It all started on a royal hunt. Between the trees a stream appeared, from which steam came. Charles IV, emperor of the Roman Empire and the Czech king, pulled the reins, the horse stumbled and ended up in a stream along the belly
The deer disappeared, annoyance and disappointment gnawed at Karl, until he suddenly noticed that his wet foot had stopped hurting. In order not to jump every time to the source, Karl ordered to build a hunting lodge on a rock above it. So according to legend, in 1358, Charles IV founded the city of Karlovy Vary.
In 1370, the resort received royal privileges and soon became widely known. Six centuries after Karl, those wishing to improve their health gathered at a magic stream. The idea to use water from sources for medicinal drinking was first put forward by Dr. Vaclav Reiner in 1521.
Since the sources contain natural carbon dioxide, which quickly evaporates from the water, two centuries later, the practice of drinking water directly at the source was established by the efforts of doctors. A variety of gazebos and colonnades were built, where guests could hide from bad weather and just relax.
The fame of local mineral springs caused the emergence of a new type of trade. Water, initially in ceramic, and eventually in glass containers, was sent to everyone. In 1867, the local source of the Ottos,that in the picturesque town of Kyselka in the valley of the Dupov Hills, Karlovy Vary mineral water exporter Heinrich Mattoni rented from Count Chernin and with incredible energy and scope began to build a spa and a bottling plant for its mineral water. Since then, Kyselka has always been associated with balneology and medical sources.
This water was born in the depths of an extinct volcano; it passes through volcanic layers and absorbs important mineral elements - sodium, calcium, magnesium, etc.
And nearby, in the Slavkovsky Les landscape reserve, Magnezia is mined. This water is considered unique because it is rich in natural magnesium, but it contains little sodium and generally has an average mineralization. The water miracle is explained by the fact that once a volcano beat here, it left behind deposits of serpentinite, which is just especially rich in magnesium.
The complex of important elements contained in water stimulates the work of the brain, digestive system, adrenal glands and vision, relieves heartburn, and when applied externally helps prevent the formation of wrinkles, helps in the treatment of eczema and acne, restores vitality and relieves fatigue.
The article was published on the materials of the magazine "Good advice" 7/2013
Photo: PR
Material prepared by Julia Dekanova
