Statue of Charles IV

Location: At the forefront of the Municipal Library in I. P. Pavlova (I.P. Pavlov) Street in the centre of Karlovy Vary
Year of creation: 1739
Author: Unknown
Date of unveiling: 1739
Accessibility: Freely accessible

How to get there

Route 1: You may reach the Municipal Library if you walk from the Hot Spring in the city centre along the right bank of the Teplá River through Vřídelní (Hot Spring) Street and I. P. Pavlova (I. P. Pavlov) Street. The short walk through the spa centre is approximately 800 metres long and takes about 15 minutes.

Route 2: If you decide for the second route, travel by Bus No. 1 or Bus No. 4 from the "Tržnice" (Market) city bus terminal  to the "Lázně III" (Spa III) terminal stop. From there, walk back about 100 metres to the main entrance of the Municipal Library.

History of the monument

The Baroque statue of the founder of Karlovy Vary, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia Charles IV, was created by an unknown sculptor in 1739 and it was donated to the town by Appellation Counsel von Schuppig as an expression of his gratitude for his successful treatment. The statue was originally installed on a high pedestal at the corner of the Renaissance building of the Old Town Hall in Tržiště (Market) Street.

In 1936, the statue was relocated to the forefront of the Municipal Library in I. P. Pavlova (I.P. Pavlov) Street. The Baroque sandstone statue portrays Emperor Charles IV with his typical attributes of dignity and with two books symbolising the legal and statutory foundation of Karlovy Vary. Below the statue you may admire a richly profiled cartouche with a relief depicting the legend of the foundation of the spa town.