There are several spa towns in the Czech Republic. For centuries, visitors have flocked to them to “take the waters.” Since the mid-14th century, many chose to go to Karlovy Vary for the cure. They still arrive annually. There are more than 70 mineral springs in this city. Some are for private spa treatments only; others are open to the public.
Among the more renowned springs is the Hot Spring (Vřídlo ) – the Geyser. This is the largest of the area’s springs, capable of shooting water 15m (49’) into the air. It sits within the glass structure or Hot Spring Colonnade (Vřídlelini Kolonáda). It shares the colonnade with several other springs. The structure only dates from 1974. It is bare bones communist functionalism. You can taste samples from the spring under the Colonnade. This structure, during communist rule, held the statue of the Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. It now resides at the Karlovy Vary airport.