Thermae "Germisara", have almost the same shape as in antiquity, being dug in the "Roman embankment" (or "Roman hill"), a circular promontory with a diameter of about 100 meters, located right in the heart of the resort.
Today, from the ancient thermal complex, once you reach Geoagiu, you can see the old thermal baths (the pool with water that does not freeze even in winter), the tunnel (dug in the ’80s) and the side benches, as well as the network of canals that supply water.
An ancient "resort" for the recovery of the Romans
Historians say that, after the conquest of Dacia, the Romans discovered here a place rich in mineral and thermal waters, exploited, initially, even by the Dacians. Later, the Romans built here the GERMISARA camp, a toponym of Dacian origin, inherited and transmitted in this form and in the Roman era (germ = hot, sara = water).
...
Claudiu Șimonați, counselor at the National Center for Tourism Promotion and Information in Geoagiu Băi, says that in the inscriptions discovered through archaeological excavations is the testimony of a Roman officer, who thanked the protective deities and Aesculapius (revered as a god of hot springs), especially , for the waters of these baths, which saved him from death.
The baths were also frequented by the governors of the province, who - in the large basin of the baths - erected an altar to Aesculapius, and also to the goddess of health - Hygeea, under the command of Furius Saturninus, governor of Dacia in 165.
Hot springs, nymphs and gods.
In fact, four verses engraved on a stone discovered in the ruins of the baths, describe the veneration that the Romans had for nymphs, mythical creatures, protectors of the thermal springs:
"To you, queen of the waters, nymph, the adornment of the forest
Bassus, whose prayers you have gladly fulfilled,
We dedicate this altar to you made from a marble rock
Next to your Germisara, from the high peaks.”
Visiting program at the Daco-Roman thermal baths in Geoagiu Bai
The Roman baths can be visited non-stop, the access being open to the public permanently. They are not supervised and, for the time being, no visitation fee is charged. When you descend to the ancient basin you will have to be careful: the descent is somewhat steep and is done by means of steps dug in limestone.
The Daco-Roman baths, located in the center of the Geoagiu Bai Tourist Resort
Located at the foot of the Metaliferi Mountains, at an altitude of just over 350 meters, on the river Geoagiu, the spa resort Geoagiu-Băi is one of the places where long time ago volcanoes erupted!
The fairytale landscape, with clean, strongly ozonated air, is completed by the miraculous properties of alkaline, slightly sulfurous, bicarbonate, magnesium thermo-mineral waters. All these recommend Geoagiu-Băi as the place where we can treat our diseases of the musculoskeletal system, caused by rheumatism, but also some diseases of the nervous system, fatigue and neurosis.
The thermal waters from Geoagiu, slightly sulfurous, are used in the treatment of metabolic and nutritional diseases, hepato-biliary diseases, gastrointestinal diseases and kidney diseases.
And next to today's modern resort, right in the center, is the old spa for the recovery of the Romans - the Daco-Roman Baths. It is signposted by standard signs, which will take you steps towards what is apparently a limestone mound, which houses the old spa jewel of antiquity.
The departure to the old baths is made right next to the big pool, on an alley that takes us to the entrance to the site.
What else can you do as a Geoagiu Băi tourist?
If you are wondering what you can do if you arrive as a tourist in the spa resort of Geoagiu Băi, Claudiu Šimonati tells us that, apart from the Roman baths at Geoagiu Băi, "Thermae Germisara", where the Romans recovered and treated themselves after the battles fought, you can find and many other tourist attractions.
You can visit the Roman road paved with polygonal tiles (165 visible meters), which is said to have connected the Roman fort Germisara (or the fort from Cigmau) and the Roman baths Germisara from Geoagiu Bai, the Clocota waterfall, but also the Outlaws' Grotto, which still carries the legend of the three serfs hidden in it, who participated in the revolution of Horia, Cloșca and Crișan in 1784.
"Near the resort, about 18 km, the tourist could visit the Madei Gorges, where he will discover a protected area of national interest, crossed by the Balsa valley, with a special landscape, floristic and speleological value," adds the counselor of the local tourist information center.
In Geoagiu, tourists can see the Romanesque Chapel or the Rotunda Church, which they would find to be the oldest stone church in Romania, which is supposed to have been built somewhere in the 11th century, the Reformed Church dating from the 11th century. 17th century and the Orthodox Church , a historical monument dating from 1528.
Going to the village that today bears the name of the great Romanian engineer, inventor and innovator, Aurel Vlaicu, the tourist can visit his Memorial House, where the models of airplanes and inventions are exhibited, but also work personal belongings that belonged to him.
About 4 km from Geoagiu, in the village of Cigmău, the tourist could visit the place where the birthplace of the coryphaeus was, Ion Budai Deleanu, a prominent representative of the Transylvanian School, who wrote the valuable work “Țiganiada”, the only epic in literature Romanian.
Visits to the Dacian Fortresses in Orăștiei Mountains
Also close to the spa resort Geoagiu Băi, the tourist could visit the Dacian fortresses in the Orăștiei Mountains: Costești-Cetățuie, Blidaru and Sarmizegetusa Regia, but also the Orăștiei Fortress, the first Saxon seat fortress in Transylvania, plus the Museum of Popular Art from Orăștie. ”
More info on www.cniptgeoagiubai.ro
Foto Claudiu Mladin
We also recommend:
The Baile Daco Romane complex is an oasis of relaxation in the middle of nature.
Rate us and Write a Review
Your request has been submitted successfully.
Own or work here?
