History of the Thermal Baths of Montecatini

Already in Roman times, the therapeutic qualities of the waters of Montecatini were known, the garden city that enchants the visitor  with its wonders made of picturesque avenues , oases of greenery and flowers, artistic beauties, serene stillness and warm hospitality.

Originated from a hydro-mineral basin that lies at a depth of 60-80 meters, the waters basically belong to the group of chloride-sulfate- sodium are bacteriologically pure.  Studied carefully under the physical- chemical and clinical-pharmacological aspects ,to the point of  generating a very rich literature, they have extraordinary beneficial effects on health and on the body.

They are more frequently used in the treatment of diseases of the digestive system as well as those of the exchange. The mud applications, then, benefit the diseases of the musculoskeletal system.  The first to describe, in a treaty (1417),the properties and therapeutic Indications was the founder of Italian Medical Idrology , Ugolino of  Montecatini. But it is in the eighteenth century that this very important hydromineral basin is adequately valued.

Taking advantage of the  expertise of a group of famous studios such as the naturalist Giovanni Tarigiani Tozzetti, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the enlightened Pietro  Leopoldo , gives life to the real city of the Bath, commissioning the construction of the Royal Bath (1773), the Baths Leopoldine (1775) and finally beginning the construction of the Tettuccio Establishment (1779). The reformist prince also arranges for an efficient channelling of the  spring waters and ordersthe reclamation for the paludic zone to make  the air salubrious.  These are the necessary premises for that significant hygienic-sanitary record, which is the most emblematic note of distinctiveness of Montecatini.

In the twentieth century, this enjoys a great international prestige as a treatment-stay and tourism station, in perfect symbiosis with the natural environment and the surrounding economic environment.  It is no coincidence that it was at the dawn of the “900 century that the renovation of the Baths was due to the high and varied number of visitor. To manage the Torretta and Tamerici thermal establishment commission architect Bernardini to design the Terme Excelsior building   In the twenties, the architect Ugo Giovanozzi, under the careful guidance of a new company, as well as creating, in the silent oasis of the park, other facilities for Baths, Muds, and Inhalations, plans other interventions that enhance the reputation of Montecatini, like the reconstruction of the Terme Tettuccio,a true blazon of Montecatini.

The Thermal Baths have stood the test of time, still preserving the appearance of a laughing and polychrome city, with historical establishments, waters of the different properties, a large park, sports equipment, receptive and congressional, cultural opportunities, entertainment proposals, worldly events, and offers adapted to the new diversified demand.  Embedded in a splendid territory, they allow guests not only to take care of themselves but also, and above all, to spend a pleasant holiday in which to rediscover physical and mental well-being.