Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary
Karlsbad
Aerial view of Karlovy Vary
Aerial view of Karlovy Vary
Flag of Karlovy Vary
Coat of arms of Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary is located in Czech Republic
Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 50°13′50″N 12°52′21″E / 50.23056°N 12.87250°E / 50.23056; 12.87250
Country Czech Republic
RegionKarlovy Vary
DistrictKarlovy Vary
Founded around1349
Government
 • MayorAndrea Pfeffer Ferklová (ANO)
Area
 • Total59.08 km2 (22.81 sq mi)
Elevation
447 m (1,467 ft)
Population
 (2024-01-01)[1]
 • Total49,353
 • Density840/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal codes
360 01, 360 06, 360 07,
360 17, 360 18, 364 64
Websitewww.karlovyvary.cz
Part ofThe Great Spa Towns of Europe
CriteriaCultural: (ii)(iii)
Reference1613
Inscription2021 (44th Session)

Karlovy Vary (Czech pronunciation: [ˈkarlovɪ ˈvarɪ] ; German: Karlsbad, formerly also spelled Carlsbad in English) is a spa city in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 49,000 inhabitants. It is located at the confluence of the Ohře and Teplá rivers.

Karlovy Vary is named after Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and the King of Bohemia, who founded the city in the 14th century. The site of numerous hot springs, the city grew into a spa resort in the 19th century and was a popular destination for the European aristocracy and other luminaries. Karlovy Vary's rapid growth was brought to an end by the outbreak of World War I. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, Karlovy Vary once again became a major tourist destination.

Karlovy Vary is the most visited spa town in the Czech Republic. It is the largest spa complex in Europe. In 2021, the city became part of the transnational UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name "Great Spa Towns of Europe" because of its spas and architecture from the 18th through 20th centuries. The historic city centre with the spa cultural landscape is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument reservation.

  1. ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024". Czech Statistical Office. 17 May 2024.