Bellevue

Bellevue Gazebo (Altán Bellevue) is a wooden, columned pavilion in Karlovy Vary, standing on a hill northeast of the town's spa center. It's a quiet spot with benches, popular with walkers looking for a short break away from the busy colonnades below.

Why does the hill have such a grim history?

The pavilion sits on a hill once known as Gallows Hill (Czech: Šibeniční vrch, German: Galgenberg) — and the name wasn't chosen at random. From December 1593, when Karlovy Vary was granted the right of capital jurisdiction by Emperor Rudolf II, the town's gallows stood on this very spot. Executions continued here until capital punishment was abolished in the town in 1786. It was only decades later, in the autumn of 1834, that a wooden gazebo in an antique-inspired style — with columns echoing classical architecture — was built on what was by then a cleared hilltop.

How do you get to the Bellevue Gazebo?

From the spa center, a walking route of roughly 1 kilometer leads to the gazebo, taking around 20 minutes on foot. The path runs along Vřídelní and Ondřejská streets, heading toward the trail to the Drahovice district. For visitors who'd rather skip most of the climb, public transport is an option too: city buses number 10 and 15 stop at Havlíčkova, from where only a short uphill walk along Máchova street remains to reach the pavilion.

What will you actually see there?

The gazebo itself is modest — a small wooden pavilion resting on columns, now surrounded by tall trees. Over the decades, that tree growth has largely blocked the view that originally gave the pavilion its French name, "Bellevue," meaning "beautiful view." Even so, it remains a pleasant stop along a walking route: there are benches to rest on in the shade before continuing the walk. Nearby stands a Baroque statue of the Madonna, worth a quick look while you're there.

The structure visitors see today isn't the original from 1834. That first pavilion had deteriorated so badly that it was torn down and rebuilt on June 15, 1885. The most recent thorough restoration took place in 2009, preserving the gazebo's historic, antique-style character.

When is the best time to visit?

The site is open year-round and free to enter, so timing mostly comes down to weather and personal preference for walking. In spring and summer, the trees around the gazebo are in full leaf; in autumn and winter, once the leaves fall, a bit more of the original outlook over the surroundings becomes visible again.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee for the Bellevue Gazebo? No, the site is open to the public and free to visit all year round.

How long does it take to walk there from central Karlovy Vary? The walking route is about 1 kilometer and takes roughly 20 minutes.

Can you reach it by public transport? Yes, bus lines 10 and 15 stop at Havlíčkova, followed by a short climb up Máchova street.

Does the gazebo still offer a view over the town? Today the view is largely blocked by tall trees that have grown up around the pavilion over the years.