Bankya Mineral Bath

The Central Mineral Bath of Bankya is a historic balneotherapy complex in the spa town of Bankya, near Sofia, whose mineral waters have drawn bathers for more than a century. The building, also known as the Royal Bath or the Grand Bath, was begun on 7 March 1907 and officially opened on 24 May 1911. Described in its day as the only bath of such beauty and comfort in the whole country and one of the few in Europe built in the Western European balneotherapy tradition, it holds the status of a cultural monument in Bulgaria.

Mineral water and its effects

The bath is fed by Bankya's mineral water. The operator credits it with an overall tonic effect and lists pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, trophic, anti-spastic and osmotic actions.

Thermal zone

• A circular flowing pool with mineral water at 36.5–37 °C
• Mineral water drinking fountains
• Showers supplied with mineral water
• Hydromassage shower
• Heated stone loungers (tepidarium)

Wellness zone

• Steam bath and aromatic steam bath
• Finnish sauna and herbal sauna
• Laconium and tepidarium
• Two hydromassage pools with mineral water at 32 °C
• A children's mineral water pool at 30 °C

Spa and additional services

• Salt room offering dry salt aerosol therapy
• Massages
• Hamam
• Tangential bath
• Royal bath

Family

A dedicated children's mineral water pool kept at 30 °C makes the complex suitable for families.

Setting

Bankya is a spa town on the western edge of Sofia long known for its warm, low-mineralisation waters, and the bath sits on Major Kosta Panitza Street in the heart of the town.