Mariánské Lázne is located in the western portion of Bohemia in the Czech Republic, about 35 miles southwest of Karlovy Vary. Like Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázne is a well known spa town; many of the buildings in the city date from the late 19th century when it was called Marienbad and hosted European luminaries which range from kings and queens to musical composers. Mariánské Lázne was closed to visitors during the period of Communist Czechoslovakia, but the past few decades have brought a renewal to the town, and today tens of thousands of foreign visitors each year drink from and bathe in the town's mineral springs, which number over 100. Verdant splendor can be seen in every direction, as the town is located between the Emperor's Forest and the Upper Palatine Forest.