Today I thought of writing about Băile Herculane, a beautiful resort in Caras-Severin County that unfortunately seems forgotten by the authorities. To my shame, until I met the resort, I don't know that the name Herculane comes from Hercules, you know that guy with muscles, half man, half god. It seems that the foundations of the resort were laid by the Romans in 102. The first documentary attestation dates from 153. The resort of Băile Herculane experienced a flourishing period during communism, then entered a shady one. As someone said, a shadow of glory from another time. Baile Herculane is located 180 meters above sea level, in the Caras Severin region, on the banks of the Cerna River.
The resort is located in the southwestern part of Romania, at an altitude of 168 m, 8 km away from the border with Mehedinți County and 25 km from the border with Serbia.
The air at Băile Herculane Resort has the highest load of negative herons in the country, which is beneficial for health, especially in anti-stress therapy. Did you know that the resort was visited by the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef, Empress Sissi? Well, neither do I.
Băile Herculane Train Station - an architectural gem forgotten by the authorities
A few years ago, about the Băile Herculane Train Station was said to be the most beautiful train station in Romania. Now honestly, I wouldn't know what to say, the building is a gem, but the authorities kind of forgot about it. The main building of the station is round and was built in Baroque style.
The station was inaugurated on May 20, 1878 on the Timișoara - Orșova railway line, inaugurated a year later. With the access to the train at Băile Herculane, the number of guests at the famous resort increased.
Honestly, I would like it to be valued. The station is functional, but not as it should be, considering that it is the oldest resort in Romania.
Walking through the resort
What particularly caught my attention were the Imperial Stables built of stone, which still look very good. I would say, a plus for the resort. Here we also find numerous Roman vestiges: aqueducts, baths, statues, coins, votive tablets as signs of thanksgiving to the gods for healing. After 1718 (Peace of Passarovitz) begins the modern and contemporary history of the Herculaneum Baths, within the Austrian Empire.
In Hercules Square you are greeted by the statue of Hercules, cast in bronze in 1847 and is a historical monument. The statue of Hercules was mounted in place of the red marble fountain in the center of Baile Herculane. The resort is surrounded by monumental Baroque and Neoclassical buildings. Here is a souvenir shop where you can buy a souvenir.
Although there are so many important buildings, buildings with an impressive history behind them, no one is doing anything to save them.
On the way to the conquest of the resort we passed the Roman Catholic Church "Assumption", a church that is one of the tourist attractions in the area. It is included in the list of historical monuments.
Another stop was made at the Roman Imperial Baths, also known as the Baths of Neptune, they were built between 1883 - 1886 according to the plans of the architect Ignac Alpar. Unfortunately, access to the inside is not allowed.
I then went to the Wrought Iron Bridge where some photos were taken. The bridge was built between 1883-1886, as a pedestrian bridge over the river Cerna. It is built of a single arch, with wrought iron parapets with decorative elements.
Another important objective to visit is the Roman Hotel, built in 1838 on the site of the old Roman Imperial Baths, which used the waters of the Hercules spring.
From there I decided that I had to explore wilderness, the target was the Outlaws Cave. Here, we have to climb a few steps, then go through a metal gate and walk to the main entrance to the caves. Legends say that in these caves the thieves from the Roman period hid their treasures here.
I'm not going to make someone sad, but I can't help but wonder, doesn't it hurt the Romanian state that history is being lost? Yes, it hurts me and I know there are many like me. There are enough tourists, so there is no problem that the resort is not visited. The pluses would be some renovated hotels and buildings that are still maintained.
Among the pluses is Grand Hotel Minerva Resort, an interesting hotel through its architecture. When you look at it you have the feeling that the mountain is falling over it.
From here you can visit the Danube Boilers
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