Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary (kär`lôvĭ vä`rĭ), Ger. Karlsbad, city (1991 pop. 56,222), NW Czech Republic, in Bohemia, at the confluence of the Teplá and Ohře rivers. A famous health resort, Karlovy Vary is one of the best-known spas of Europe; its hot mineral water is taken particularly for digestive diseases. The medicinal springs, known for centuries, attracted European aristocrats until World War I. Karlovy Vary is also noted for its china, glass, and porcelain industries. The city was chartered in the 14th cent. by Emperor Charles IV, who is said to have discovered its springs.

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Karlovy Vary

 German Karlsbad or Carlsbad

City (pop., 2001 prelim.: 53,857), western Czech Republic. A health resort with sulfur springs, it was developed in 1358 by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. The Carlsbad Decrees were drawn up there in 1819.

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Karlovy Vary

a city in the W Czech Republic, at the confluence of the Tepla and Ohre Rivers: warm mineral springs. Pop.: 56 290 (1991)

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Karlovy Vary 

(named for the Czech king Karl I and vary, “hot springs”), Karlsbad, a city in Czechoslovakia, in the West Czech region of the Czech Socialist Republic, located in a valley (altitude, 380 m) at the point of intersection of the Ohfe River with the Teplá. Population, 45, 000 (1970).

The porcelain industry is developed in the suburbs of Karlovy Vary. The city itself is the site of an international film festival, which has been held every two years since 1950. Karlovy Vary, 120 km west of Prague, is chiefly famous as a balneological health resort, whose waters are used both for bathing and (more important) for drinking. The resort was founded sometime between 1347 and 1358. The climate is moderately moist. The summers are warm, with an average July temperature of 17.3°C, the winters are very mild with an average January temperature of — 2°C. The area receives about 620 mm of precipitation annually. The curative agents at the resort are supplied by 12 carbonated hot springs (sodium sulfate hydrocarbonate), the water temperature varying from 41.2° to 72.2°C. The waters are used for bathing, sprinkling, inhalation, enemas, drinking, and bottling. Treatments with peat and mud are also given. The chemical makeup of the water of the largest spring, the Vfidlo (Sprudel) geyser, is as follows:

It is from this spring that Karlovy Vary salt is extracted. Persons suffering from disorders of the liver, biliary and gastrointestinal tracts, metabolism, and urinary system are treated. Sanatoriums and boardinghouses are available for visitors.

REFERENCE

Borisov, A. D. Vazhneishie kurorty sotsialisticheskikh stran Evropy. Mos-cow, 1967.

L. G. GOL’DFAIL’