Číž spa: iodine-bromine water, baths and summer pools

Číž is a spa with natural iodine-bromine water in southern Gemer, in a village in the Rimava basin not far from Rimavská Sobota, at about 170 m. It is one of the few spas in Central Europe that treat with water rich in iodine and bromine. The spa belongs to the joint-stock company Prírodné jódové kúpele Číž, a.s.; its grounds also house a rehabilitation hospital and a nursing home, and in summer a large outdoor pool complex, Vodný svet ("Water World").

The spa began by chance: in 1862 a local man, András Harnócz, was digging a well on his land and struck salty water at a depth of 8 m. At first the villagers used it themselves – for cooking and as a salt substitute for livestock. In 1865 the chemist Károly Than analysed the water in Budapest and found iodine and bromine, which are rare in mineral waters. The first springs were named Themis and Hygiea, and Neptún was added later. In 1888 the Rimamurány company bought the land and built the spa houses Mária, Margita, Kamilla and others. The water was shipped in dark one-litre bottles as far as the USA; it won a certificate at the 1879 Brussels exhibition and a silver medal at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. In 1934 a children's health home, Milan, opened here, where President Masaryk's daughter Alice Masaryková was also treated. The spa has operated all year since 1956, and in 1975–1980 the modern Rimava treatment house with an indoor rehabilitation pool was built.

Mineral waters and natural resources

The Číž healing water is strongly mineralised. Water from the Hygiea spring is an iodine-bromine sodium-chloride hypotonic water, used for more than a century for drinking cures and inhalations. Water from borehole BČ 5 is a sodium-chloride ferruginous water with raised boron and lithium content, used for baths. The spa explains that iodine improves circulation and the elasticity of connective tissue, has an anti-inflammatory effect and, combined with heat, relieves pain, while bromine soothes itching of the skin.

What is treated

According to the spa's official list, it treats musculoskeletal disorders, thyroid disorders, neurological diseases of adults and children, and occupational diseases. The main procedure is an iodine bath in mineral water followed by a wrap; there are also drinking cures, inhalations, peat and paraffin packs, the Biovak dry carbon-dioxide bath, gas injections, whirlpool baths, massages, therapeutic exercise in the pool, electro-, magneto- and laser therapy, and hippotherapy for children. The course is prescribed by a doctor after an examination. Some procedures – the iodine bath, peat pack, Biovak and partial massage – can also be bought without a medical consultation at the reception in the Rimava house.

Pools and leisure

From 1 June to 30 September the Vodný svet complex is open to all, with five pools: a swimming and a non-swimmers' pool (28 °C), a relaxation massage pool with warm water up to 36 °C, a small pool with water features (34 °C) and a lagoon under a three-lane slide (27 °C), plus snack bars. There are early-morning swims and night bathing too. Next door is a mini farm with alpacas, emus, kangaroos, ponies and other animals, popular with families.

Practical information

Číž lies in the Rimava basin; the village has a railway stop, "Číž kúpele", and the bus stop "Číž, Číž-kúpele" is next to the spa. Single procedures take 15 to 30 minutes, so they combine easily with a day at the pools. Procedures can be booked through the reception by phone; the spa's admissions office works on weekdays from 7:00 to 15:00. Prices and pool hours are given below in the "At a glance" block.

Nearby: caves, castles, Gemer cheese

Our nearest listing is Salaš pod Maginhradom: Gemer sheep’s cheese and the Mitrovanie feast (about 30 km). For a full-day trip the spa recommends the caves of the Slovak Karst and the manor houses of Gemer: the Ochtinská Aragonite Cave is one of the few accessible aragonite caves in the world, and Betliar Manor House has kept its original furnishings and a large park.

Official website: kupeleciz.sk

Photos: David Raška, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Ladislav Luppa, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Borovszky Samu, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons; Sebleouf, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.