The Rác Thermal Bath, located in
Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
,
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
, is an 8000-square metre bath and is renowned for its
Turkish bath
A hammam (), also often called a Turkish bath by Westerners, is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world. It is a prominent feature in the culture of the Muslim world and was inherited from the model ...
dating back to the 16th century, and its imperial pools and shower corridor built in the age of the
Austro-Hungarian Monarchy
Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...
. The bath is listed as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
and is now part of the newly built complex of the Rác Hotel & Thermal Spa. Its name derives from an old Hungarian name for
Serbs
The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...
, one of the former inhabitants of diverse historical
Tabán
The Tabán usually refers to an area within the 1st district of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. It lies on the Buda (i.e., western) side of the Danube, to the south of György Dózsa Square, on the northern side of Elisabeth Bridge and to the ...
.
History
Turkish bath
The oldest part of the Rác Bath is the Turkish cupola, built in 1572, which was called ''Küçük Ilica'' ("Small Thermal Spring") at the time. It was commissioned by the civic judge of
Pest and later owned by
Buda
Buda (, ) is the part of Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, that lies on the western bank of the Danube. Historically, “Buda” referred only to the royal walled city on Castle Hill (), which was constructed by Béla IV between 1247 and ...
governor
Sokollu Mustafa Pasha
Sokollu Mustafa Pasha (, , ) was a 16th-century Ottoman Empire, Ottoman statesman and member of the influential Sokolović family. His uncle (or cousin depending on the sources) was the Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha.Ozguven, Burcu. (1999) ''A ...
and part of his endowment legacy. This cupola remained in a very good state through the centuries and therefore could be authentically restored. The windows, reveals, kurnas (marble basins on the walls), pool and floor are still the original ones perfectly renovated to their authentic state; thus it looks the same and can be used as it was in the 16th century.
The side cupola adjacent to it was destroyed in 1905, and has also been restored according to its remains found by the archaeologists.
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Ybl baths and shower corridor
The most impressive part of the Rác Bath was constructed and built by Miklós Ybl
Miklós Ybl (6 April 1814 in Székesfehérvár – 22 January 1891 in Budapest) was one of Europe's leading architects in the mid to late nineteenth century as well as Hungary's most influential architect during his career. His most well-known w ...
in two phases between 1865 and 1870. Approximately 30-40 percent of the romantic Ybl cupola and the famous shower corridor (1865) remained since it was subject to the Russian bomb attacks of World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, renovation in the 1960s and also in 2002. The rest of this area was rebuilt and restored to its exact original state according to old copper engravings, drawings and documentations.
Flora bath
This section of the Rác Spa, also built in 1865, was styled after the ancient Roman baths, and now serves as the dedicated VIP section of the complex.
Modern-day spa
The last part of the bath was built adjacent to the historical buildings in the 21st century and accommodates the latest treatments and services, with 21 treatment rooms, a business room and a special VIP area.
Water content
The many medical benefits of the Rác Bath's karst water are well known. The water contains calcium, magnesium, hydrogen-carbonate, sulphate-chloride, sodium and fluoride ions. The water, together with the services provided, offer recreation and are claimed to be beneficial for arthritis, spine illnesses, intervertebral disk pains, aortic stenosis, circulatory problems asthma and bronchitis. The complex has 11 pools. The water temperatures are 14 ˚C, 36 ˚C, 38 ˚C, and 42 ˚C.Rác Thermal Bath at www.vendegvaro.hu
References
Sources
* ''Buzás, Gergely'': Középkori fürdők (Műemlékvédelem, 2009 Vol. LIII. Issue 5. pp. 285–289
* ''G. Lászay, Judit & Papp, Adrienn'': A budai török fürdők kutatása az évezred elején (Műemlékvédelem, 2009 Vol. LIII. Issue 5. pp. 290–316
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rac Bath
Thermal baths in Budapest
Buildings and structures completed in 1870
Tabán
Ottoman baths
Hot springs of Hungary