Gellért Baths
Encyclopedia
Gellért Thermal Baths and Swimming Pool, also called Gellért fürdő or Gellért Baths, are a bath complex in Budapest
, Hungary
, built between 1912 and 1918 in the (Secession
) Art Nouveau
style. They were damaged during World War II
, but then rebuilt. References to healing waters in this location are found from as early as the 13th century. A hospital was located on this site during the Middle Ages
. During the reign of the Ottoman Empire
, baths were also built on this particular site.
The Gellért Baths complex includes thermal baths, which are small pools containing water from Gellért hill's mineral hot springs. The water contains calcium
, magnesium
, hydrocarbonate, alkalis, chloride
, sulfate
and fluoride
. Medical indications of the water includes degenerative joint illnesses, spine problems, chronic and sub-acute joint inflammations, vertebral disk problems, neuralgia, vasoconstriction and circulatory disturbances; inhalation
problems for the treatment of asthma
and chronic bronchitis
problems. There are two different thermal baths, according to the signs on the walls of the baths, one is around 36 °C and the other around 38 °C. The thermal baths are decorated beautifully with mosaic tiles.
Gellért Spa is famous for its main hall with gallery and glass roof, built in Art-Nouveau style.
The current bath complex and hotel was opened in 1918 and was expanded in 1927 and 1934 with artificial wave pool and with bubble bath.
The complex also includes sauna
s and plunge pool
s (segregated by gender), an open-air swimming pool
which can create artificial waves every ten minutes and an effervescent swimming pool. A Finnish sauna with cold pool and children's pool is also enclosed within the complex. Masseuse services are available.
The one warm water swimming pool is possible to visit mixed, but the male and female thermal sections (saunas and massage) are separate. In 2011, every Sunday is a family day, so all sections can be visited mixed.
Gellért Baths also offer a range of medical services.
Towels and swimsuits may be rented or bought in the Spa. On holidays and at weekends the entrance fee is higher than on workdays. In February 2011, the prices were between 4100 and 4300 HUF. Massage is charged extra, 4100 HUF. (Current prices: see external link below.)
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, built between 1912 and 1918 in the (Secession
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists, housed in the Vienna Künstlerhaus. This movement included painters, sculptors, and architects...
) Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style. They were damaged during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but then rebuilt. References to healing waters in this location are found from as early as the 13th century. A hospital was located on this site during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. During the reign of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, baths were also built on this particular site.
The Gellért Baths complex includes thermal baths, which are small pools containing water from Gellért hill's mineral hot springs. The water contains calcium
Calcium
Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
, magnesium
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
, hydrocarbonate, alkalis, chloride
Chloride
The chloride ion is formed when the element chlorine, a halogen, picks up one electron to form an anion Cl−. The salts of hydrochloric acid HCl contain chloride ions and can also be called chlorides. The chloride ion, and its salts such as sodium chloride, are very soluble in water...
, sulfate
Sulfate
In inorganic chemistry, a sulfate is a salt of sulfuric acid.-Chemical properties:...
and fluoride
Fluoride
Fluoride is the anion F−, the reduced form of fluorine when as an ion and when bonded to another element. Both organofluorine compounds and inorganic fluorine containing compounds are called fluorides. Fluoride, like other halides, is a monovalent ion . Its compounds often have properties that are...
. Medical indications of the water includes degenerative joint illnesses, spine problems, chronic and sub-acute joint inflammations, vertebral disk problems, neuralgia, vasoconstriction and circulatory disturbances; inhalation
Inhalation
Inhalation is the movement of air from the external environment, through the air ways, and into the alveoli....
problems for the treatment of asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
and chronic bronchitis
Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways...
problems. There are two different thermal baths, according to the signs on the walls of the baths, one is around 36 °C and the other around 38 °C. The thermal baths are decorated beautifully with mosaic tiles.
Gellért Spa is famous for its main hall with gallery and glass roof, built in Art-Nouveau style.
The current bath complex and hotel was opened in 1918 and was expanded in 1927 and 1934 with artificial wave pool and with bubble bath.
The complex also includes sauna
Sauna
A sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....
s and plunge pool
Plunge pool
A plunge pool can be a natural hydrologic fluvial landform feature or a constructed recreational garden feature...
s (segregated by gender), an open-air swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
which can create artificial waves every ten minutes and an effervescent swimming pool. A Finnish sauna with cold pool and children's pool is also enclosed within the complex. Masseuse services are available.
The one warm water swimming pool is possible to visit mixed, but the male and female thermal sections (saunas and massage) are separate. In 2011, every Sunday is a family day, so all sections can be visited mixed.
Gellért Baths also offer a range of medical services.
Towels and swimsuits may be rented or bought in the Spa. On holidays and at weekends the entrance fee is higher than on workdays. In February 2011, the prices were between 4100 and 4300 HUF. Massage is charged extra, 4100 HUF. (Current prices: see external link below.)
See also
- Hotel GellértHotel GellértHotel Gellért is a famous, first class four star hotel in Budapest, Hungary. The hotel was erected on the right bank of the river Danube between 1916 and 1918 in the Art Nouveau style with some biomorphic elements, at the foot of Gellért Hill, next to Szabadság Bridge.The four star Danubius Hotel...
- Király BathsKirály BathsKirály Bath or Király fürdő is a thermal bath that was first built in Hungary in the second half of the sixteenth century, during the time of Ottoman rule....
- Rudas BathsRudas BathsRudas Bath or Rudas fürdő is a thermal and medicinal bath in Budapest, Hungary. It was first built in 1550, during the time of Ottoman rule. To date, it retains many of the key elements of a Turkish bath, exemplified by its Turkish dome and octagonal pool. It is located at Döbrentei tér 9 on the...
- Széchenyi BathsSzéchenyi Medicinal BathThe Széchenyi Medicinal Bath in Budapest is the largest medicinal bath in Europe. Its water is supplied by two thermal springs, their temperature is and , respectively....
- Rácz Baths