Luhačovice

Template:Geobox Luhačovice (Czech pronunciation: [ˈluɦatʃovɪtsɛ]; German: Luhatschowitz) is a spa town in the Zlín Region, Moravia, Czech Republic.

It occupies a valley, whose elevation is a minimum of 250 m above sea level. The north-western edge of the valley is formed by the slopes of Malé Kamenné, the south-eastern part is formed by the forested Obětové peak (511 m above sea level), the southern section of the vale is surrounded by the hills Velké Kamenné (385 m), Solné (451 m), Zálužné (446 m), Lužné (428 m) and Ovčírny (429 m). All of these hills are part of the Vizovická vrchovina (The Vizovice Highlands) and the Bílé Karpaty (The White Carpathians). The highest peak in the Luhačovice area is Komonec, 672 m above sea level. The eastern and south-eastern sections of the Luhačovice vicinity are part of the Chráněná krajinná oblast Bílé Karpaty (The White Carpathian Protected Scenic Region).

History

Luhačovice is first mentioned in a historical document of 1412. It is, however, supposed to have been founded before the year 1287. At the end of the 16th century Luhačovice became the chief townlet of a manor including 12 villages. In the years 1626-1945 the manor and later the country estate belonged to the Serenyi family; they were also the first who started to make use of the mineral springs in the area and who set out to building the spa. Local names give evidence that the springs were known and used here ever since the area had begun to be settled; they are first mentioned in the book Tartaro Mastix Moraviae by Johann Ferdinand Hertodt von Totenfeld, which was published in 1669.

Hotel built by Dušan Jurkovič.

A new stage of development of both the spa and the town appears at the beginning of the 20th century when a Czech doctor, František Veselý, M.D., came to Luhačovice. He decided to get financial means to change Luhačovice into a modern Czech spa by establishing a joint-stock company, which took over the spa from the control of the Serenyis in 1902. They, however, kept on taking a significant part in it financially. The remote and not easily accessible position of the spa was overcome definitely when a local railway line was built here in the year 1904; even before the number of visitors increased due to the construction of the Vlárská Railway Line (1888) and rather more distant Northern Railway Line (1841)., The first stage of important building development of the spa area is connected with the name of the ancient Dušan Jurkovič, the author of the fundamental reconstruction of the Janův House, the hydropathic establishment and other places.

After the setting-up of the independent Czechoslovak Republic, mainly in the 20s and 30s, the importance of the Luhačovice spa increased together with an increasing number of inhabitants, which was also formally expressed by giving to Luhačovice the statute of the municipality in the year 1936. Further buildings of architectural importance appeared: the building of the present Municipal National Committee, the Palace-Sanatorium, the Alexandria Hotel, the "Fučik" and "Morava" hydropathics, and in the year 1935 the building of the Social Club. After the occupation of Bohemia and Moravia by the Nazi Germany, the spa was closed to the Czech public almost completely and taken possession of by the Nazi organizations. After the liberation of the town on May, 1945, another chapter in the history of the spa began.

In the years 1945-1947 a new complex of spa buildings was built: the Main and Small Colonnades, the Hall of Vincentka, the health centre. Social changes after February 1948 influenced both the life of the people in Luhačovice and the spa organization as a whole. Agriculture was collectivized, the woods were natiionalized, the state became the only owner of the natural cure sources and all balneological, accommodation and catering capacities in the spa towns. Some buildings were used to solve the housing problem, other were divided between the Central Trade Union Council and the Ministry of Health. In the year 1957 Luhačovice together with other spas was given the spa statute and the spa care was unified in the Ministry of Health. Both the spa care and environment are always in the course of improvement.

Water

Luhačovice mineral water is a heavily mineralized (9854 milligrams of minerals / liter, osmotic pressure 634.7 kPa), naturally effervescent residual seawater, indicated for diseases of vocal chords and breathing pathways; metabolic diseases; stomach and duodenal ulcers; cirrhosis; diabetes mellitus; chronic pancreatitis; excessive consumption of alcohol. The water is bottled under the brand name Vincentka.

There are three wells of Vincentka in Luhačovice. The original one is available to public in Hall of Vincentka, it is however too low yield (10 - 12 liters per minute) to be used for bottling. The second well, 'Nová Vincentka', was made in 1988. This well is 35 meters deep, it has a yield of 30 litres per minute and it has been used for bottling since 1991. The third well, 'Vincentka 2' with 40 liters per minute yield, is a reserve well for spa medicinal use.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic

Twin towns — Sister cities

Luhačovice is twinned with:

• Piešťany, Slovakia
• Ustroń, Poland

External links

• Official website
• Luhačovice and surroundings