruit trees, pipe trees, and honeysuckles had grown in the park then, along with 100 alpines and 210 roses. A pond with a fountain could be found on the park grounds. The maintenance of the park was assigned to artistic gardener Jan Hahmann, who had been already in charge of the maintenance of park and woodland promenades, as well as floral decorations around the Hot Spring. At the end of the 19^th century, a part of the park grounds  were taken by the new stone Mill Colonnade, built between 1871 and 1881.

Situated on a slope above the Mill Colonnade, Skalník Park offers a one of a kind, unobstructed view of the spa centre on the banks of the Teplá River. You may also admire the Column of the Dukes of Cambridge from 1834 and the Baroque statue of Saint Bernard from 1706, located at the top of Bernardova skála (Bernard's Rock).