According to Wikipedia... The Széchenyi Medicinal Bath in Budapest (Hungarian: Széchenyi-gyógyfürdő) is the largest medicinal bath in Europe. Its water is supplied by two thermal springs, their temperature is 74 °C (165 °F) and 77 °C (171 °F), respectively. Components of the thermal water include sulphate, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate and a significant amount of fluoride acid and metaboric acid. Medical indications are on degenerative joint illnesses, chronic and sub-acute joint inflammations, as well as orthopaedic and traumatological post-treatments. The bath can be found in the City Park, and was built in 1913 in Neo-baroque style to the design of Győző Czigler. The construction of the bath began on 7 May 1909. Designed by architect Eugene Schmitterer, The bath, named in the news as the Artesian spa, opened on 16 June 1913. The name of bath had been Széchenyi spa. The pool construction cost approximately 3.9 million Austro-Hungarian korona. The built-up area was 6,220 square meter. The attendance of spa was in excess of 200,000 people in 1913. (This number was already 890,507 in 1919). At that time it had private baths, separate men and women steam-bath sections, and different men / women "public baths". The complex was expanded in 1927, and it still has 3 outdoor and 15 indoor pools. After its expansion, the thermal artesian well could not fulfill its purpose, so a new well was drilled. The second thermal spring was found in 1938. The depth of the thermal spring is 1256m, the temperature is 77 °C and it supplies 6.000.000 litres (1 585 032 US gallons) of hot water daily. Between 1999 and 2009 the full reformation of the Széchenyi thermal bath took place within the confines of a blanket reconstruction. Main swimming and thermal sections are possible to visit mixed. The bath was named after István Széchenyi.

• published: 16 Dec 2013
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