Thermal baths or spas in

Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...

are popular tourist attractions as well as public comforts for the city's residents. One of the reasons the

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first colonized the area immediately to the west of the River

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and established their regional capital at

Aquincum Aquincum (, ) was an ancient city, situated on the northeastern borders of the province of Pannonia within the Roman Empire. The ruins of the city can be found today in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. It is believed that Marcus Aurelius w ...

(now part of Óbuda, in northern Budapest) is so that they could utilize and enjoy the thermal springs. There are still ruins visible today of the enormous baths that were built during that period. The new baths that were constructed during the Turkish period (1541–1686) served both bathing and medicinal purposes, and some of these are still in use to this day. Budapest gained its reputation as a city of spas in the 1920s, following the first realization of the economic potential of the thermal waters in drawing in visitors. Indeed, in 1934 Budapest was officially ranked as a "City of Spas". Construction of the

Király Baths Király 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. The bath and its neighborhood have since become part of the consolidated city of Budape ...

started in 1565, and most of the present-day building dates from the Turkish period, including most notably the fine cupola-topped pool. The

Rudas Baths Rudas Bath or Rudas fürdő is a thermal bath in Budapest, Hungary which is claimed to have medicinal properties. It was first built in 1550, during the time of Ottoman rule. To date, it retains many of the key elements of a Hammam, exemplified by ...

are centrally placed – in the narrow strip of land between Gellért Hill and the River Danube – and also an outstanding example of architecture dating from the Turkish period. The central feature is an octagonal pool over which light shines from a 10 m diameter cupola, supported by eight pillars. The Gellért Baths and Hotel were built in 1918, although there had once been Turkish baths on the site, and in the Middle Ages a hospital. In 1927 the Baths were extended to include the wave pool, and the effervescent bath was added in 1934. The well-preserved Art Nouveau interior includes colourful mosaics, marble columns, stained glass windows and statues. The

Lukács Baths The Lukács Thermal Bath ( hu, Szt. Lukács gyógyfürdő) is a historic indoor/outdoor thermal bath spa in Budapest, Hungary, heated by natural hot springs. All pools and four saunas can be used by all guests except for the optional area of the ...

are also in Buda and are also

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in origin, although they were only revived at the end of the 19th century. This was also when the spa and treatment centre were founded. All around the inner courtyard there are marble tablets recalling the thanks of patrons who were cured there. Since the 1950s it has been regarded as a centre for intellectuals and artists. The Széchenyi Baths are one of the largest bathing complexes in all Europe, and the only “old” medicinal baths to be found in the

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side of the city. The indoor medicinal baths date from 1913 and the outdoor pools from 1927. There is an atmosphere of grandeur about the whole place with the bright, largest pools resembling aspects associated with Roman baths, the smaller bath tubs reminding one of the bathing culture of the Greeks, and the saunas and diving pools borrowed from traditions emanating in northern

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. The three outdoor pools (one of which is a fun pool) are open all year, including winter. Indoors there are over ten separate pools, and a whole host of medical treatments is also available.

Gallery

File:Széchenyi Bath in Budapest.jpg File:Budapest-Bains_Széchenyi_fürdő-coupole.jpg File:Torok furdo Budapest Ganz utca PB010341-lev-1000.jpg File:GellertUszoda1.JPG

References

Budapest Gyógyfürdői

Király Gyógyfürdő

Spas Budapest

Budapest Tourism Office
{{coord missing, Hungary Buildings and structures in Budapest