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SOOS Františkovy Lázně

Our country is a mosaic in which almost all types of landscape are represented. If you want to see, for example, swamps, mud volcanoes and walk along the bottom of a dry salt lake, accept the invitation to the Karlovy Vary region.

Information for visitors

Adress: , Františkovy Lázně
GPS: 50.14629440, 12.40287530
SOOS Františkovy Lázně map

Interesting facts SOOS Františkovy Lázně

The SOOS National Nature Reserve is located southeast of Františkovy Lázně. It was declared in 1964, covers an area of ​​221 ha and you can walk along it on a 1 km long paved sidewalk. You can observe springing mineral springs and boiling mud, through which carbon dioxide bubbles to the surface. The relatively large peat bog is exceptional also due to its wetland and salt-loving vegetation. One of the mineral springs called Císařský claimed a somewhat unpleasant primacy. It springs right at the beginning of the nature trail and is considered to be the most disgusting of all the sources in the Františkovy Lázně area. Another of the larger springs, Věra, is saturated with carbon dioxide, contains impurities from the peat bog and is therefore unsuitable for drinking.

Peat was mined here in the 19th century and was used for spa purposes. Diatomaceous earth was mined in the southwestern part of today's protected area. A few meters thick diatomaceous earth deposit is actually a burial ground for single-celled diatom algae, or their siliceous shells. Kieselguhr was used, for example, for the production of refractory bricks, and until 1936 it was also used by the Mattoni company to obtain mineral salt.

The reservation is accessible after purchasing a ticket and you can also see a small geopark, a rescue station for animals, a timbered tower granary or a museum with several science exhibits. The pavilion with life-size dinosaur models is also interesting, and you may not be able to resist a short ride on Kateřina's narrow-gauge railway. Behind the settlement of the same name, you can look at interesting lakes, which were created thanks to kaolin mining.

The area is accessible from March to November and a narrow-gauge railway ride must be booked in advance. But it is definitely worth including a visit to this site in your itinerary.

Author: Ivana Dondová