Kuks, tel.: 0437 - 6761

A unique Baroque complex, founded by F. A. Sporck. Its construction was started in 1692 (G. B. Alliprandi). The first facility to be built was a spa house erected near a source of curative waters. The spa was put to use in 1695. A hospital with the Trinity Church and a crypt was built on the other side of the Elbe River. Kuks's rich sculptural decorations from the years 1700 - 1734 were installed in two stages, up to 1710 with the participation of B. Zwengs and J. Kohl's workshop, after 1712 by the workshop led by M. B. Braun, in which the most prominent sculptures including allegoric statues of twelve Virtues and twelve Vices as well as sculptural decorations at the entrance to the Trinity Church were created.
This comlex of baroque buildings is unique in Europe thanks to its artistic and intellectual unity of conception. Count Francis Anthony Spork, one of the most educated noblemen of baroque era in czech countries, founded the Kuks spa after finding there a curative spring which he had tested for medical purposes in 1694. The centre of the spa used to be a Chapel of the Assumption built over the curative spring two years after the medical findings. Around theis building on the left bank of the river Elbe were built other buildings connected with the spa - the chateau-residence, houses for guests, so called House of Philosophers with a large library, an administrative building, and a wash-house. There was also a theatre. The river used to be spanned by a small bridge and new buildings sprang up on the right bank of the river too. It was possible to find here fountains, summer-house, a wind-mill and a racecourse with 40 statues of grotesque dwarfs by Mathyas B. Braun. Most of these buildings as well as sculptures decorating the spa have not survived to the present, they were destroyd on frequent flooding. Access to the residence from the bridge over Elbe was by a staircase, still partly visible, with two monumental statues of river gods sculptured by Jan B. Kohl, who also created the statue of Polyphemes near the bridge.
The Spork residence burnt down in the end of the 19^th century, but on the right bank of the river the baroque hospital with monastery of the Brothers of Mercy remains almost intact, together with the Church of the Holy Trinity. This part began to be built as a family mausoleum with a church about it. The church built between 1708 and 1710, was constructed according to the design of the architect Giovanni Battista Alliprandi. In front of the church there is a large terrace with 8 statues of the Beatitudes by workshop of Mathyas Bernard Braun dating from 1712. But this was a beginning since the biggest order for sculptures in Kuks awaited Braun. It was planned to have sculptures corating both side wings of the hospital. Count Spork ordered for this part of Kuks two cycles of sculptures in which Braun was supposed to personify 12 Vices and 12 Virtues. Both cycles were created around 1719. M. B. Braun is also author of other statues - the angels of the Blissful and the Doleful Death dated 1718 and somewhat earlier statue of Religion.
The privat hospital was founded in 1708 and finished in 1716 togetherr with garden and cemetery. In eastern part of the hospital were the living quarters of religious - the refectory and the survived baroque pharmacy dating from 1711, which ranks among the cultural, historical and artistic gems in Europe.
In the beginning of the 18^th century, during the life of Count Spork, Kuks became really important and popular social and cultural centre. So we can only regret, that it has not survived to the present day in its original form.
The forest area Novy les, a masterpiece of baroque sculpture, was being built stage-by stage in 1723-32. The author of the statues was also Mathyas Bernard Braun with a group of assistants including prominent sculptors of the late baroque period. The statues are carved to the rock, which makes them an extraordinary and outstanding monument of the European sculpture of the 18 ^th century. As the time went, the name Betlehem (according the most popular part) became more common for this forest area. Due to various circumstances, the original area is nowadays reduced to a fragment of 16 statues and reliefs. The rescue of M. B. Brauns works and the rehabilitation of the whole Novy les area has become an extremely urgent item, because of the rapid stone damage.
At Kuks are today also placed collections of the Czech Pharmaceutical Musem, which is supported by Faculty of Pharmacy of Charles University with seat in Hradec Kralove. First part of the exposition was opened for a wide public in May 1996. It shows the development of apothecaries from the 17^th to the 20^th century. The historical collection includes a large number of widely varying items, for example apothecary jars, packagiing materials, as well as various instruments and apparati. Museum items are supplemented with large archives and a library, with 15 000 volumes the largest pharmaceutical library in Czech Republic.