Duszniki-Zdrój (; cs, Dušníky; german: Bad Reinerz), often simplified to Duszniki, is a

spa town A spa town is a resort town based on a mineral spa (a developed mineral spring). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. Thomas Guidott set up a medical practice in the English town of Bath, Somerset, B ...

Kłodzko Valley The Kłodzko Valley ( pl, Kotlina Kłodzka, cs, Kladská kotlina, german: Glatzer Kessel) a valley in the Sudetes mountain range, that covers the central part of Kłodzko County in south-western Poland, with the southern tip extending to the Cze ...

and

Kłodzko County __NOTOC__ Kłodzko County ( pl, powiat kłodzki) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, south-western Poland. It came into being on 1 January 1999 as a result of the Polish local gover ...

Lower Silesian Voivodeship Lower Silesian Voivodeship, or Lower Silesia Province, in southwestern Poland, is one of the 16 voivodeships (provinces) into which Poland is divided. The voivodeship was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Wrocław, Legnica, Wałb ...

, in southwestern

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is divided into Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 mill ...

. As of December 2021, the town has a population of 4,329. Situated on the Bystrzyca River, it attracts tourists from Poland and around the world.

History

The settlement was mentioned in 1324. It was granted

town rights Town privileges or borough rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. The city law customary in Central Europe probably dates back to Italian models, which in turn were oriented towards the traditio ...

in 1346. Until 1595 it remained in private hands. A trade route connecting

Silesia Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is spli ...

and Bohemia ran through the town, contributing to its development. Weaving and paper production developed, as well as the iron industry, but the local iron deposits quickly depleted. In 1584 a town hall was built, and in 1605 a paper mill, now housing the Museum of Papermaking. The town's development was stopped by the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battl ...

(1618-1648). In 1669 Polish King John II Casimir Vasa stopped in the town after his abdication. In 1748 the first research of mineral springs was carried out, and in 1751 spa treatments began. In 1769, the town obtained the status of a

. In 1822 a pump room was founded. In 1826, 16-year-old

Frédéric Chopin Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period, who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leadin ...

visited the spa. He was cured there and gave his first concert outside of the Russian Partition of Poland, which was also his first charity concert. In 1877 a palm house was built with a concert hall and a reading room, and after 1881 many guesthouses were built. In 1896 or 1897, a monument was unveiled commemorating the 60th anniversary of Chopin's stay. In 1949, 1,500 Greek refugees of the

Greek Civil War The Greek Civil War ( el, ο Eμφύλιος �όλεμος ''o Emfýlios'' 'Pólemos'' "the Civil War") took place from 1946 to 1949. It was mainly fought against the established Kingdom of Greece, which was supported by the United Kingdom ...

, mostly women and children, were temporarily admitted in Duszniki-Zdrój before new homes were found for them in other towns. The town suffered in the

1997 Central European flood The 1997 Central European flood or the 1997 Oder Flood of the Oder and Morava river basins in July 1997 affected Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany, taking the lives of 114 people and causing material damages estimated at $4.5 billio ...

Economy

The town's economy is based on tourism, with several hundred thousand people visiting the town and the area every year. In addition, there are several

mineral water Mineral water is water from a mineral spring that contains various minerals, such as salts and sulfur compounds. Mineral water may usually be still or sparkling (carbonated/effervescent) according to the presence or absence of added gases. T ...

bottling plants, a traditional paper works and a crystal jewellery producer. The Museum of Papermaking in Duszniki-Zdrój is located in the town.

Spa

Although the area was known for its healthy waters at least since the late

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

, the

spa A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneothe ...

was officially founded in 1769. The natural sparkling waters of Duszniki are used in treatment of a variety of illnesses, including cardiac problems, gastrical problems. In addition, there is a number of facilities for balneotherapy located in Duszniki and an osteoporosis treatment centre.

Sights

Duszniki-Zdrój most recognizable landmark is the Museum of Papermaking established in an old 17th century

paper mill A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags, and other ingredients. Prior to the invention and adoption of the Fourdrinier machine and other types of paper machine that use an endless belt, ...

. It is listed as an official Historic Monument of Poland. Other significant places include the Saints Peter and Paul church, which contains a unique baroque,

whale Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals. As an informal and colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea, i.e. all cetaceans apart from dolphins and ...

-stylized

pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, access ...

, and the Fryderyk Chopin Theatre, established in the place where in 1826, 16-year-old Fryderyk Chopin played his first concert outside of the Russian Partition of Poland and his first charity concert. The annual International Chopin Festival is held here since 1946.

International relations

Duszniki-Zdrój is

twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...

with: * Audun-le-Tiche, France *

Bad Sulza Bad Sulza is a town in the Weimarer Land district, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated on the river Ilm, 15 km southwest of Naumburg, and 18 km north of Jena. The former municipality Ködderitzsch was merged into Bad Sulza in Jan ...

, Germany *

Deštné v Orlických horách Deštné v Orlických horách (german: Deschnei im Adlergebirge) is a municipality and village in Rychnov nad Kněžnou District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 600 inhabitants. Geography Deštné v Orlických ho ...

, Czech Republic *

Hoya Hoya may refer to: Places *Hoya, Germany, a city in Lower Saxony, Germany *County of Hoya, a former state in present Germany * Hoya, Tokyo, now incorporated within Nishi-tokyo, Tokyo, Japan * Hoya, Hpruso, a place in Hpruso Township, Kayah, Myanma ...

, Germany *

Nové Město nad Metují Nové Město nad Metují (; german: Neustadt an der Mettau) is a town in Náchod District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 9,100 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as ...

, Czech Republic *

Olešnice v Orlických horách Olešnice v Orlických horách is a municipality and village in Rychnov nad Kněžnou District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Hi ...

, Czech Republic *

Orlické Záhoří Orlické Záhoří is a municipality and village in the Rychnov nad Kněžnou District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 200 inhabitants. Administrative parts Orlické Záhoří is made up of one administrative ...

, Czech Republic *

Sedloňov Sedloňov (german: Sattel) is a municipality and village in Rychnov nad Kněžnou District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 200 inhabitants. Administrative parts The village of Polom is an administrative part o ...

, Czech Republic *

Trzcianka Trzcianka (; german: Schönlanke) is a town in the Greater Poland region in northwestern Poland. Since 1999, it has been part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship and Czarnków-Trzcianka County. From 1975 to 1998, it was located in the Piła Voiv ...

, Poland

Gallery

File:2014 , Centrum Dusznik-Zdroju, 01.JPG, Panorama of the town File:2015 Otoczenie papierni w Dusznikach-Zdroju 01.JPG, Museum of Papermaking File:2013 Duszniki Zdrój, dworek Chopina.jpg, Fryderyk Chopin Theatre File:2018 Kościół Świętych Apostołów Piotra i Pawła w Dusznikach-Zdroju 2.jpg, Saints Peter and Paul church File:Duszniki-zdroj june 2014 051.JPG, Chopin memorial from 1897 File:2018 Hotel Fryderyk w Dusznikach-Zdroju.jpg, The Fryderyk Hotel File:2018 Pijalnia wody mineralnej w Dusznikach-Zdroju.jpg, The spa park File:Duszniki Zdrój, Rynek 1, 02.JPG, Place of stay of King John II Casimir Vasa File:2014 Kościół św. Anny w Zieleńcu.jpg, Saint Anne's Church in the district of Zieleniec File:2018 Duszniki-Zdrój, ul. Sudecka 6 1.jpg, A historic townhouse on Sudecka Street

References

External links

Duszniki-Zdrój On-line

Official site

Jewish Community in Duszniki-Zdrój
on Virtual Shtetl
Tourists attractions
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duszniki-Zdroj Cities and towns in Lower Silesian Voivodeship Cities in Silesia

Duszniki Zdroj Duszniki may refer to the following places: * Duszniki, Greater Poland Voivodeship (west-central Poland) *Duszniki, Łódź Voivodeship (central Poland) *Duszniki-Zdrój Duszniki-Zdrój (; cs, Dušníky; german: Bad Reinerz), often simplified to ...

Spa towns in Poland