budapest thermal baths
Budapest holds the title "City of Spas" since the year 1934, as it has more thermal and medicinal water springs than any other capital city in the world. There are 118 springs in Budapest, providing over 70 million liters of thermal water a day. The temperature of the waters is between 21 and 78 Celsius.
Budapest's thermal waters were enjoyed by the Romans as early as the 2nd century, but it was only during the Turkish occupation of Hungary in the 16th century that the bath culture really started flourishing.
Today, there are 15 public thermal baths in Budapest, not counting the private thermal spas established in some luxury hotels, such as the Ramada Plaza, Thermal Hotel Margitsziget and the Corinthia Royal, which have their own spas.
The spa at the Hotel Gellért is a public bath. Some of the baths arrange special programs. The Rudas Bath, built in the 1500-s, gives home to regular night parties on Friday and Saturday nights, with great music and special light effects.
These are very popular with young people from all over the world. Others, such as the Palatinus Bath on Margaret Island, have special pools for children with special effects (whirlpool, wave-pool, water-chutes).
Some baths are built in parks, with green areas where one may relax and sunbathe and do sports, or just read a book (such as the Csillaghegyi Bath).
budapest thermal baths Key Sections
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Újpest Thermal Bath and Swimming Pool 1042 Árpád út 114 District 4. Budapest Show me on map »
The predecessor of the Bath had been, in the time of the century turn, the Elisabeth steam and tub-bath. After World War II, with the new city sector being shaped, the spirit of the age has brought into the fore the importance of a sporting way of life and, particularly, swimming. |
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Dagály Thermal Bath 1138 Népfürdő utca 36 District 13. Budapest Show me on map »
This Bath first opened in 1948. Later, in 1956 it, among others, was expanded with a 50-m swimming pool. Its water base at that time was provided by a well bored in 1944, which finally secured the efficient use of the thermal waters found under the bed of the Danube. In 1970, the water of the Széchenyi Thermal Bath was directed to Dagály Bath, thus raising it to the status of a thermal baths. Dagály has provided a full range of medical services to its guests ever since. |
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Dandár Thermal Bath 1095 Dandár utca 5 District 9. Budapest Show me on map »
The architectural plan for the public bath in Dandár street was prepared by Ferenc K. Császár. The Bath was commissioned in 1930, then transformed in 1936. During World War II the Bath was only slightly damaged so it could be opened as soon as 1945. Originally, the Bath operated as a sanitary bath. In 1978, however, following a thorough reconstruction, it was put in operation as a thermal bath. |
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Gellért Thermal Bath 1118 Kelenhegyi út 4 District 11. Budapest Show me on map »
We find records about the "miraculous" springs spurting up on the territory of the Bath from as early a date as the 15th century. These springs were later favoured by the Turks as well, as they were larger and hotter than the Buda baths of the period. In the 17th century, the site was named Sárosfürdő (Mud bath) because of the fine spring silt that was pushed up together with the spring water and settled at the bottom of the pools. |
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Király Thermal Bath 1027 Fő utca 84 District 2. Budapest Show me on map »
The construction of this Bath was begun by Arslan, the Pasha of Buda in 1565 and was completed by his successor, Sokoli Mustafa. The Király Thermal Bath had no direct hot water base, nor has it any today. The Turks built the Bath far from the springs to ensure the opportunity for bathing even in the case of an eventual siege, within the walls of the castle. |
