Hagymatikum

Hagymatikum is a thermal and medicinal bath in Makó, in southern Hungary. It draws on a long local bathing tradition and is housed in a striking organic-architecture building designed by the internationally recognised Hungarian architect Imre Makovecz. Its name plays on the Hungarian word hagyma (onion), a nod to the town's onion-growing heritage. The bath holds official recognition as a certified medicinal facility.

The water

The town's medicinal water was first discovered in 1956. It rises from a well roughly 993 metres deep at a temperature of about 41°C. Alongside the thermal water, the bath uses Maros medicinal mud, described as one of only five such registered natural products in Hungary. Reported medical indications include chronic musculoskeletal complaints, dermatological and neurological conditions, and gynaecological inflammations.

Pools & saunas

The complex offers 15 pools spanning medicinal, activity, swimming and children's use, both indoor and outdoor. Medicinal pools are kept around 36–38°C, activity pools around 35°C, and some pools around 32°C. The range includes indoor and outdoor thermal pools, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a cave pool, swirling and relaxation pools, plunge and weight pools, a thermal gymnastics pool, and dedicated toddler and children's pools. Water-park features include slides for adults and children. The bath also has an extensive sauna area, reported to include a Finnish sauna, a steam cabin and a herbal sauna, with both indoor and outdoor saunas.

Facilities

Beyond the pools and saunas, Hagymatikum includes a wellness and medical section, a specially designed children's area, a restaurant, and beauty and natural-therapy services. The building itself is a notable feature: its organic architecture incorporates numerous domes of varying sizes (reported as 29), with onion-shaped wooden cupolas that reference the town's farming tradition, and interior detailing that has been likened to the atmosphere of a Turkish bath.

History

Local bathing grew from tubs used for personal bathing, with the first proper open-air bath established in the 1960s. The present Hagymatikum thermal bath was completed to Makovecz's plans and opened in 2012.

Visiting

Reported opening hours are Monday to Thursday 9:00–20:00, Friday and Saturday 9:00–22:00, and Sunday 9:00–20:00. The bath is located in Makó, in Hungary's Csongrád-Csanád county.