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

2025Hungary 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 […]