Kuracyjna wyprawa do Karlsbadu oraz zwiedzanie Pragi i Drezna w 1876 r. w relacji Aleksandry Czechówny

Aleksandra Apolonia Czechówna (1839–1923) was the daughter of Tomasz Czech and Aleksandra née Zielińska. Her “Journal”, written almost continuously for nearly 68 years (1856–1923), stored in the National Archives in Krakow with ref. no. 29/1582/1– 29/1582/44 (former ref. no. IT 428/1–428/44), is an excellent source illustrating the cultural, social and daily life of Kraków in the second half of the 19th century and the first two decades of the 20th century. Presented fragment of the “Journal” reports the trip of Aleksandra Czechówna with her mother Aleksandra Czechówna made for medical purposes in the summer of 1876 to Karlsbad, a famous health resort, which thanks to its mineral water springs and climate provided the patients with comprehensive treatment. The trip caused by the bad state of the mother’s health was unexpected. On the way to Karlsbad, Czechówna and her mother stopped at Praga and admired its monuments. The treatment lasted five weeks, and included baths, drinking water from the spring and walks in the nearby forests. The ladies also took the opportunity to visit Franzensbad, Marienbad and Aich. On the way back the ladies first admired the sights of Saxon Switzerland, then the monuments and museums of Dresden, and lastly the city of Wrocław. Czechówna came back from the trip delighted and full of positive impressions. She saw many new places and got to know the customs prevailing there. The presented fragment of the “Journal” may bring little information to the history of the discussed health resorts, but it is an interesting contribution to the daily life of that period, to the ongoing changes, when the resorts and mineral water treatments were developing. The fragment attached below comes from the 15th volume of the “Journal” of Aleksandra Czechówna, sygn. 29/1582/15 (former ref. no. IT 428/15), consisting of 449 pages and including entries from May 11, 1876 to September 27, 1877.