Kezdi chair Balvanyos Bath Smelly Mountain footstools

Smelly Mountain footstools

Kezdi chair Balvanyos Bath Băile Balvanyos, Jud. Covasna

The bathing spot of the Apor girls is situated above Bálványosfürdő and a couple hundred meters below the renewed Grand Hotel Bálványos. Since access is denied to vehicles, visitors may walk up to the springs on a road-wide path. There are eight different, rather acid mineral water springs in the small area of the bathing spot, their pH varying between 1.82-4.28 as a result of the free sulfuric acid produced within. No similar mineral water springs with such small content of free sulfuric acid (vitriol) can be identified anywhere else in Europe. Actually, we can even call it a curiosity of the world. However, the same phenomena has been recorded in the Columbian Rio Vinaigrette, as well as in the area of the Paramo de Ruiz volcano, but also on the island of Java, then in Byron, New York, and in the Persian Golf area, in the proximity of Daulakie.

Meanwhile, in the case of the bathing spot of the Apor girls, the dead vegetation also hints to the presence of mofettes (an archaic term for the modern word fumarole). The direction of the acid water flows is shown by the lack of vegetation, the boiling and bubbling ponds, and the gas ebullitions.

The information panels set up within the bath area speak about the healing properties of the post-volcanic phenomena, which are regarded as beneficial – especially in the cases of rheumatism and other musculoskeletal diseases, gynecological, neurological and vascular diseases etc. Furthermore, if cold, the waters of the springs there may increase the activity of the biliary system, and if hot, they may just as well reduce it.

Traditioal baths