In the past many spa cities were social, cultural and political centres of Europe. Marianske Lazne was one of them.
The names most frequently connected with Marianske Lazne are the British King Edward VII., the poet and scholar Johann Wolfgang Goethe and the genial composer and pianist Fryderyk Chopin.
Edward VII. (1841 1910)
British King from 1901.
“I have seen the whole India, Ceylon and all the spas of Europe, but have nowhere been so smitten with the poetry of beautiful nature like here in Marianske Lazne”.
The British King and at that time the ruler of the most powerful empire liked Marianske Lazne so much that he came here for his summer stay nine times in total (in the years 1897,1899,1903-1909).
During his stays Marianske Lazne would become an important European political centre. The King negotiated here among others with the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef I. or the French Prime Minister Clemenceau.
But most of all the King enjoyed himself. He loved entertainment and society, beautiful women, good food and drink. And that all he could find in Marianske Lazne.
In 1905 the King Edward VII. inaugurated the golf course in Marianske Lazne. The course of the Royal Golf Club Maranske Lazne is the oldest golf course in the Czech Republic.
Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1749-1832)
Poet, writer, scholar.
The famous poet and philosopher stayed in Marianske Lazne repeatedly in the years 1820-1823, shortly after the foundation of the spa. Goethe was excited as he could see the wilderness being turned into elegant spa.
Goethe really came to love Marianske Lazne. He was very interested in its development, took part in various social events and explored the beautiful surroudings.
During his stay in Marianske Lazne the 72 years old Goethe fell in love with the 17 years old Ulrika von Levetzow. Nevertheless, Goethe received only an evasive answer to his proposal and dissapointed returned to Germany. He did not lose his passion for Marianske Lazne but his health did not allow him to come back one more time.
Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849)
Composer, pianist.
The ground for Chopins stay in Marianske Lazne was the woman he loved – Maria Wodzinska. In 1836 he spent a month here hoping for a positive answer to his proposal. The relation of the two young people was ended by Marias parents disapproval.
Fryderyk Chopin has several monuments in Marianske Lazne. The greatest honour to the genial artist is the international Chopin Festival, which takes place every year in August. It is one of the biggest and most important Chopin festivals in Europe.
Other famous guests
Dr.Benes, Eduard (1884-1948)
Minister of Foreign Affairs and later President of Czechoslovakia
Clemenceau, Georges Benjamin (1841-1929)
French Prime Minister
Destinova, Ema (1878-1930)
opera singer
Dvorak, Antonin (1841-1904)
composer
Edison, Thomas Alva (1847-1931)
inventor, businessman
Ferdinand I. (1793-1875)
Austrian Emperor
Freud, Sigmund(1856-1939)
doctor, psychologist
Friedrich Wilhelm IV. (1795-1861)
Prussian King
Goncharov, Ivan Aleksandrovich (1812-1891),writer
Kafka, Franz (1883-1924)
writer
Kipling, Rudyard (1865-1936)
writer
Kissinger, Henry (*1923)
politician, US Secretary of State
Mahler, Gustav (1860-1911)
composer, conductor
Masaryk, Tomas Garrique (1850-1937) scholar, first President of Czechoslovakia
Muzaffar-ed-Din (1853-1907)
Persian Shah
Neruda, Jan (1834-1891)
poet, writer
Nobel, Alfred (1933-1896)
inventor, businessman
Nietzsche, Friedrich (1844-1900)
philosopher
Olbracht, Ivan (1882-1952)
writer
Patton, George Smith (1885-1945)
WW2 general
Schweitzer, Albert (1875-1965)
doctor, scholar, humanist
Tolstoi, Aleksei Nikolaevich (1883-1945)
writer
Trebizsky, Vaclav Benes (1849-1884)
writer, cleric
Twain, Mark (1835-1910)
writer, humourist
Wagner, Richard (1813-1883)
composer
