The world famous spa town of Piešťany is situated in the northern part of the region of Dolné Považie at the foothills of the Považský Inovec Mts. and its fame is associated with the medicinal geothermal water and medicinal sulphuric mud. The mud and thermal mineral water in Piešťany have remarkable therapeutic effects on locomotion apparatus disorders and are unique not only in Europe, but worldwide too.
It is the largest and most successful Slovak spa specializing in the therapy of diseases of locomotion apparatus. Hot mineral springs (67°-69°C) with the content of 1,500 mg of mineral substances per liter and sulphuric medicinal mud have stimulated the development of spa industry and building of therapeutic facilities.
The self-reproducing deposits of the medicinal mud as the product of the joint activity of mineral springs and river sediments of the Váh river are a remarkable phenomenon. The unique mud of Piešťany has an exceptional therapeutic effect on rheumatic disorders and some neurological disorders and it is applied in form of mud wrappings and so-called mire.
The first important owners of the spa were the Erdödy family. Erdödys had the first spa house built after the Napoleonic wars in 1822. It still stands and is referred to as the Old Spa or Napoleons Bath. However, it was the Winter family that developed the spa to its full prosperity and world fame. Several hotels in the Art Nouveau style were built at the beginning of the 20th century and a few new spa buildings were constructed in the 1960s to 1980s. Today the spa offers more than 2,400 beds of economy, standard, superior and suite category.
The park of the Kúpeľný ostrov (the Spa Island) with its fountains and statues offers interesting scenery. Parts of the area include an open-air thermal swimming pool, a network of spa hotels, health care facilities and sport facilities. There is a golf court, tennis courts, and a beach volleyball field on the island. In addition, cycling and jogging paths run through this area.
In the northern part of the island there is a spa Social Centre, which provides cultural and artistic programs of various genres, theatre festivals, and excursions to the local architectural and historical monuments and landmarks. In two halls of the Social Centre, international congresses and conferences are held and there are also galleries and other premises.
Several operators of natural health spas or spa facilities with licenses from the Ministry of Health of the SR can operate in this spa resort. Spa care focuses on treatment of various health problems. More details on treated diseases and provided services can be obtained from particular operators whose contact information is provided below. A basic overview of operators and treated indications can be obtained also after clicking on “Overview of Slovak natural spa health resorts with indications” in the Related Links section.
source: Vydavateľstvo DAJAMA