HUNGARY: “Szecska” – The history of the Széchenyi Thermal Bath

Hungary boasts more than 1,300 thermal springs, and in Budapest alone, there are 123. That is why Budapest has earned the nickname „City of Spas.”.

The thermal baths or spas in Budapest are not only popular tourist attractions but also important public comforts for its residents. No other capital in the world has as many spas as Budapest!

The first spas were constructed by Roman settlers who settled in Aquincum, which is now part of the “old Buda” district. This is where the history of thermal bathing begins. Turkish occupiers constructed numerous renowned Turkish baths in Budapest during the 16th century.

History

Széchenyi Thermal Bath is the first thermal bath in Pest, and it is one of the largest spa complexes in Europe. The idea of searching for thermal water under Budapest came up in 1867, during the Austro-Hungarian Compromise. The task of marking the optimal well site fell to Vilmos Zsigmondy, a mining engineer, who placed it at the end of Andrássy Street.

In 1913, Széchenyi Thermal Bath was built based on the designs of Győző Czigler. In 1927, the bath was expanded with a public bathing department for gentlemen and ladies and an outside part. In the middle of the 1960s, further transformations took place, including the creation of another thermal section as well as a daytime hospital (complex physiotherapy department).

In 1999, the reconstruction of the swimming section’s pools and their equipment with water filtering and circulation devices was completed. The so-called fancy bath includes a whirling corridor, underwater effervescence production, a neck shower, a water beam back massage installed in the sitting banks, and many other services.

In 2009, Széchenyi Bath got a real spa oasis, a rooftop spa called Palm House. It is a Palm House with palm trees and other exotic plants that love the heat of the thermal baths and the lots of sunshine coming through the glass roof.

(S)party time

Do you fancy a thermal party with amazing visuals, fascinating acrobatic performances, and top-notch electronic dance music?

Sparty started back in 1994 when a group of friends decided to combine their two passions: modern electronic dance music and Budapest’s historic bath culture. Since then, every Saturday, magical things have happened here.

Every Saturday night between 9:30 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. from February to December, Sparty welcomes everyone eager to have a spa day while listening to the latest and greatest electronic dance music.

Although Sparty takes place in a bath, it is foremost a party. Daytime services are not available during the party. If you’d like to enjoy saunas or massages at Széchenyi, visit the bath the day after your Sparty experience!

Rules

• As Széchenyi Baths is a mixed thermal spa complex, visitors are expected to wear acceptable swimwear on the corridors, outside, in the pools, in the saunas, and in the in the steam rooms.
• Bath flip-flops or slippers are required to be worn in the whole area of the bath.
• Swim caps are mandatory in the swimming pool but not in the other 17 pools.
• Swimming suits covering the full body or surfing suits are unfortunately not accepted in Széchenyi Baths due to government health regulations, which the baths need to observe.