Heilbäder#

Spas (medicinal springs, health resorts): Its many medicinal and mineral springs and deposits of therapeutic mud as well as mild climatic regions make Austria a typical spa country. There are more than 80 health spas in Austria, which do not only serve medical purposes but are also an important factor in tourism; approx. one sixth of all overnight stays per year are registered in health spas. Spas have existed in Austria since Roman times. Bad Gastein (Salzburg) and Baden (Lower Austria, coat of arms 1480) were known for their medicinal springs as early as the 14th and 15th centuries respectively, the description of a journey to Baden has been preserved from the year 1514. Bad Tatzmannsdorf (Burgenland) was discovered in 1650 and has been operated as a spa since 1820, the spring in Sauerbrunn (Burgenland) was discovered around 1800 and has been exploited since 1847. The bathing facilities in Baden were built at the end of the 18th century, in Bad Gastein the Badeschloss ("bathing palace") was built 1791-1793, Bad Hall (Upper Austria) was made a health resort in 1820, Bad Deutsch-Altenburg (Lower Austria) and Bad Gleichenberg (Styria) in 1834. Bad Voeslau (Lower Austria), too, has been a health resort since the 19th century. The pump room in Bad Ischl (Upper Austria) was built in 1819. Springs discovered in the 20th century were at Bad Schallerbach (Upper Austria, 1918) and Bad Bleiberg (Carinthia, thermal spa 1931). In the 20th century several smaller towns also tried to obtain the status of "spa" and to be acknowledged as health resorts. The official recognition of a health spa is granted on the legal basis of the Federal Law on Natural Therapeutic Baths and Spas (Federal Law Gazette 272/58) with the appropriate implementing statutes passed by the provinces. A town is only recognised as a spa if it has water, earth or air with proven therapeutic qualities. If certain additional criteria are fulfilled a town may call itself a health resort.

The study of therapeutic baths was developed into a distinct scientific discipline called balneology by J. H. v. Cranz (Baederbuch 1777). Cranz also promoted the training of specialist staff.

Literature#