Budapest Thermal Baths

Budapest Thermal Baths & Spas

Budapest is the largest spa town in Europe, boasting over 120 springs. Locals and visitors alike have been using the spas for their reputed healing properties.

Prehistoric people were the first to use them and later the Romans introduced the basis of the bathing customs. Magyars elaborated upon the tradition for roughly 800 years, but the spas reached their refinement under the Ottomans in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

It is still possible to see the original domes and pools, but most have been modified and modernized.

There is probably no other capital city on the globe with swimming pools and bathing halls dating back to the Turkish occupation and still in use today, with thermal spas irradiating the rich colours and forms of Art Nouveau and featuring one of the largest spas in Europe.

Natural springs and wells in the territory of Budapest (a total of 118 different sources) provide up to 30,000 cubic metres of 21-76o C thermal water every day: mostly dolomitic water ranging from lukewarm karst to thermal hot water.

Romans used 14 thermal spas, and British travelers reported 10 spas in Turkish times (1669). There are 24 medical spas, public baths, indoor and outdoor swimming pools in the capital today, ten with a special medical capacity and therapeutic value.

Gellért baths
The present building of the baths and hotel was erected in 1918 and opened to the public on 26th September of that year.

The wave pool was built in 1927, and the `champagne` bubble pool was constructed in 1934. The spa, well-known throughout the world, is the most popular spa among foreign visitors.

Nearly all medical services of a spa are available, with rheumatology, comprehensive physiotherapy unit (day hospital), physiotherapy sub-unit and inhalatorium. Besides the `champagne` and wave pools, the sunbathing terraces for women only and for mixed naturists are popular. These are open from April to late September. Hotel guests regularly use the services of the spa.

Come here for a night swim in the outdoor pools on Friday and Saturday nights before midnight.

Széchenyi Baths
Located in the middle of the City Park, it is one of Europe`s largest bath complexes. The atmosphere of Roman bathing culture may be felt in its light, spacious pool halls, while Greek bathing culture is reflected in the tub baths, but traces of Nordic traditions may also be found in the heat chambers, saunas and dipping pools.

This first spa of Pest owes its existence to the well dug by Vilmos Zsigmondy in 1879. The present bath building was constructed in 1913.

The swimming pool was built in 1927, but it was only open from May till September until the 1960ies, when, in 1963, it was made suitable for winter swimming as well. Since then it has been open throughout the year.

The two 'public bath' units were established also in 1927, today housing the mixed baths and the complex physiotherapy units (day hospital).

Lukács Baths
The present baths was built in Buda in 1894, and until the Széchenyi Baths was ready it was the biggest and most popular spa in Budapest.

Besides the thermal baths the swimming pool is also a favourite meeting place for writers and artists. The 1800sqm area around the spa is a popular place for relaxation under its century old trees.

A drinking hall here offers curative waters. On the sidewall of the spa plates of gratitude hang showing how many people from different countries of the world have visited the baths and recovered here. The comprehensive physiotherapy unit (day hospital) deserves special emphasis from among all the services of the spa.

Király Baths
The history of the baths dates back to Ottoman rule in Buda. The Pasha of Buda, Arslan, is assumed to have started building the baths in 1565 so that, should there be a siege, there would be a baths in a protected area within the town walls.

The König family who owned the building from 1796 gave its present name, Király, king in English, König in German. The impressive baths is a rare survival of Turkish times in Hungary and today as a listed building it represents an early Ottoman baths palace in its original grandeur. It is supplied with thermal water piped from the Lukács Baths.

Rácz Baths
The history of the baths goes back to the time of King Sigismund. The domed pool was built by the Turks. It was significantly rebuilt and expanded to the designs of Miklós Ybl in 1869. The thermal baths are especially popular, as well as the gymnasium.