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Spas

© Katarina Cadrova

A spa is a place where the natural mineral waters are used in the treatment of disease. The most common forms of treatment in Slovakia include a drinking cure, baths and douches, mud baths, packs and compresses. The mountain spas, high above sea level, also provide ideal climatic conditions valuable in the treatment of certain, especially lung complaints. Typical spas are in High and Low Tatras.

The Slovak Republic belongs to the world's big powers not only with regard to the number of spas and springs, but also to achieve therapeutical success. The balneology and balneotherapy have the advantages of centuries - long tradition and experience combined with the know-how of contemporary science. They boast international reputation and many of the spas have gained world renown.

Piestany is one of the best-known spas in Slovakia. Its fame has been growing since 1551. Its sulphur springs have been used with outstanding success for centuries to combat rheumatic disorders, nervous complaints and disorders of the limbs, as well as asthma and ailments of the upper respiratory tracts. The statue, "Breaker of Crutches", has become the symbol of Piestany. Among the most celebrated visitors to Piestany was Ludwig van Beethoven, who visited the spas 150 years ago. The main spring, "Trajan", was discovered in 1642, and spouts water at a temperature of 62 degrees of Celsius from a depth of about 5 000 ft, and gives forth as much as 30 000 hectoliters of water every 24 hours. The world famous therapeutic mud which is used for mud baths in Piestany is dried and exported.

Another spas in Slovakia are: Bardejov is a spa amid lovely coniferous forests with 17 mineral springs. Diseases of the stomach, gall-bladder and of the respiratory tract are cured here. Bojnice is another spa town in wooded environs with mineral springs of the temperature 30 - 40 degrees of Celsius, hot thermal lake with thermophilous flora in the spa park. Sliac with 5 thermal springs, known already in the 13th century. Cardio-vascular diseases are cured here. The world famous spa is Trencianske Teplice. The curative effect of the local springs were already known to the Romans spa establishments in an English park with a lake, 4 thermal springs. It was developed after 1800. Vysne Ruzbachy is a small spa located in lovely coniferous forests, with 14 thermal springs. Neuroses, psychic exhaustion, internal diseases are cured here. There are a lot of others, Rajecke Teplice, Dudince, Turcianske Teplice Smrdaky, Korytnica, Lubochna, Lucky, Brusno, Nimnica, etc., all over the country.