The Palacký House, Cultural monument in Stará Louka, Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.
Palacký House is a four-storey terraced building with a residential attic at Stará louka 339/40, built in 1893–1894 in the late Historicist style of German Renaissance inspiration. Its five-axis street façade has a central projecting bay, an arched entrance with original Neo-Renaissance doors flanked by columns, and an octagonal bay window rising to the cornice. A steep gable with a balcony and an octagonal turret tops the façade.
The structure was built in the 1890s as a lodging house and underwent several name changes, reflecting the shifting history of the spa town. Its development shows how Karlovy Vary grew and changed as a spa destination.
The house's name recalls František Palacký, the Czech historian and politician, though the sources do not link him to the building itself. Its earlier name, Rotes Herz (Red Heart), came from the Baroque house that stood here. The facade's cartouche bears the year 1884, and the house is listed as a cultural monument.
The building sits in a central location with direct access to main spa facilities and can be easily reached on foot. It is well-positioned for exploring the colonnade and nearby attractions.
The original Baroque house on this site, Rotes Herz, was the birthplace of Karlovy Vary mayor Eduard Knoll on 12 December 1839. The present building, however, carries the year 1884 in a stucco cartouche on its gable, a date that does not match its construction in 1893–1894.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,667 contributors worldwide.