Františkovy Lázně is a small, beautiful spa town of 5,500 people (2019) in the Cheb district in West Bohemia. It is a short journey from Cheb and Mariánské Lázně. The core of the spa town has Classicist, Empire and Historicist buildings.

Understand

The three spa towns in West Bohemia – Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně – are known as the West Bohemian Spa Triangle. Františkovy Lázně was founded in 1793. The name is pronounced "frantɪʃkɔvɪ laːzɲɛː".

History

The salutary effects of the surrounding springs were known from the late 14th century on. The physician Georgius Agricola (1494–1555) mentioned the mineral water available to Eger citizens. About 1705, an inn was erected at the site of a mineral spring later known as Franzensquelle.

In 1793, the town was founded under the name Kaiser Franzensdorf, after Emperor Francis II (German: Franz II), and later renamed Franzensbad, under which name it became a famous spa (Bad). The spa was founded by Eger-based doctor Bernhard Adler (1753–1810). He promoted the expansion of spa facilities and the accommodation for those seeking healing and promoted the transformation of the swampy moorland with paths and footbridges to well-known sources.

The town council of Eger made the extension of Franzensbad as a health resort possible. The result was an extensive recreation area, with easy access from the city of Cheb. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was one of the most famous guests in the early days; his visits to Franzensbad with Johannes Urzidil were extensively reported in the book Goethe in Böhmen (1932). Another famous visitor was Ludwig van Beethoven, who was accompanied by Antonia Brentano and her family.

During the 19th century, patients included numerous aristocrats, especially Russian nobles, and at the same time widely known doctors bolstered the reputation of Franzensbad as a therapeutic resort. A public spa house was built in 1827. After World War I, the town's reputation began to fade. Then part of the new state of Czechoslovakia, the spa lost much of its patronage and was hit hard by the Great Depression of 1929.

After World War II, the German-speaking population was expelled under the Beneš decrees; many of them settled in Bayreuth in the German state of Bavaria. The spa, renamed Františkovy Lázně in Czech, was nationalized under the rule of the Communist Party. After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, a stock company was established to revive the status of Františkovy Lázně as a venue for international guests.

Spa

The local natural mineral water has a relatively high content of dissolved carbon dioxide. The effects of the carbonic baths are shown in the better performance of the cardiovascular system, in the mild decrease of blood pressure in the pulse, in the lower occurrence of chronic inflammatory processes in the body, and also in terms of rheumatics, and in the improved blood circulation in tissues and the vegetative stabilisation.

The local mud treatments represent a traditional curative method which has thermal, chemical and mechanical effects. The mud treatment consists of a thick mushy combination of mud and mineral water which is heated up to a temperature which is significantly higher than body temperature. The treatment has a positive effect on mobility of muscles and pain.

Get in

By train

See also: Rail travel in the Czech Republic

• 1 Františkovy Lázně Nádraži. from Prague, the SuperCity Pendolino is direct and terminates here. It is about every two hours on working days. Journey time: 2 hr 47 min. Base fare: 343 Kč. Discounts for groups and advance booking on the eshop of České dráhy. 

Get around

On foot

In the centre, especially in the historic part of the town, everything is easily accessible on foot.

See

[3] late Classical style buildings

• 1 Ruská. The main boulevard near the colonnade. 
• 2 Building of Glauber Springs (Glauberový pramen). 
• 3 New Colonnade with Gas Bath House. The colonnade houses several small shops. 
• 4 Meteorological column (Meteorologický sloup), náměstí Míru. 
• 5 Social House (INGO Casino), Národní 1. 
• 6 Theater Bozena Nemcova (Divadlo Boženy Němcové), Ruská 102. 
• 7 Forest Park (Lesopark). 
• 8 Small Chateau Lookout (Rozhledna Zámeček). 

Do

• 1 Aquaforum, 5. května 19, ☏ +420 354 206 500. 09:00 - 21:00. The complex Aquaforum is relaxing, swimming, children's and outdoor pool, indoor and outdoor whirlpool, water wall massage, air massage benches, water cave, pearl air, the air tube chairs. 130 Kč for two hours. 
• 2 Miniature golf. 13:00 - 18:00. Season: May - September. 60 Kč. 
• 3 INGO Casino AG, ☏ +420 354 500 000. 15:00 - 04:00. The casino offers games such as Roulette, Caribbean Poker, Black Jack and slot machines. 

Buy

• 1 LIDL. 08:00 - 20:00. Only discounter in the city. 

Eat and drink

• 1 Rybářská bašta, Dlouhá 1, ☏ +420 354 542 964. 11:00 - 22:00. Fish speciality restaurant. 
• 2 Česká restaurace, Americká 66/39, ☏ +420 773 253 471. 11:00 - 22:00. 
• 3 Grollhaus, Husova 129, ☏ +420 354 542 877. 18:00 - 24:00. Brewing restaurant. 
• 4 Country Saloon Bažina, Americká 10, ☏ +420 723 128 542. 11:00 - 23:00. In the evening, live music. 
• 5 Restaurant Selska Jizba, Jiráskova 21/7, ☏ +420 354 204 250. 11:00 - 22:00. In the evening, live music. 

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Guesthouse U DUBU (Pension U DUBU), Americká 65, ☏ +420 354 542 749. This guest house offers 2 singles, 9 doubles and 2 triples. 

Mid-range

• 2 Wellness Hotel Bohemia, Klostermannova 92, ☏ +420 354 403 811. This hotel offers 28 rooms and 1 luxury apartment. 

Splurge

• 3 Spa hotel Imperial (Lázeňský hotel Imperial), Dr. Pohoreckého 3, ☏ +420 354 208 900. This 4-star spa hotel offers 10 single, 35 double rooms and 4 suites. 

Connect

Local telephone code is 354. There are some restaurants with Free WiFi.

Go next

West Bohemian Spa Triangle

• Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) – historic spa resort
• Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad) – historic spa resort