Piestany Spa

Spa Piestany is the most well-known Spa in Slovakia. Piestany holds the status of a Spa town and is a popular destination also for the visitors from abroad, mainly from Germany and Israel. I walked around the areal after visiting the Museum of Balneology, which is also situated in the town. The main Spa areal with buildings for therapeutic functions is located on a small island, known as ‘the Spa island’ and is connected with the rest of the town through the so-called ‘Colonnade bridge’.

 

The areal is architecturally divided into 2 areas – a historic part, built before the first world war and a new part, built after the second world war during the period of central planning. The most renowned Slovak architects contributed towards Piestany’s development and some buildings are part of the country’s national cultural heritage. The town grew together with Spa extensions and became an important cultural and academic centre.piestanyjpgpiestany2_1jpg


Napoleon Spa
(1813-1875)dsc_1568jpgdsc_1566jpgdsc_1579jpgdsc_1567jpgdsc_1580_2jpgdsc_1574jpgdsc_1577jpg

Hotel Thermia Palace and Balneotherapy Irma
(1910-1912)dsc_1559jpgdsc_1561jpgdsc_1569_2jpg
thermial_zrkadlisko_lecebny_bazenjpg
Interior picture: source: http://trendy-age.cz/thermia-palace-hotelovy-skvost-v-centru-lecive-sily-piestan/

Colonnade bridge 
(1931-1933)dsc_1544jpgdsc_1554jpg

Balnea centrum
(1965-1981)

The complex of the multifunctional buildings was built in 3 phases in the neo-functionalist style. All buildings are linked together through the bridges and arcades. The buildings house accommodation, balneotherapeutic and physiotherapeutic procedures, restaurants, coffees, cultural and other functions. Its own social centre contains a congress hall for 400 visitors, smaller hall, exhibition spaces, info centre, souvenir shop, hairdresser’s, pedicure and a post. Balnea centrum is the biggest architectural complex amongst all Slovak Spas.
dsc_1621jpgdsc_1634jpgdsc_1622jpgdsc_1627jpgdsc_1637jpgdsc_1640jpgdsc_1619jpgdsc_1613jpgdsc_1600jpgdsc_1604jpgdsc_1652_1jpgdsc_1593jpgdsc_1594jpgdsc_1606jpgdsc_1607jpg

Spa parkdsc_1528jpgdsc_1582jpgdsc_1645jpg

I noticed the historic part of the areal created the main social space and the new part was rather depopulated. I also felt more comfortable being in the ‘old’ part. I interviewed other visitors and the most common reasons for staying in the historic parts were as follows:

-atmosphere

-closer proximity to the town

-height of the buildings (max. of 3 storeys compared to 9 storeys)

-colours and materials – buildings and external spaces are more ‘playful’

-fruitful vegetation

-enclosure – the columns and colonnades create in-between space. A man feels being a part of the building, although still being outside.

-the colours, materiality and external ‘sterility’ of the new buildings resemble hospital areal

-more space for sitting

Objects outside of the main Spa Island fulfil mainly cultural functions, or provide accommodation


Villa Astoria

(1927)

Built originally as a dentist ambulance and the residence for both the clients and the doctor.dsc_1657jpg


Hotel Jalta

(1929-1930)

dsc_1660jpg


Kursalon

(1893-1894)

Kursalon now houses the museum, representation rooms for special occasions and a restaurant.dsc_1529jpgdsc_1525jpgdsc_1524_1jpg                    

The House of the Arts

(1974-1980)dsc_1536_1jpg