History of Františkovy Lázně

The local mineral springs have been known since the Middle Ages. In 1793, the Village of Emperor Francis was founded on this site. From a small rural spa it quickly grew into one of the most sought-after spas in Europe. Among the most prominent visitors were Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Strauss and Johann Wolfgang Goethe, who described these greenery-filled baths as one of the most beautiful places in the heart of Europe. In 1865 Františkovy Lázně was elevated to a town.

The spa reached its greatest prosperity and fame before the First World War. After 1948 all spa buildings were nationalized and turned into a state sanatorium for working people. After the political changes, Františkovy Lázně was declared an urban heritage reserve in 1992, and extensive renovations of spa houses and the historic town center began. Today Františkovy Lázně, together with Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Lázně, forms the so-called West Bohemian Spa Triangle, one of the most attractive tourist areas in the Czech Republic.

Sights of Františkovy Lázně

The town’s most famous mineral spring is the František Spring, rising in a neoclassical pavilion by Josef Esch from 1831. Other notable spa buildings include the pseudo-classical Colonnade with Gas Baths by Gustav Wiedermann (1912) and the Glauber Springs Hall from 1930. The spa, surrounded by beautiful town gardens and parks, is complemented by additional colonnades and pavilions, numerous spa houses, a theater and monuments to famous visitors. The historic center still preserves the character of a world-class spa of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The symbol of Františkovy Lázně is the popular sculpture of a seated boy holding a fish, created in the 1920s by Cheb sculptor Karl Mayerl. According to tradition, a woman who touches the statue of František in the right spot will become pregnant within a year. In addition to treatments for the musculoskeletal system, heart and vascular diseases, and post-cancer care, the spa also treats infertility and other women’s ailments.

Františkovy Lázně offers visitors countless opportunities for cultural, sporting and relaxing activities. In the town and surrounding area you will find a theater, a museum, tennis courts, golf courses, riding stables, swimming pools and wellness centers. The spa town lies at the crossroads of marked hiking trails and cycling routes, inviting trips into the surrounding beautiful nature rich in historical landmarks and natural attractions.

How to get there

The small spa town of Františkovy Lázně is located 48 km from Karlovy Vary. You can travel by train from Horní Nádraží station with a change in Cheb; the trip takes about one and a half hours. Intercity buses also run from Dolní Nádraží. If you go by bike, follow the main cycle route No. 6 along the Ohře River through Loket, Sokolov and Kynšperk nad Ohří, turning off in the village of Tršnice to Františkovy Lázně. This pleasant route is 57 km long and takes about three and a half hours. By car, take the D6 expressway toward Cheb and exit at kilometer 169, then follow the local road into town.