The family of Serenyis

History of Luhačovice connected with the family of Seneryis

Archaeological excavations from locations near Luhačovice prove that this territory was colonised as early as in the 7th century AD: First written information dates back to 1412, but first settlers appeared earlier - a proof for this is that the oldest historic reference to this territory was made in 1140. 

Luhačovice started developing, after the manor had become ownership of the noble stock of Seneryi. The brothers Serenyis, Pavel and Gabriel, bought the manor from Maxmilian of Lichtenstein in 1629. Vincenc Serenyi (1752 - 1810) laid solid foundations for development of balneology in Luhačovice - he invested into first spa bath facilities and health resort hotels. His nephew, Jan Nepomuk, contributed to further boom in construction of Luhačovice and made the spa well known among the public. This last feudal lord had to pay an increased attention to development of the spa because compulsory labour was cancelled and income from his property decreased. In the 1850s, there were two squares, 10 buildings with their own names (with 83 rooms in total) and two kitchen buildings. Count Jan Nepomuk Seneryi gave to the mineral springs names of people from his lineage - those names are used even now.

An important fact that influenced the growth of the spa was construction of the Vlára Railway Line (1885 - 1888). The spa became easier to access .and started attracting more guests. Consequently, better accommodation and improved facilities in health resort buildings were required by the guests. At those days, the manor was managed by the Count Otto who did not have enough funds for such extensive modernisation and at the end of the 19th century the spa was on the decline.

In 1902, Count Otto sold a health resort part of his manor to Doctor František Veselý who established a joint stock company Lázně Luhačovice (Luhacovice Spa). Other dominions in Luhačovice were owned by the family of Serenyis until 1945. Doctor František Veselý became director of the spa, Count Otto Serenyi was sitting on the Board, and Cyril Holuby was responsible for management of the spa. Foundation of the joint-stock company was a start of a new history of the spa - the health resort facilities started developing more intensively, attention was paid to improved quality of health care and mineral springs, and social and cultural life in the town developed as well. Luhačovice were regarded as a modern and comfortable spa until the start of WWII.

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in Luhačovice