Cieplice is the oldest Czech spa town, and now also one of the most modern in terms of tourist and healing infrastructure. There is a beautifully preserved 19th century spa district with parks and former villas.
The first hot springs were discovered in Cieplice in the 8th century. A Benedictine monastery was built next to them. With time, a castle was added to the monastery, which, together with the castle gardens, has survived to this day. The castle gardens are currently one of the most popular places of rest and recreation in Cieplice.
From the 16th century, representatives of the Czech and Austrian nobility and the Habsburg family regularly visited Cieplice. In 1793, the town was consumed by a fire and its present appearance is the result of reconstruction, which was carried out in the neoclassical and empire styles. The nineteenth century was the golden age of the development of the health resort in Cieplice, when, among others, Emperor Ferdinand I of Habsburg, Tsar Alexander II, Ludwik Bonaparte, Fryderyk Chopin or Goethe.
Many villas and former guesthouses in the spa district date from the heyday of the health resort. These include Stone Sanatorium or Letna Castle, which was a combination of a restaurant, an observation tower and a lounge where patients met. Currently, there is a thermal swimming pool in its basement and on the ground floor. Doubravka Castle, dating back to the Middle Ages, also has a 19th century neo-Gothic appearance. It was a summer residence that is currently occupied by the ham club.
Apart from monuments, Cieplice also has many modern attractions. The most famous one is the modern Aquacentrum Cieplice - a water park that uses thermal springs and has spa facilities. At the beginning of the 21st century, the Botanical Garden in Cieplice and the Minizoo were also opened. The local Cieplice Observatory comes from the mid-20th century.
