Romania has a great deal of potential in the spa sector, with a huge number of thermal and mineral springs. Moreover, over the years, a lot has been invested in the development of resorts spas around these types of resources but, as we have seen in relatively recent history, they have declined in everything from the built environment to the range of activities on offer. Aim previous articles was to identify a series of solutions applicable in local spa towns, using the experience gained in various other cities in Western Europe and Est. The analysis of revitalization methods found on the European territory is extremely relevant, some of them can be applied in Romania.

Therefore, I propose a few directions worth exploring. We need to find a way in which we can implement these best practice methods from the rest of Europe so that we can succeed in making seaside destinations attractive to the population again.

CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS

The resorts with an impressive history generally also enjoy an extremely valuable built heritage, with various examples of architectural styles (spa architecture, neo-Romanesque, Baroque, etc.), but due to the way privatization procedures were carried out, the lack of unified strategies and the inexistence of investments have led to a strong degradation of these buildings.

Thanks to the value of their architectural heritage, spa towns such as Baile Govora or Herculane Baths have extremely high tourism potential. Destinations such as these have the capacity to offer a wider range of activities, going beyond spa treatments medical or therapies wellness.

              Proposals and ideas

• Restoration of buildings in a serious state of decay;
• Conservation of buildings of architectural value;
• Preserving the character of the towns by stopping constructions that could jeopardize the image of the resorts;
• Classification of buildings with architectural value as Historical Monuments;
• Avoiding the tendencies of museification once these buildings are restored and proposing attractive activities that can take place within them.

The situation in the spa town of Băile Govora is not extraordinary from this point of view, as there are still an extremely large number of buildings with architectural value in a very advanced state of decay. Despite this, there are positive examples. In recent years projects have been started to restore the Casino and the Palace Hotel. The first example - the casino or movie theater (as it remained in the collective memory from the communist period) is not used to its true potential, it is rarely open to the public. The Palace Hotel, on the other hand, is operating at full capacity, hosting not only accommodation but also medical treatments or wellness therapies.

The story of the Bathing Pavilion - an emblematic building in the Val Valcea Bathing Park - is quite different.

The building, once one of the most important in the entire city, has been unused for many years. What's more, the building has so far not been listed as a historical monument. The current state of the Pavilion can be seen in the following picture:

In another vein, in Băile Herculane we faced an even more serious problem. It is common knowledge that it is absolutely necessary to intervene as soon as possible in order to save the many buildings that are extremely important and valuable for our society. It is in this spirit that the Herculane Project - a student initiative that started from the desire of future architects to save the Historical Center of Băile Herculane - was born. I invite you to follow the ideas and initiatives of their association:

https://herculaneproject.ro/

Herculaneum Project

AUTHOR

arh. Ica PAPARI

ica.papari@gmail.com