Bust of Václav Skalník

The Bust of Václav Skalník stands in the park along Hlavní třída in Mariánské Lázně, on ground that Skalník himself laid out nearly two centuries earlier. It's a modest but meaningful tribute to the man who gave this spa town its shape.

Who was Václav Skalník?

Václav Skalník was born in Prague in 1776 and died in Mariánské Lázně in 1861. He worked as a landscape gardener and botanist, having studied in England, France and Vienna, where he absorbed the principles of landscape park design. From 1818 onward, he led the systematic development of Mariánské Lázně, drawing up a plan that turned marshy ground into a park — and the town's entire street layout grew around it over time. It was Skalník's idea of greenery as the town's central axis that shaped the spa as it looks today.

Where does the bust stand?

The sculpture is set in the park running along Hlavní třída, the main avenue of Mariánské Lázně, in the Cheb district of the Karlovy Vary Region. Its approximate coordinates are 49.975956, 12.703489. The bust rests on a raised stone pedestal, making it clearly visible to visitors walking through the park — one of the town centre's main green spaces, and one Skalník himself designed.

Who created the monument?

The bust was created by Josef Bezděk (1906–1971), a sculptor connected to Karlovy Vary. The design dates from 1957, and the finished monument was unveiled in 1962, roughly a century after Skalník's death. It is carved from trachyte, a hard volcanic rock, and set on a taller sandstone base. Skalník's descendants took part in the unveiling, giving the ceremony a personal, local character.

Why stop here?

The bust sits at a natural crossing point between history and an everyday walk through town — the park along Hlavní třída is one of the most visited parts of Mariánské Lázně, and the monument works as a landmark on the route between the colonnade and the spa's centre. For anyone curious about the town's history, it also puts a face to the man responsible for the parks and avenues still used by everyone exploring the spa today.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Václav Skalník? A landscape gardener and botanist (1776–1861) who designed the park and urban layout of Mariánské Lázně, beginning systematic work on the spa in 1818.

When was the bust made, and who designed it? It was designed in 1957 and unveiled in 1962. The sculptor was Josef Bezděk of Karlovy Vary.

What is the monument made of? The bust is carved from trachyte and stands on a raised sandstone pedestal.

Where exactly is the bust located? In the park along Hlavní třída in Mariánské Lázně, near the town centre, at approximately 49.975956, 12.703489.