Szczawnica

Szczawnica, a resort town located in southern Poland, has a population of 7,378 as of June 30, 2007. This location, located in Nowy Targ County in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, is recognized for its therapeutic properties and natural beauty. The town’s name, pronounced [ʂt͡ʂavˈɲit͡sa] in Polish and known as Щaвниця in Rusyn, originates from “szczawy,” the local term for acidic waters that have significantly influenced Szczawnica’s identity and economy.

Early in the 16th century, Szczawnica first became known as a spa; the first historical references of the town’s healing waters come from this era. But Szczawnica really developed into the well-known resort it is now only in the middle of the 19th century. Beginning in 1839 when Józef Stefan Szalay took over town management, this metamorphosis started a period of notable growth concentrated on optimizing the natural riches of the area.

The participation of eminent physician and supporter of spa resorts, Józef Dietl, who visited Szczawnica in 1857, helped the town’s course to be even more improved. Enthralled by the possibilities of the area, Dietl was instrumental in setting Szczawnica as a hydrotherapy center meeting European guidelines. New thermal facilities sprang up quickly under his direction, and more springs were found, so confirming the town’s position as a top health destination.

The operation of the thermal facility was left to the Academy of Learning in Kraków after Józef Szalay passed away. Notwithstanding financial difficulties, the Academy kept on expanding on the idea of the founder, most famously building the Dworek Gościnny (Guest Manor), a facility well-known across Europe for its grace and amenities.

Under Count Adam Stadnicki of Nawojowa, Szczawnica experienced a new period of wealth in 1909. Stadnicki’s care was quite successful even throughout the turbulent years of World War I. He supervised the thermal bath renovations, the enlargement of the “Górny Park” to incorporate the “polonyna,” (alpine meadows), and the building of the Inhalatorium, which at the time had pressurized rooms unique in Poland. Furthermore built during this time was the Willa pod Modrzewowicz (Villa under the Larches), therefore adding even more architectural appeal to the town.

World War II’s start placed an abrupt stop to this era of expansion. Following the war, as Poland came under communist control, the resort was nationalized in 1948. With the founding of the Państwowe Przedsiębiorstwo Uzdrowisko Szczawnica (National Szczawnica Spa Company) in 1956, attention turned to treating occupational diseases, especially those afflicting miners and metalworkers. Several sanatoriums were built at this time; their names, which represent the occupations the government prized, Hutnik (Metalworker), Górnik (Miner), Nauczyciel (Teacher), Budowlani (Builders), Papiernik (Papermaker), and Dzwonkówka (named for a nearby mountain).

With the construction of the Natural Therapy Spa in 1973, Szczawnica’s growth as a health resort achieved a major turning point. Modern health tools for baths, inhalation treatments, physiotherapy, and massages were installed in this all-encompassing facility, therefore reinforcing Szczawnica’s reputation as a top source of natural medicines and rejuvenation.

When the Polish government returned the Spa Resort to the descendants of its pre-war owners in 2005, Szczawnica underwent a sea change in its history. Along with his three children, grandson of Count Adam Stadnicki started an ambitious initiative to bring Szczawnica back to its previous splendor. Their efforts paid off quickly; by 2008, the eastern side of Dietl Square was rebuilt in its historical form with a mineral water bar, an art gallery, the Café Helenka, and the Holenderka and Szwajcarka mansions.

With the five-star Modrzewie Park hotel opened in 2009 and the Spa Resort Museum opened in 2010, Szczawnica’s rebirth proceeded at accelerating pace. Completing the reconstruction of the famous Dworek Gościnny (Guest Manor) in 2011 will help to restore a part of the rich cultural legacy of the town. Under cooperation with the local authorities, the Dolny and Górny parks’ redevelopment marked the end of this long-running revitalizing project in 2012.

Offering a special mix of natural beauty, historical history, and contemporary conveniences, Szczawnica is today one of Poland’s oldest and most prestigious spa resorts. Strategically placed between the Pieniny and Sącz Beskids mountain ranges, the town’s spa lies in the valley of the Grajcarek, a right-bank tributary of the Dunajec. This location produces a microclimate especially suited to enhance respiratory conditions.

Szczawnica’s appeal mostly rests on its twelve acidic mineral springs, sometimes referred to as “szczawy.” Rich in bicarbonate, sodium, iodine, and bromide as well as other mineral salts and micro-elements, these waters have been known for their healing qualities since the 16th century. At the spectacular Pump-Room, the focal point of the spa experience in Szczawnica, visitors may taste these health-giving waters.

Though it treats a variety of conditions, the spa focuses mostly on upper respiratory tract problems. These cover disorders of the vocal apparatus, allergies, bronchial asthma, and chronic nose and throat inflammations. The spa also provides treatments for rheumatoid diseases and arthritis as well as for musculoskeletal illnesses including degenerative conditions of the spine and joints.

Szczawnica’s health centers use the therapeutic microclimate in their treatment programs together with the balneological resources of the spa. Among the many treatments available to patients are hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, kinesitherapy, drinking treatments, and inhalations—with very powerful cell inhalations. The spa guarantees a complete approach to health and fitness with 42 various kinds of treatments.

Apart from its health-conscious activities, Szczawnica has become a well-liked resort for outdoor enthusiasts especially skiers. The town boasts several skiing paths and slopes; the 2-kilometer run at Palenica is the crown gem. Modern 4-person ski lifts on this hill feature overhead lights and can carry 2,200 people per hour, so guaranteeing minimum wait periods and maximum enjoyment for winter sports aficioners.

Szczawnica keeps a careful balance between respecting its rich past and welcoming contemporary ideas in health and tourism as it develops. Built by Andrzej Mańkowski near Dietl Square, the Spa Town Museum clearly shows the town’s dedication to safeguarding its cultural legacy. Offering visitors a unique window into the town’s rich past, this institution stores more than 350 various kinds of relics connected to local therapeutics including archival records, sketches, building plans, vintage photos, postcards, and books.