# Jánské Koupele-Abandoned Spa Town in Czech Republic PIC HEAVY



## Wrench (Nov 4, 2016)

*This a place we visted last week on a road trip through the Czech Republic, we being Myself, Fragglehunter, Zer081 and Tin dog. This was not the only place we visited but it is the only derelict place, we landed in Prague, picked up a car at the airport and drove to our first hotel in Prague, dumped our stuff and then got beer!
The following morning we drove about 70km east to a place called the Sedlec Ossuary (bone church) then onto the lovely city of Brno some 160km further on and the Capuchin Crypt. The Capuchin Crypt in Brno is a funeral room mainly for Capuchin friars. The crypt was founded in the mid 17th century in the basement of the Capuchin Monastery in the historical centre of Brno. The bodies of people buried there turned into mummies because of the geological composition of the ground and the system of airing. A very odd place this.
Another hotel breakfast and off again another 170km which is now near the border with Poland to this place (with a slight car hiccup along the way)*​*History*
(Stolen from Vítejte na stránkách m?sta Janské Lázn? | JANSKÉ LÁZN?)​
The warm spring in the current Janské Lázně was discovered by Jan from Chockov, an armed man of Albrecht from Trautenberg, according to the Trutnov-based chronicler Simon Hüttel on June 6, 1006. The first use of the spring was exclusively utilitarian. The thermal water turned a water wheel which powered an iron-ore processing mill built close to the spring.

The first information about the thermal water use for bathing comes from the 14th century, when Zilvar from Silberstein had a primitive spa facility built here for the convenience of his extended family. It was a wooden structure built above the spring. An accommodation building was built close to the spring in 1485. The above-mentioned iron-mill burned down in 1495 and a grinding mill was built in its place.

The Silberstein clan died out in 1621 and the emperor seized the Vlčice estate to which Janské Lázně belonged. The reason for the confiscation was an anti-Habsburg rebellion of the last owner. The estate was handed over to Albrecht from Valdstein, the Frýdland Duke. This Duke, though, due to a lack of financial resources, pledged the estate, including Janské Lázně, to foreign nobles as soon as 1628. The corner stone of the St. John the Baptist chapel was laid down close to the spring in 1673. Janské Lázně was purchased by Jan Adolf, the prince of Schwarzenberg, in 1675. The prince founded the contemporary spa resort by having six new buildings built close to the spring and by authorizing Dr. Hettmayer to compile a learned treatise on the effects of the spa spring.

Development of Janské Lázně followed. There were 22 houses, a grinding mill, a tavern and a spa house there in 1685. Then the 7-year war between Austria and Prussia started. Even though this war evaded Janské Lázně, the estate was looted by passing armies and this had harmful effects upon its state. The significant distance of the Vlčice estate from the other Schwarzenberg properties caused problems. Therefore the prince John Nepomuk exchanged it for monastic country estates in Zlatá Koruna and Borovany in South Bohemia.

Therefore Janské Lázně was included in the ecclesiastical fund administered by the Imperial Court. A businessman with flax products, František Theer from Hostinné, promoted to the status of the free lord from Silberstein, purchased Janské Lázně from this fund in 1790. The spa was transferred into the property of Hugo Wihard from Libava in 1868 and in the very same year its ownership transferred to Steffan, the factory owner, also from Libava.

Janské Lázně expanded and it was promoted to the township status in 1881. The town purchased the spa in 1902. The spa, including all facilities, lands and springs was taken over by a joint-stock company in 1920 and the period of the greatest development followed.

A cable railway to the top of Černá Hora was commissioned in 1928. Polio consequence treatment methods were introduced in 1935, following the example of the Warm-Springs in the USA. In the course of the World War II Janské Lázně was used as military hospitals and accommodation facilities for refugees from lost territories.

After the war Janské Lázně became world-famous due to the successful polio consequence treatment. Construction of a new spa complex was planned as a part the Marshall Plan. These plans were abandoned after the February 1948 events, even though some earthworks had already been started. Several hotels and boarding houses were converted into union recreation centers, where many working people enjoyed their times every year. The former Černá Hora community was united with Janské Lázně.

Janské Lázně was promoted to the town status in 1965. Television transmission tower on Černá hora was commissioned in 1977 and a new cable railway to the top of Černá hora was finished in 1980. Children sanatorium Vesna was opened in the very same year. A new spa centre, connected to the old gallery, was built in 1982.

Some hotels and boarding houses were transferred into private hands after the regime change in 1989 but the spa itself remained a state enterprise. The construction of the Business Academy for the Handicapped, finished in 1994, is the largest building event from this period.



Huge construction development is currently under way in the upper part of the town, in the surroundings of the central parking lot. The first four-star hotel in Janské Lázně was opened in September 2007.

Medical treatment in Janské Lázně is mostly focused on the motion organ diseases, but the town is not just a spa resort. It is a significant sports and recreation center. You can enjoy many summer and winter sports activities here, including visiting several unique tourist locations in the close surroundings.

*I can assure you huge constrution is not at all well under way 
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*Another 170km drive back to Brno and we were spending the night in a nuclear bunker, I kid you not, oooohhh Tin Dog was not happy lol


What an utterly mental few days this was

9/10 for this one.

Thanks for looking guys.*


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## Gromr (Nov 4, 2016)

What an incredible place, looks pretty big too. Reminds me of something out of DayZ.


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## krela (Nov 4, 2016)

Fantastic stuff, thanks!


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## HughieD (Nov 4, 2016)

Wow....what a place. Great pix.


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## Bones out (Nov 4, 2016)

Where would you start to think about what snaps to post from a place as big as this? Nice work guys.


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## Wrench (Nov 4, 2016)

took lots of pics as we had a good couple of hours here but as always the majority were shite 

A couple of locals turned up at one point and looked very surprised to see 4 English pig dogs with cameras looking at them, I think they were up to no good tbh it may have even involved illicit sex but hey ho each to their own!


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## Wrench (Nov 4, 2016)

Gromr123 said:


> What an incredible place, looks pretty big too. Reminds me of something out of DayZ.



Cheers mate it was a big place.


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## Wrench (Nov 4, 2016)

HughieD said:


> Wow....what a place. Great pix.



Thanks you sir


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## Wrench (Nov 4, 2016)

krela said:


> Fantastic stuff, thanks!



Thank you.


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## smiler (Nov 5, 2016)

Lovely pics, great report, sod the 9/10 you get 10/10 from me, Thanks


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## Wrench (Nov 5, 2016)

Lol thanks smiler.


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## Conrad (Nov 5, 2016)

Awesome, spending the night in a czech nuclear bunker sounds class also.


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## Wrench (Nov 6, 2016)

Thanks Konrad, the bunker was cool but exactly what it says on the tin, I think Tin dog was expecting a bit more luxury than a bunk, military sleeping bag and shared showers lol. I'll put some pics on Flickr.


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## King Al (Nov 6, 2016)

Awesome report this Tbolt! Interesting place, really like the pool and the church!


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## mtc3154 (Nov 6, 2016)

What a place Fab pictures


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## Sam Haltin (Nov 6, 2016)

Excellent post what a nice find. Some of those buildings are in a not too bad shape.


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## Wrench (Nov 6, 2016)

mtc3154 said:


> What a place Fab pictures



Thank you.


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## Wrench (Nov 6, 2016)

Hugh Jorgan said:


> Excellent post what a nice find. Some of those buildings are in a not too bad shape.



Thank you, they are all a bit fooked but some are more fooked than others.


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## flyboys90 (Nov 7, 2016)

First class report and shots.


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## Wrench (Nov 7, 2016)

flyboys90 said:


> First class report and shots.



Thanks for the comments


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## UrbanX (Nov 8, 2016)

Amazing! I've not seen this place before! 
Thanks for sharing a fantastic set of pics!


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## Wrench (Nov 8, 2016)

Thanks urbanx.
Was a good trip but a lot of miles and I was glad to be done on the last night.


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