The Turkish Baths

Four hundred years of healing

It was until Eger finally fell to the Ottoman forces in 1596 that an organised bathing culture arose in the town.

Altogether there were three bathing facilities built by the Turks in Eger in the 16th/17th centuries but only one survives, that commissioned by Pasha Arnaut.

Topped with a golden cupola it must have been an impressive sight indeed, today the gold has gone but the baths remain despite undergoing many refurbishments over the years.

One of the six pools in Eger's Turkish Baths

There are six pools in total ranging in temperature from 30 to 38 degrees Celsius. Unlike the four surviving Turkish baths in Budapest, Eger's bath has dispensed with the traditional etiquette of Hammam bathing (except for one day a month - see below). What this means is that the bath is mixed, everyone is required to wear swimming costumes and bathers cannot follow the steps commonly adhered to in traditional Hammam baths.

However, if you're lucky enough to be at the bath on the the third Thursday of the month then it is possible to experience the full Hammam experience.

As well as the pools, there are various saunas, steam rooms and a jacuzzi, your entrance tickets also allows you to go outside to the water complex next door.

Exterior of the bath, in its heyday the cupola was decorated with gold leaf.

The primary focus in Eger's baths is on the healing properties of the thermal, spring waters which contain Radon. This may sound a touch scary at first but it is perfectly safe, in fact it is this element that forms the core of the various balneotherapies available at the bath.

Of course, you don't have to suffer from a medical condition to enjoy the baths. An afternoon soaking in the water is a great way to pamper yourself, relax and enjoy a unique experience.

Research has demonstrated that Radon has many health benefits and only becomes a risk to human health after long term exposure (decades). It is indicated for the following conditions:

• Arthritis
• Rheumatism
• Gout
• Disorders of the nervous system
• Muscular pain and stiffness
• Lumbago
• Osteoporosis
• Aids in the healing of bone damage
• Disc herniation (slipped disc)
• Spine degeneration
• Inflammation

However, there are contra-indications also, so if you are suffering from any of the following you should not go to Eger's Turkish Bath.

• Irregular heartbeat
• Suffered a heart attack in the past 6 months
• Hypertension
• Tuberculosis
• 3-5 years after treatment for a malignant tumour
• Infectious disease
• Lesions/broken skin
• Incontinence
  

Apart from the benefits of the water, there are also plenty of treatments/therapies on offer, I have listed them below, along with other charges you can expect to pay (as of 2014), if you have any queries contact me: