BAILE GOVORA – ROMANIA

Stress, agitation, pollution, the crazy rhythm of life … Forget about them, because once you
get to Baile Govora, all these will seem part of a distant world. Here, you shall find unique
places and conditions intended to offer you total relaxation. And here you can focus
exclusively on your physical recovery. The thermal water, rich in sulphur, bicarbonates and
calcium and the healthy air concentration are the secrets of an exceptional biotherapy. Baile
Govora is recommended by specialists for the beneficial effects of the mineral waters and for
the healthy air, for its comfort and services, as well as for the beauty of the landscapes and
breath-taking scenery which amaze the travellers.
The modern villas and hotels of 3 and 4 stars are waiting for you. Tennis courts, mini-football
arena, skate park, open-air swimming pools, culture-house, library and so on are just a few
opportunities for leisure and relaxing in Baile Govora.

Geographic position and climate

Baile Govora Spa is situated in Eastern Europe, Romania, in the central part of Valcea county,
in a valley of Subcarpathians Getic, 21 km far from the county seat. Due valuable therapeutic
hydro resources, bioclimatic exceptional treat asthma and other respiratory conditions,
topography and landscape pleasing and beneficial Spa cure, Baile Govora, imposed since the
beginning of the XX century as a Spa resort of national and international interest.
Spa resort Baile Govora is located at 20 km far from Ramnicu Valcea and 12 km far from railway
station Govora from Sibiu railway line to Piatra Olt, respectively 110 km from Sibiu, 119 km
from Craiova, 75 km from Piatra Olt and 200 km from Bucharest. The resort is served by buses
on the route Rm. Valcea - Baile Govora and back. Also, the resort is connected by bus line with
Bucharest (200 km) through direct lines.
The climate is continental, with Mediterranean influence, with cool summers and mild
winters.
The annual average temperature is 11.1° C. The wind blows rarely and the rainfalls are
moderate (800 mm a year).
The absence of the allergens in the air, the presence of iodine and the atmospheric negative
ionization are characteristic for this type of climate which is most effective for the respiratory
apparatus.

Historical background

I.C. Bratianu (ex. prime minister of Romania) and general Dr. N. Popescu Zorileanu are the
founders of this resort. 120 years ago, they established Govora Spa which, at that time, was
mainly reserved to treating rheumatism and respiratory diseases. The name of the resort –
Govora – is given after the Govora Monastery which i s located nearby. Among other benefits,
the resort i s well known for its mineral water springs. The first springs were discovered as
early as the 1870 by local inhabitants. Analyses done by renowned scholars – like A. Bernard:
Head of the Chemistry Department of the University of Bucharest, and engineer A. Saligny –
showed that these mineral waters had desired therapeutic benefits due to a high
concentration of salt and iodine per liter. In 1883, given the therapeutical value of the
discovered mineral waters, prime minister I. C. Bratianu initiates a project aimed at developing

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a spa resort in Baile Govora. Starting in 1910, the ownership of the resort becomes private. A
number of hotels and treatment pavilions were then built: Palace Hotel, with 240 rooms,
between 1911 and 1914, Balneara Hotel, now called Parc Hotel, in 1938.
At the same time, various private entrepreneurs built a number of villas, many of which
representing architectural masterpieces. Public institutions owned their other
accommodation and treatment pavilions, like the Silva Hotel or the Villa of the National Bank.
Baile Govora has become famous mainly due to the medical research carried out there by
renowned physicians and scholars, from Romania or other European countries (A. Bernard, A.
Saligny, Bochet). Surveys carried out by Dr. Zorileanu showed that until 1904, 18900 patients
were treated in Govora, 69% of which were healed. During World War II, the therapeutical
activity ceased and the basements of some of the villas were used to deposit national
treasures or other valuables in order to prevent them from being stolen.

Therapeutic prescriptions

The resort is recommended for the treatment of:

 respiratory diseases (bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, lung emphysema,

microbial or viral pneumopathies, rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, etc.);
 degenerative diseases (spondylosis, arthrosis, polyarthritis);
 articular rheumatic diseases (tendonitis, tendomyositis, scapulohumeral
periarthritis);
 peripheral and central neurological disorders (light pareses, sequels after
poliomyelitis, etc.);
 post-traumatic disorders and certain
 associated diseases (gynecological, endocrinological, cardiovascular, digestive,
urinary, etc.).

The modern balneological establishments are endowed with facilities for baths of warm
iodinated and sulphurous mineral water, pneumotherapy, electrotherapy, kinetotherapy,
treatments with apiarian products, etc.

Natural factors

Baile Govora presents a desired blend of healing waters, sun and clean air – mainly due to the
neighbouring forest. These natural conditions are ideal for both the treatment and recreation
of the visitors of the resort.
Moreover, it is the only resort in Romania where the ratio of negative to positive aero ions
equals 1. Once again, this particular atmospheric condition together with adequate medical
treatment contribute to the healing of various respiratory diseases, establishing Baile Govora
as the top balneo-climaterical spa resorts in Romania for treating these diseases.
Some of the features of the local waters:

 Thermal-mineral waters and half- thermal springs, 1000 m in depth, sodic chlorided,
iodine bromided, sulphurous, with high concentrations (150g/l), used in external
cures;

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  Hypotonic mineral waters from natural springs, sulphurous, bicarbonate and with low
concentration (1.7 -2.5 g/l), to be used both in internal cures and in aerosols
inhalations.

Mineral water content

Baile Govora is among the richest places in iodated and brominated waters in Europe. The
resort is also unique in Romania as far as the the variety of the chemical content of the
mineral waters is concerned.
 The mineral waters contain 38.3‰ mg bromine, and 41.8‰ mg iodine.
 The sulphurous salty waters concentration is 160 g‰ and they contain 0.350g‰
sulphurous hydrogen.
 The mineral waters for internal cure have a low concentration of sulphurous hydrogen
and chlorine but they are rich in bicarbonates

Types of treatment

Warm baths with mineral waters containing iodine and sulphur, fir essence baths, pneumonia-
therapy, mineral waters internal cure, electrotherapy, hydrotherapy, Kinetic-therapy,
massage, aerosols, rehabilitation gymnastics.
There is a modern wellness center where everybody can relax and entertain.
The watering and climatic treatments can be used for everybody from children to old people.
From over 130 years children with respiratory diseases come here and improve their health
and life because this resort has a very long practice supervised by good doctors specialized
in paediatrics.

Baile Govora resort is open all seasons, famous for its variety and therapeutical properties of
water rich in chlorine, sodium, iodine, bromine, sulphur (for external cure) and hypotonic rich
in magnesium, calcium, sulphur least (for internal cure) known and used since 1866.
Baile Govora Spa is known as the national interest. Thus, in the resort are: retail, bank,
currency exchange, lotto agency, conference rooms, permanent care and transportation for
medical emergencies, medical Spa, pharmacy, tourist information center, museum of
archaeology, illuminated places for promenade and landscaped sports grounds, playgrounds
for children, park of approx. 15 ha, swimming pools, indoor pool, etc.
Baile Govora resort, due to its setting in an area of picturesque hills and forests novel, is in the
center of the crossroads of Brâncoveanu’s art. You can take trips to visit these monuments on
foot, so a hiking more or less long, or cars and buses up to some distance and then walking to
your destination.
Around Baile Govora are over 300 historical monuments and art treasures from the Neolithic,
the Dacian and Roman remains and cemeteries pagan, preserved in museums in Baile Govora
and Ramnicu Valcea at Cosata - Ocnita the sites of Slătioara, Costeşti or Măldăreşti museum
complex, ceramic workshops in Horezu, salt mine from Ocnele Mari and so on.