Column of Charles IV in Karlovy Vary, Column with statue in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic

The Column of Charles IV stands in the Jean de Carro park in Karlovy Vary, before the Lützow villa. The metal statue is a cast of a zinc, aluminium and lead alloy called zinkal, used in the 19th century as a substitute for bronze. The crowned emperor wears a gathered robe with a cloak clasped at the neck; his left hand holds a sword on a belt, his right a partly rolled document recalling the city's founding. The figure stands on a six-metre column with a Corinthian capital, set on a granite block pedestal on two granite steps, with stone setts paving the ground around it.

The monument was erected in 1858 to mark the 500th anniversary of the city's founding and honor the emperor who established it in the 1300s. This column was part of a broader effort during that era to celebrate the city's medieval origins.

The gilded German inscription on the socle's front was later split, with its second part moved to the back of the base. Today a modern plaque on the front carries a Czech translation of the text. The monument is called the Jubilee Column, marking the 500th anniversary of the town's founding.

The monument is easily reached by taking Bus 7, 8, or 13 or by walking from the main hot spring area through the town center. The park is freely accessible during daylight hours and requires no special preparation to visit.

The statue is not bronze but a cast of zinkal, an alloy of zinc, aluminium and lead used in the 19th century as a cheaper substitute. The gilded German inscription once on the front of the plinth was split, and its second part now sits on the back; the front carries a modern Czech translation.