Vřídelní kolonáda, Functionalist thermal spring colonnade in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.
Vřídelní kolonáda is a colonnade built in 1969–1975 to Jaroslav Otruba's design, with a reinforced-concrete frame and glass walls. It spans the Teplá river and shelters the Vřídlo geyser, which erupts to about 12 metres, plus three drinking stands of 72 °C water.
This building was completed in 1975 and replaced older structures that had housed the spring since 1826. The functionalist style reflects how the spa transformed during the modern era.
The colonnade shelters the Vřídlo geyser, whose steam once escaped through an open wooden kiosk before enclosed halls were built. Three drinking stands serve water at 72 °C, and visitors fill spa cups at marked taps. Souvenir and ceramic shops occupy the hall, and exhibitions are occasionally held inside.
The underground section with guided tours from May to September shows how minerals form and sediments build up. Access to the spring itself is straightforward, but expect more visitors during the warm season.
The spring produces roughly 2000 liters of water per minute and is the hottest and most abundant in the town. This exceptional water abundance is what first made Karlovy Vary famous as a spa destination.
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