Koňský pramen

Koňský pramen is a small but geologically significant nature reserve near Mariánské Lázně, protecting natural outflows of acidic mineral water. It lies in the Cheb district, roughly 5.5 km from the spa town center, in the valley of the Chotěnovský stream. The site has been managed since 1996 as a natural monument (přírodní památka) by the Nature and Landscape Protection Agency of the Czech Republic, specifically the administration of the Slavkovský les Protected Landscape Area.

What does the reserve protect?

The main reason for protection is the natural seepage of carbonated acidic mineral water, rich mainly in magnesium and iron compounds. The spring itself produces cold, weakly mineralized water of the calcium-magnesium bicarbonate type, with a temperature of around 8°C and a pH of approximately 5.3 — distinctly acidic. Springs of this kind, locally known as kyselky, are typical of the wider region stretching from the Sokolov basin through Karlovy Vary to Mariánské Lázně, where ancient volcanic activity left behind underground fissure systems that still channel carbon dioxide into groundwater today.

Where does the name come from?

The name Koňský pramen — literally "Horse Spring" — also known as Koňská kyselka or, in German, Pferdesauerling, comes from a local legend. According to the story, a team of horses drowned in a nearby bog during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). This kind of folk tale is common across the Slavkovský les region, and it gave the spring the evocative name it still carries nearly four centuries later.

Regional context

Mariánské Lázně is one of the most famous Czech spa towns, celebrated for dozens of mineral springs used for drinking cures and balneological treatment. Koňský pramen, unlike the springs found in the town's colonnades and center, is not commercially developed — it remains a natural, untouched example of the same geological phenomenon that made the region renowned. Visiting such an undeveloped outflow offers insight into the natural processes behind the area's celebrated therapeutic waters.

Who is it for?

The reserve mainly appeals to visitors interested in nature, geology, and regional history who want to see a mineral spring in its raw, unmodified setting, away from the bustle of the spa town center. Set in a stream valley surrounded by meadows and pastures, it's well suited to a quiet walk, especially when combined with other stops within the Slavkovský les Protected Landscape Area.

Frequently asked questions

Can you drink the water from Koňský pramen? The spring is a natural feature and is not officially developed for drinking cures the way springs in the town center are, so caution and any on-site signage should be followed before consuming the water.

How far is Koňský pramen from the center of Mariánské Lázně? It lies about 5.5 kilometers from town, in the valley of the Chotěnovský stream.

Since when has the area been protected? The site was designated a natural monument in 1996 and remains under the administration of the Nature and Landscape Protection Agency's Slavkovský les office.

Where does the spring's name come from? It refers to a legend about a team of horses that drowned in a nearby bog during the Thirty Years' War.