Františkovy Lázně

Františkovy Lázně (Czech pronunciation: [ˈfrancɪʃkovɪ ˈlaːzɲɛ]; German: Franzensbad) is a town in Cheb District of Karlovy Vary Region in the western Bohemia (Czech Republic), near the town of Cheb with about 5,200 inhabitants. Františkovy Lázně is world renowned as a spa. The salutary effects of the springs were known from the 15th century on. First, the water was used locally for salutary purposes, later sold all over Germany. In 1700, it reportedly sold more water than all other German spas combined. In the year 1793, the town was officially founded under the name Kaiser Franzensdorf (Emperor Francis II's village) and later renamed to Franzensbad, under which name it became a famous spa. Until their expulsion in 1945 the majority of...