Mineral spa
This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2022) |
Mineral spas are spa resorts developed around naturally occurring mineral springs. Like seaside resorts, they are mainly used recreationally although they also figured prominently in prescientific medicine.
Origins
Spas were used for millennia for their purported healing or healthful benefits to those wealthy or close enough to partake of their waters. This was called a mineral cure and gave let to phrases such as taking a cure and taking the waters. There has always been a mixture of recreational and medicinal
In many cases, mineral spas were located in mountainous locales that gave an additional excuse to leave the drudgery of a hot house in warm weather during summer's onset and were seasonally populated by the well-to-do. They eventually became early vacation spots with the counter-Victorian work ethic 'rationale' of health as an excuse to have fun and mix with one's peers in recreation.
Subsequently, many became the seed stock for today's modern vacation resorts. Locations such as
The name "spa" comes from the Belgian town Spa.
Evolution of the resort
As the Victoria era ended, the influences of the industrial revolution created more and more varied members of the upper middle class. The concepts of vacationing, tourism, and travel became less the property of the old monied classes and more shared by an increasing population base of those who could afford holiday trips, like the rich.
Such adventures had much allure before any audio-visual entertainment outside a live orchestra. Thus, the spas began attracting more local patrons and those from afar when the burgeoning numbers could take advantage of the automobile and the now extensive railways throughout most of Europe and the United States.
The
Notable mineral spa and spring areas
Africa
South Africa
- Caledon, Western Cape
- Tshipise, Limpopo
- Bela Bela, Limpopo
- Badplaas, Mpumalanga
Asia
China
India
Vajreshwari Temple, Maharashtra
Japan
- Beppu, Ōita
- Gero, Gifu
South Korea
- Yuseong-gu, Daejeon
Turkey
Europe
Albania
- Spa, Peshkopi
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
- Bankya
- Banya, Plovdiv Province
- Dobrinishte
- Hisarya
- Kyustendil
- Narechen
- Pavel Banya
- Sandanski
- Sapareva Banya
- Varshets
- Velingrad
Czech Republic
France
Georgia
Germany
- Baden-Baden
- Bad Neuenahr
- Wiesbaden
Hungary
Poland
Romania
- Baile Felix
- Baile Govora
- Baile Herculane
- Baile Tusnad
- Vatra Dornei
Russia
- Belokurikha, Altai
- Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkarian Republic
- Svetlogorsk, Kaliningrad Oblast
- Martsialnye Vody , Karelia
- Goryachy Klyuch, Krasnodar Krai
- Yeysk, Krasnodar Krai
- Staraya Russa, Novgorod Oblast
- Kislovodsk, Stavropol Krai
- Pyatigorsk, Stavropol Krai
- Yessentuki, Stavropol Krai
- Zheleznovodsk, Stavropol Krai
Serbia
- Bukovička Banja
- Vrnjačka Banja
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
- Saint-Moritz
United Kingdom
England
- Askern
- Bath
- Boston Spa
- Buxton
- Cheltenham
- Church Stretton
- Dorton Spa
- Droitwich Spa
- Epsom
- Harrogate
- Ilkley
- Knaresborough
- Malvern
- Matlock
- Matlock Bath
- Royal Leamington Spa
- Royal Tunbridge Wells
- Scarborough; see also The Spa, Scarborough
- Shap
- Shearsby
- Tenbury Wells
- Woodhall Spa
Ukraine
Americas
Brazil
Canada
- Harrison Hot Springs
Costa Rica
Jamaica
- Milk River Bath, Clarendon
Mexico
Uruguay
United States
- Desert Hot Springs, California
- French Lick, Indiana
- Eureka Springs, Arkansas
- Hot Springs, Arkansas
- Mineral Wells, Texas
- Mount Clemens, Michigan
- Poland Spring, Maine
- Saratoga Springs, New York
- Sharon Springs, New York
- Steamboat Springs, Colorado
- Warm Springs, Georgia
- Warm Springs, Virginia
- Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
- Waukesha, Wisconsin
Oceania and Australia
Australia
- Hepburn Springs
- Daylesford
- Peninsula Hot Springs, Victoria
New Zealand
References
- PMID 26271837. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 18 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 517–522.