Gellert Bathing (Gellert Gyogyfurdo)

Gellert Bathing is one of the thirteen baths in Budapest, located at the foot of the mountain of the same name, and which is located in the same building as the Danubius Hotel Gellért. As a world-famous thermal complex and a historical monument at the same time, the Gellért Spa mesmerizes visitors with its architectural elegance and magnificent design. It is not for nothing that it has been awarded the honorary title of “The Most Beautiful” among all the thermal baths in the Hungarian capital. And the first thing that catches the eye is the four-storey Art Nouveau domed building itself, the facade of which is decorated with magnificent stucco.

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Highlights

Almost a decade ago, the original appearance of the St. Gellert Spa and Pool was recreated, opened in 1918 on the basis of a natural spring found in Mount Gellert. Once here, you can’t help but think that you have entered a luxurious royal apartment, and this splendor was created just for you. Marble columns, magnificent mosaics, stained glass windows depicting heroes of epic poems, sculptural compositions, fountains with mineral water from which you can drink – all this looks like a fairy tale that miraculously became reality.

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What makes the Gellert Spa so popular not only with tourists, but also with locals? First of all, the opportunity to improve health and prevent many diseases thanks to the services offered here, and to do so, if I may say so, surrounded by frozen history. Agree, not in every health institution or SPA-salon benefits of modern civilization so harmoniously combined with the historical and architectural heritage, when enrolled in the procedures visitors feel like on a tour and get acquainted with the sights.

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History

People discovered the thermal springs on the site of the current Gellert Spa a long time ago, back in the VIII-IX centuries. One of the first to learn about their healing properties, according to local chronicles, was the hermit monk St. Istvan, who settled in a cave church on the slope of Mount Gellert and said that they could cure “the French disease and seven ailments”. People came to him and he never refused to help anyone. The place where the monk healed people was called the “Dirty Bath” because the water itself was muddy and looked muddy and dirty.

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From the same chronicles, we learn that in the Gellert baths back in the XIII century, King Andras II, nicknamed “Unruly”, used to improve his health. He also ordered the first health center to be built next to the springs. After Buda (one of the historical parts of modern Budapest) was conquered by the Ottomans, they built Turkish baths – hammams on the site of the health center.

For a long time, recovery with thermal waters was available only to the upper classes. The healing springs were opened to the general public only at the beginning of the XIX century, and it happened thanks to their then owner Istvan Segitz. At that time, the Gellert Spa was called Blocksbad in the German manner. On his instructions, a one-story building was erected above it, nicknamed by locals the “Mud Shed” – again, because of the impurities in the water.

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However, the main contribution to the creation of a majestic architectural complex over the baths, “equal in beauty to royal palaces”, was made by the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I, who ruled from the second half of the XIX century. The construction of the water cure center, and at the same time the hotel complex, was started by his direct order. The works were supervised by Sterk Isidor, Sebastian Arthur and Negedus Armin. The construction was realized in a total of 6 years. In 1918, the official opening of these luxurious and expensive apartments took place. This is how the Gellert Bathhouse appeared in Budapest.

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In 1927, Jacuzzi baths and a pool with artificial waves were equipped here. Interestingly, the unit installed at that time for the “production” of these very waves successfully functions today, despite the fact that during the Second World War, the Gellert Spa was bombed several times, and the building was almost completely destroyed.

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Already in peacetime, the spa complex was rebuilt, but without architectural and design frills – the difficult economic situation in post-war Hungary. The original historical appearance was returned to the Gellert Baths only in 2008, when the full-scale reconstruction of the complex, which lasted several years, was completed.

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Range of services

The Gellert Spa has thirteen swimming pools, of which only three are open-air, the rest are indoor. The largest of them is the most popular, its area is 500 m². It is in it every hour, but only for 10 minutes, creates a unique effect of artificial sea waves.

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The pools here are of several types:

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  • open seated;
  • hydromassage;
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  • thermal medical;
  • with underwater pulling;
  • indoor seated; cooling;
  • adventure pool;
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  • children’s pool.

They differ both in area and depth, each maintains a comfortable water temperature, which allows not only adults, but also children to spend time here with benefit.

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The largest number of pools, namely eight, are the so-called thermal pools, each of which has a different temperature. Water in them comes from 10 hot springs, the temperature “at the exit” varies from +38 to +43 degrees. All pools can be divided into two more conditional groups – by gender: for men and for women. There are also so-called common and, as it was said above, children’s pools. Joint visit to the pools of both sexes has been allowed relatively recently.

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The water in the pools of the Gellert Spa, as studies show, contributes to the cure of various ailments: in particular, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, various types of neuralgia, bronchitis and bronchial asthma, cardiovascular pathologies. Visiting the steam rooms and solariums located here helps to achieve the same goals. Steam rooms should be mentioned separately: there are so many of them here that one can lose count. Finnish saunas, steam rooms with aromas of herbs, Turkish baths hammam, “mud” and “gas” steam rooms …

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The entire range of balneological and SPA services is available to the visitors of the Gellert Spa, from carbon dioxide and pearl baths to salt chambers, mud treatment and electrotherapy. We are not talking about different types of massage – therapeutic, Thai, hot stones, “chocolate”, “Danube Dream” massage, aroma massage and simply refreshing and relaxing. Especially for lovely ladies are equipped with modern beauty salons.

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Sunbathing lovers are also comfortable here: a summer terrace is equipped for them right on the roof of the building, where you can get a beautiful even tan. Another category of visitors, who feel very free in the Gellert Baths, are nudists. They are by no means a closed group: whoever wants to, can join their society, and no one will drive him away.

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And there are cozy cafes in the Gellert Spa, where you will be offered refreshments and other drinks, and all this in combination with the procedures creates a favorable atmosphere for full recovery and rest, which will fill you with the energy of life for at least a year ahead!

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Rules for visiting the Gellert Spa

There are practically no serious restrictions that would regulate visiting the Gellert Baths. Except that there may be prohibitions, paradoxical as it may sound, for some medical reasons.

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If you are among the lucky ones who not only can, but also need to visit this place, remember a few simple rules. When visiting the pool must have a bathing cap. No own – you can rent. True, many people are not satisfied with this option (just do not want to use this accessory after someone), and they buy a cap, as they call it, for permanent personal use. “Price of the question” is only 2-3 euros. By the way, in the bathing Gellert will also need slippers and a towel. You can bring them with you or, again, look for suitable ones at the rental shop. Do not want to use “other people’s”, buy your own on the spot, the cost – 20 euros.

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Pools are usually open from 6:00 to 20:00 daily. The exception is the hot summer period, when their visiting time is extended until midnight. But whatever the schedule, you must leave the pool 15 minutes before it closes, and it is strictly forbidden to violate this regulation.

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Tourists to note

Those who are visiting or just planning to visit the Gellert Baths for the first time should know that it is one of the most expensive hydrotherapy centers in Budapest. The cost of an adult admission ticket on weekdays is: with a locker – 17 euros; with a stall – 18 euros.

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On weekends, the price of entrance tickets goes up slightly. Children under the age of two are admitted free of charge. In order to attract customers and in case of a transfer service contract (airport-hotel), a 20 percent discount is given. For the same purpose, sightseeing tours are organized in the Gellert Spa.

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Renting a private bathing room for two persons costs 90 euros and 180 euros for four persons. This service also includes the provision of a bathtub with thermal water and the possibility of using a thermal cabin. Advantages: a separate entrance and a separate changing room. Drinks and fruit can be offered, and it is up to the vacationer to decide whether to accept or refuse. An important nuance: the order for the use of such services is better to make in advance. This applies to various types of spa massage (aromatic, thermal and others).

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The Gellert Spa also offers other additional services. Among them are such types of massage as wellness, therapeutic and underwater ray massage. Therapeutic gymnastics sessions are also available.

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On weekdays on the territory of the baths operates a polyclinic, receiving patients from 6:30 to 19:30. You can, in particular, visit a doctor’s office and even get a full range of dental services. All services are paid for both in cash and with bank cards.

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Interesting facts

  • The waters of the Gellert Spa contain trace elements such as sodium (Na), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) as well as metaboric (HBO2) and silicic (H2SiO3) acids. This composition is the reason for their therapeutic effects in a number of diseases.
    • .The Gellert Baths, considered one of the main attractions of the Hungarian capital, has been used as a location for filming. Photo exhibitions overlooking its building are also regularly held. In addition, both private (amateur) and professional photography are not prohibited here..
  • One scandalously famous video installation “Men’s Bath”, which was presented in Venice by Polish artist Katarzyna Kozyra, is associated with filming in the bathhouse. For this she had to makeup herself as a man. To maximize the resemblance, Kozyra put on her face artificial stubble, and below the waist attached … silicone penis. This is how the “art” turned out.
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  • You can see how the famous bathhouse looked like in the 1930s at the Magyar Fotográfusok Háza gallery, where the corresponding works by Sándor Pustai are on display as part of the “Miniszterek gatyában” photo project.
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  • The Gellert Bathhouse has been closed for technical reasons only once in the entire period of its existence, counting from the moment of its official opening. This was due to really valid circumstances – a pipe burst.
  • In 2013, the Gellert Spa was awarded the Grand Prix in the category “National Production.”
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Address, how to get there

The Gellert Bathhouse (Gellert Gyogyfurdo) is located at Budapest, Kelenhegyi út, 40. It is in the very center of Budapest, next to the Freedom Bridge, crossing which you get, by the way, to one of the popular streets among tourists – Váci.

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Official website: www.gellertbath.com.

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You can get there by bus (routes Nos. 7, 7A and 86) and by streetcar (Nos. 18, 19, 41, 47 and 49).

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Many people prefer to take the metro (“green” line M4), stop “Szent Gellért tér M” or “Szent Gellért tér”.

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