Sady Karla IV.

Sady Karla IV. (Charles IV Park) is a municipal park in Karlovy Vary that opens up directly in front of the Imperial Spa (Císařské lázně), a pseudo-Renaissance building put up between 1893 and 1895 to a design by the Viennese architects Fellner and Helmer. The park sits in the southern part of the spa district, bordered by the spa building, Mariánskolázeňská street, and the right bank of the Teplá river. For years it stayed a quiet, overlooked patch of green — but recent restoration tied to the Imperial Spa's own renovation is giving it fresh purpose.

Why is the park named after Charles IV?

The park was laid out in 1895, alongside the construction of the Imperial Spa, and was conceived from the start as the setting for a monument to the ruler the town's name honors. In 1955 a statue of Charles IV was unveiled here, the work of Prague academic sculptor Otakar Švec — a sandstone figure showing the ruler crowned, holding a scepter and a model of a town, raised on a tall, tiered pedestal decorated with a relief of the Karlovy Vary coat of arms. According to local legend, it was Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia, who discovered the town's hot springs while out hunting, giving rise to the spa itself.

What is the park like today?

The park was meant to be a showpiece for the spa town — a green forecourt underlining the status of the Imperial Spa and reminding visiting guests of the town's history. For a long stretch, though, it sat on the margins of spa guests' attention, only sporadically visited and somewhat neglected. That is changing with the revitalization carried out as part of the wider Divadelní korzo (Theatre Promenade) redevelopment project, in which Sady Karla IV. was the first section to be renewed. The goal was to turn the park into a visual gateway leading up to the newly restored Imperial Spa, a building now protected as a National Cultural Monument. The works included replacing trees in poor condition with new plantings, timed so the park would look refreshed for the start of the next spa season.

How do you get to Sady Karla IV.?

The park is an easy walk from the heart of the spa district. From the Hot Spring Colonnade (Vřídlo), follow the Teplá river past the Grandhotel Pupp and continue on to the Imperial Spa — the park's greenery unfolds right in front of it. Entry is free and unrestricted at any time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the statue in the park? It is a sandstone monument to Emperor Charles IV from 1955, created by sculptor Otakar Švec. It shows the crowned ruler holding a scepter and a model of a town, set on a pedestal decorated with a relief of the Karlovy Vary coat of arms.

Why is the park named after Charles IV? Because he is credited, by local legend, with discovering the hot springs that gave rise to the spa town, and the town itself carries his name.

What building stands right next to the park? The pseudo-Renaissance Imperial Spa (Císařské lázně), built 1893–1895 by Viennese architects Fellner and Helmer, now a protected monument undergoing renovation.

Has the park been renovated recently? Yes — as part of the Divadelní korzo revitalization, the park was renewed to serve as a gateway to the Imperial Spa, with some old, poorly conditioned trees replaced by new plantings.

Is there an entrance fee? No, it is a freely accessible public park with no admission charge.