ABSTRACT. – Mineral Water for Treatments: Summarized Presentation of the Bathing Culture. Using the mineral water has a long-lasting tradition; it can be considered almost as old as the ancient civilizations. Mineral and thermal waters were used for cleaning, bathing and drinking. In old times their healing effects were the primary reason for using them. Throughout the centuries the bathing culture went through many changes according to the trends and ways of thinking of successive eras. The nineteenth century was the last time when health resorts flourished, followed by the rise of the spas. Nowadays a mixture can be observed between the new recognition of the healing effects of the waters and the usage for beauty and relaxation practices. In this paper we try to put together the information that appeared separately in many works and to give a general overview of the bathing culture from the beginnings until the third millennium.
Keywords: mineral water, health resort, spa, Europe, healing, relaxation.