Gellért Baths
1672696
223374039
2008-07-03T20:14:00Z
86.137.155.62
/* External links */
[[Image:GellertUszoda1.JPG|thumb|250px|The effervescent swimming pool in Gellért Baths]]
[[Image:Gellertbaths.JPG||thumb|250px|The entrance hall to the Gellért Baths complex]]
'''Gellért Thermal Baths and Swimming Pool''', also called '''Gellért fürdő''' or '''Gellért Baths''', is one of the most beautiful and elegant baths in [[Budapest]], built between [[1912]] and [[1918]] in the ([[Vienna Secession|Secession]]) [[Art Nouveau]] style. They were damaged during [[World War II]], but then rebuilt. References to healing waters in this location are found from as early as the [[13th century]]. A hospital was located on this site during the [[Middle Ages]]. During the reign of the [[Ottoman Empire]], baths were also built on this particular site.
The Gellért Baths complex includes [[thermal baths]], which are small pools containing water from Gellért hill's mineral hot springs. The water contains [[calcium]], [[magnesium]], hydrocarbonate, [[alkalis]], [[chloride]], [[sulfate]], and [[fluoride]]. There are two different thermal baths, according to the signs on the walls of the baths, one is around 36°C and the other around 38°C. The thermal baths are decorated beautifully with mosaic tiles. The complex also includes [[sauna]]s and [[plunge pool]]s (segregated by gender), an open-air [[swimming pool]] which can create artificial waves every ten minutes and an [[effervescent]] swimming pool. [[Masseuse]] services are available. Different types of massage are available. In a half hour massage, patrons and are escorted into a room with 3 massage beds and are asked to remove all their clothing. The massages given are completely nude, with 3 massages going on in the same room at once. Gellért Baths also offer a wide range of medical services, but they must be booked ahead of time.
== References ==
* "Budapest". ''DK Eyewitness Travel Guides'' (2004)
* [[1000 Places to See Before You Die]]
== Trivia ==
* The Hotel is the basis for the Thermal Bath Hotel in the game [[Hitman: Codename 47]]
== See also ==
[[Image:Gellért Szálló.jpg|thumb|Gellért Hotel]]
* [[Hotel Gellért]]
* [[Király Baths]]
* [[Rudas Baths]]
* [[Széchenyi Medicinal Bath|Széchenyi Baths]]
== External links ==
{{commonscat|Szt. Gellért Gyógyfürdő es Uszoda}}
* [http://www.gellertbath.com/ Gellert Baths site]?
* [http://www.spasbudapest.com/furdo.php?idx=5 Budapest Spas and Hot Springs entry on Gellért Baths]
* [http://www.danubiushotels.com/en/budapest-hotels/danubius-hotel-gellert-budapest/hotelinfo/gellert_bath Danubius Hotels Gellért Baths site]?
* [http://imagelinka.com/v1/view.jsp?id=439 Visit Gellert Baths at imageLinka]
{{coor title dms|47|29|1,35|N|19|3|3,5|E|type:landmark|region:HU_type:landmark}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Budapest]]
[[Category:Massage]]
[[es:Balneario Gellért]]
[[hu:Gellért Gyógyfürdő]]