Exhibition

© Dominik Erban

Karlovy Vary heritage

Discover the pillars on which the spa town stands: The new interactive exhibition “Karlsbad Heritage” in the Castle Tower will draw you into the story

Do you know what makes Karlovy Vary truly world-class? These are the key pillars that have earned us, along with 10 other spa towns in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The new interactive exhibition in the Castle Tower invites you to discover and understand these foundations in a fun way – through play, modern technology and your own senses.

Play – there is “Karlsbad Heritage” in the pot

Forget boring showcases and long texts. Nine interactive elements await you in the historic spaces of the tower, which will make you perceive the world around you with all your senses. Your task is to go through all the stations and understand for yourself what makes our city unique. If you collect all the attributes, the Spirit of the Springs will speak to you at the very end.

Six pillars of the spa town:

  • Mineral springs: You will try to heal a spa guest and experience the power of 30 thousand year old water gushing from deep within the earth.
  • Internationalism: You will find out why we are the “chessboard of Europe.” At the spa, everyone is equal on a common journey to health.
  • Therapeutic landscape: You will discover the power of 70 km of forest trails and negative ions, which are proven to regenerate the mind in our forests.
  • Spa infrastructure: Take a peek into the hidden mineral water pipe system.
  • Historic urban landscape: You will see the harmony of colonnades and famous buildings that seamlessly blend with the wild nature of the Teplá River valley.
  • Continuing function: You will understand that the tradition of “taking a cure” is still alive in our country and, thanks to top-notch balneology, is being developed for future generations.

When history comes to life on a tablet

Thanks to augmented reality (AR) and a tablet in your hand, you will see things that are invisible to the naked eye. The hidden world of animations and 3D models was created by the creative PlaceHolder Studio under the leadership of artist Pavel Liška. The entire exhibition was created in cooperation between the city of Karlovy Vary and the City Infocenter with financial support from the Karlovy Vary Region. Modern digital technologies are interconnected here with honest artistic craftsmanship .

The exhibition is designed for everyone who loves to explore and discover. There is no age limit here – thanks to the combination of technology and playful elements, children, adults and seniors will find something for themselves here.

You can purchase tickets in the Castle Tower café on the 1st floor.

  • 150 CZK adults
  • 75 CZK students, children under 15, seniors, disabled people

Opening hours

  • Mon – 12:00 – 19:00 / Tue – Sun 11:00 – 19:00 – every half hour (game lasts 40 min.)

Feel the past, live the present and create the future in the Castle Tower!

Great Spa Towns of Europe

In June 2022, based on cooperation with the creative studio 3Dsense, an exhibition representing the values of the Great Spa Towns of Europe was created.
The motto of the exhibition is “Look at UNESCO”
The exhibition can be found on the top floor of the Castle Tower. It is illustrated by 3 exhibits.

The main landmark is an interactive model of the city made using 3D printing with dynamic backlighting.

Use the peepholes to get a glimpse of 11 famous spa towns in Europe from 7 countries, which were jointly inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2021.

The last installation uses visual and audio field recordings that were taken in the immediate surroundings of the Karlovy Vary Spring. The installation consists of a simple system of opposite mirrors, between which the image is projected – thus creating the optical illusion of infinite space.
You will end the visit on the walkway of the tower providing a unique view of the spa town of Karlovy Vary – “Look at UNESCO”

More about Great Spa Towns of Europe

Admission

Adults – CZK 50
Children under 15 / Seniors / Disabled – CZK 25
Karlovy Vary REGION CARD – Free

Opening hours

SmartGuide

For more information about the UNESCO listing and the exhibition , we recommend the SmartGuide audio guide.

    • Scan the QR code and download the SmartGuide app
    • Open the Castle Tower route and choose the difficulty of the route (adult/child)
    • From there, you can scroll through the points one by one or directly scan the QR codes referring to the individual points at which they are located
    • After you have gone through the exposition, go to quiz in the Castle Tower tab and test your knowledge
    • After successfully completing the quiz, you will be rewarded with a unique tourist stamp at the ticket office of the Chateau Café.

SmartGuide also serves as a guide to Karlovy Vary – free of charge. Visit the colonnades, explore the spa forests and embark on your next adventure!