I visited the town named Varaždinske Toplice (Varaždin Spa). It is situated on the north-east of Croatia. It`t impressive because of beauty of its landscape. The name of town is result of history because on that place there was the oldest spa.
The beginning –the oldest baths
Even in the Medieval period Romans was enjoying in the wellhead of thermal water located in this place and called it Aqua Issae. In the middle of town there are remains of spa from romans ages during emperor Konstantin, 2. century BC. The name of town is mentioned the first time in Bela III. documents in 1181 as colony Topliss. In the end of 17 Centuary the castle of town was renewed in baroque style.
Modern spa – thermal water
The thermal water, that has a source 1800 m deep and temperature of 58 °C, was there about 20 thousand years. The analysis showed the water is rich of NaHCO3. The beginning of the modern spa in the town Varaždin Spa is conected with doctor John the Baptist Lalaguea who came in the end of 17 Century. He mentioned this place in his own book from 1779. He wrote about medical waters and then he compared the water from Varaždin Spa with the water from Baden Lake near Vienna. The spa got a status of place for healing in 1820 and from than it continued to increase, so it became real sanatorium as many europian famous sanatoriums. Even from 1838 profesional doctors work there.
Source: Wikipedia
The spa today
The tradicion of thousand years gave us the modern rehabilitation centar with 923 beds scheduled in five buildings conected each other -«Stari grad», «Konstantinov dom», «Lovrina kupelj», «Terme» i «Minerva». In the profesional crew of doctors there are many specialists of phisical medicine and rehabilitation, neurologist, nurses, psihologists and other non medical crew.
Despite medical purpose, today the Spa is for recreation, entertaiment and summer refreshing what you can get in pools inside and outside. There are made many toboggans for kids enjoying.
The price of ticket is 30 kunas (4,77 dolars) per person (daily ticket). Of course families with children and pensioners can get a cheeper ticket. All added activities like pedicure, manicure, masage and face treatment have a price plus. I bought a ticket with lunch which was on menu this day,so I got a ticket of 60 kn (9.54 dolars).
Next time I will visited this town, my aim is introduce it and all the culture memorials there.
