A glance into the past
From historical data, scattered findings and archaeological explorations in recent years, we have learnt that this part of the Great Plain was inhabited as far back as the Great Migrations. Because of the natural resources and the convergence of trade routes, Huns, Vandals, Gepids, Goths, Avars and other peoples frequently settled and resettled in this area. In the first phase of the reign of the Arpád Dynasty, this area was home to populous communities. The first written mention of Szoboszló dates back to 1075 when King Géza I donated half of Szoboszló’s royal customs duty to the new abbacy to be established at Garamszentbenedek. With a deed of gift, decorated with his coat of arms and dated on 2nd September 1606, István Bocskai, Prince of Transylvania provided homes for 700 Hajdú (Heyduck) cavalrymen at the site of Szoboszlo, which had previously been destroyed by the Crimean Tartars. This is why the prefix “Hajdu” was attached to the settlement’s original Slavonic name. But it was only in the nineteenth century that this form-Hajdúszoboszló-came into widespread use. The town led the customary, toilsome life of the small agricultural, stock-breeding towns of the Hajdú Country, until the end of the first third of the 20th century. The development of the town really started from 26th October 1925, when the thermal spring appeared. From then on the medicinal water played an ever increasing role. The town’s development into a resort began, although agriculture retained its significant role even after the discovery of the second treasure”, the gas field.
Churches in the heart of the town
A significant proportion of Hajdúszoboszló’s population are Calvinists. Spa quests looking for spiritual comfort can admire the inside of the Protestant church completed in the Neo-classic style in the first half of the 19th century, which is open almost every day. Besides the church services, this House of God which was beautifully renovated between 2000 and 2003, is frequently the venue of organ and choral concerts. It stands near the dignified Neo-classic Town Hall, and is one of the symbolic landmarks of this settlement. At the beginning of Bocskai Street, which starts from Hösök Square, stands the Roman Catholic church, which was built in 1776 in the late Baroque style; its exterior was renovated in 2006. One of its points of interest is that Pope John Paul II, in the days when he was Archbishop of Cracow, paid a visit here. The church interior is typical of Szoboszló because the modern frescoes depict the town’s past, the welling up of the medicinal water and the development of the baths. Those of other faiths can also practice their religion in their own places of worship. Furthermore, the few hundred zealous members of the Greek Catholic congregation can worship the Lord in their new church built in the Byzantine style in 1994. With its icons of artistic value, and a well-tended park, this building is a real jewel box” in Szilfákalja Street.
The legend of the “hot gold“
Because of the discovery of the town’s great treasure the medicinal water – we can consider 26th
October 1925 as the real birthday of the town, with its promise of a bright future. Ferenc Pávai Vajna, chief geologist, had been searching for natural gas for a year, and on an autumn day, as a result of his deep drillings, a steaming, hissing column of water about 15 metres high and accompanied by a large amount of natural gas, spouted up from a depth of 1090.87 metres. It was thermal water at 73 °C! According to the few witnesses still alive, the town’s inhabitants gazed” in amazement at the phenomenon. From then on the life of the town changed. New hopes and new problems emerged in the life of this, up to then, simple market-town. For a while the oily-smelling, hot blessing” from God just flowed up and poured away into ditches; then some practically-minded women started washing their laundry in it, while the men and children started splashing about in the water. And wonder of wonders! After a few weeks of working and bathing in the water the splitting pains in the women’s backs and knees were relieved. After a while researchers also began to pay attention to this phenomenon, and meticulous chemical analyses were performed. The unanimous opinion of the geologists, chemists, balneologists and doctors was that a medicinal treasure” of incalculable value had been discovered The treasure is nothing else but the waters of the ancient seas of the Triassic Period, present here in the depths of the earth, in enormous quantities not expressible in numbers. Even after more than 8 decades of exploitation it appears to be inexhaustible and not diminishing. Its chemical composition is favourable that there is hardly any illness for which it is not beneficial. So it can improve the condition of those whose health has deteriorated or completely broken down. Although for decades after the discovery of the thermal water there were set-backs and problems with its use, the further march of the medicinal water became more and more triumphant” and irresistible. Hajdúszoboszló became a resort of international repute. The services are ever expanding, and medical tourism is thriving more and more vigorously. The fame of the miraculous spring” attracts, like a magnet, people wishing to regain their health and throw away their crutches. But completely healthy people also come under the spell of the hot gold. We are reminded of the heroic age” by the pump near the railway station which even today people still visit from early morning until late in the evening, carrying fuge cans to draw from the hot medicinal water, like parched travelers to the oasis in the desert.
The powers and applications of the medicinal water
The excellent medicinal effect of the thermal water is due to its components (iodine, bromide, common salt, hydrogen-carbonate, bitumen and the adhering oestrogen, trace elements present in the form of titanium, copper, zinc, silver, barium, vanadium and lead, etc.) When used with proper expertise, this medicine chest” of nature can be a remedy for numerous illnesses, or can ease suffering and ailments The pools filled with water at various temperatures, combined with balneotherapy and physiotherapy can heal partially or completely the following diseases: disorders of surgical, neurological, internal and dermal origins and in addition, locomotor diseases, parapoplexy and conditions developing after orthopedic operations, paralysis, chronic neurotic pains, leg ulcers, gynecological inflammations infertility, prostrate gland problems, eczema, psoriasis, scoliosis, various sclerosis problems and so on. The fist is by no means complete, being rather just a glance at the possibilities. It is worthwhile consulting the highly qualified, widely experienced specialists, working for the central medicinal baths, the day time sanatorium, the Béke medicinal hotel and the medicinal complexes of the individual hotels, before taking advantage of the about 40 types of balneotherapeutic treatments available. Statistics shoe than 90 percent of patients who follow the specialists instructions show a rapid and significant improvement. Looking back over the decades, this means tens of thousands of patients who have enjoyed partial or total cures. In addition, those who are not ill medically, but whose „tortured body and nervous system could do with repairs and maintenance” now and then, can also be grateful to the medicinal water, for to be sure, the town’s slogan expresses a golden truth: There are just three things to make you a healthy fellow: medicinal water, sunshine, and Szoboszló “The mineral water, named after the discoverer of the springs, can also quench the thirst of today’s many guests. It has its place among the increasingly popular Hungarian mineral waters.
Hungarospa Hajdúszoboszlo-Hungary’s leading bath complex
What the medicinal baths’ slogan states, is really true: OUR MOST PRECIOUS PEARL IS OUR HEALTH
The popularity of the indoor and open-air medicinal baths is even surpassed by that of the open-air pools in summer, which serve from the first of May until the end of September. During these five months open-air baths are the most popular destination for tourists. In the bath’s 30 hectare park, care-free relaxation is ensured for water and sun lovers by the 13 pools, among which the most popular are the wave, sparkling and children’s pools, as well as the Mediterranean Coast. In the children’s pool: the little ones are enchanted by the lifelike hippopotamuses, seals and turtles. In the huge landscaped bathing area there is a 5.5 hectare boating lake with a naturists’ island, a children’s playground and a sports centre all waiting for guests. In the sports centre water volleyball, foot tennis, ping pong, be football, streetball and tennis are all on offer, and from the beginning of 2008 a covered artificial turf surface is also available. The great number of cabins, changing rooms with clothes hangers, the valuabes protection service, and the loudspeakers similarly serve for the comfort of the guests. For many years now the increasingly more colourful cultural-entertainment events, fashion shows, beach ball tournaments, beauty contests and children’s day entertainment, are also tremendous attractions.A nationally unique waterside entertainment centre is the AQUAPARK opened in the open-air baths in 2000, which was constructed on the Spanish model. This is the sfide paradise of all slide paradises, giving a seaside atmosphere at the European level. The lively, nerve-tingling features and services could be listed at length. Not by chance has it gained enormous popularity among Hungarian and foreign visitors alike.
The biggest development in the bathing area took place in 2002, under the framework of the Széchenyi Plan, when the total technical renovation of the traditional bathing areas took place, and various features were added to the pools. The infrastructure of the baths was renewed, and almost every pool and walkway was resurfaced. The real sensation however was the 6,200 square metre Mediterranean Coast. Separated from the boating lake by a dam, it became Central Europe’s biggest built swimming area. The coastal atmosphere was provided by the sand dunes, the artificial waves and the beached pirate ship, as well as a lighthouse and palm trees. 2002 also saw the doubling of the surface area of the Aquapark, and the construction of three fiuge new slides. So now there are nine huge slides waiting for adrenalin-seeking fans. The mineral water bottling plant, which had been operating since 1994, was completely renovated in 2004, and is capable of filling various sizes of bottle with the water which is also famous for its curative effect for hangovers. The PHARE programme helped to develop the building of the Hotel Therma. This became the Hungarospa Thermal Hotel, which was opened in 2005. The three-star hotel has direct access to the swimming complex and in addition has its own medicinal department and medicinal pools.
Europe’s largest bathing complex also boasts a camping site and a covered swimming pool.Offers the flood of experiences for all kind visitors the AQUA PALACE, with an area of 15 thousands square metres from the summer of 2009. The covered experience bath with a unique face may come true between the high priority projects with an EU support. Only some of the attractive services: ice cave bath, slide pool, baby bath, family pool, bubble bath, sauna system, private bath, Surf building, playhouse, wellness rooms, squash court.
The bell-house
The bell-house designed by architect Zoltán Rácz houses the unique collection of bells donated to us by Edit Oborzil, an industrialist born in our town, and her husband, Tibor Jenei. The fifty bells, of great artistic value, were cast of a special aluminum alloy. The characteristic resonant ringing tone of the peace bells is due to the various sfits in their castings. The beauty of this work of art, registered as a world patent, is enhanced by the surrounding streams, the small lake, the rock garden, the symbols related to the history and folklore of the Hungarian people, for example the turul bird (a mythical eagle), the tree of life, the mythical stag and the carved wooden totem poles.
Museums
In Bocskai Street leading off from Hero’s square, in the vicinity of the Roman Catholic church, four museums testify that this town has preserved its past and present values. Here you can visit the museums of Local History and Hajdúság Folklore together with a picture gallery where, besides the permanent displays by the painter László Miskolczi and the graphic artist Gusztáv Cseh, periodic exhibitions are regularly held Historical and folklore monuments, such as the Csanády and Czeglédy houses, can be found in abundance in the town. Tourists can enjoy discovering them in the course of their walk.
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