Medija Thermal Spa

A postcard showing the spa and other sights of the local area

The Medija Thermal Spa (Slovene: Medijske toplice) is a spa located in the town of Izlake in central Slovenia.

Establishment and early history

Monument to Johann Weikhard von Valvasor

The spa was established in 1877 by the local businessman Alois Praschniker [sl],[1][2] although thermal baths at the location were already mentioned by Johann Weikhard von Valvasor in his The Glory of the Duchy of Carniola in the 17th century. Praschniker installed a monument at the spa commemorating Valavsor in 1877.[3][4]

Later history

The outdoor pool in April 2013

In the second half of the 20th century, the complex was gradually expanded: by 2009 the spa consisted of a hotel, an indoor swimming pool, and an outdoor swimming pool. Since 2009, both the hotel and the outdoor swimming pool have been closed and have been subject to rapid deterioration,[5][6][7] caused by a lack of maintenance and vandalism, as well as weather-caused damage, mainly flooding in 2010. In 2013, a civil initiative started a clean-up and restoration of the outdoor pool with the purpose of opening it for the local community. A series of clean-ups was organized mainly on Saturdays as well as a photographic exhibition showing the history of the spa.

References

  1. ^ Busset, Thomas; Lorenzetti, Luigi (2004). Tourisme et changements culturels. Zurich: Chronos. p. 143.
  2. ^ "Na današnji dan: Alojz Prašnikar". Savus. May 13, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  3. ^ "Medijske Toplice - Spomenik Valvasorju". Register kulturne dediščine. Ministrstvo za kulturo. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  4. ^ Laurencic, Julius (1898). Österreich in Wort und Bild. Vienna: Georg Szelinski, k. k. Universitäts-Buchhandlung. p. 490. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  5. ^ "Občina Zagorje kupuje Medijske toplice". Delo. April 17, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  6. ^ "Propadajoče Medijske toplice vendarle dobile novega lastnika". 24ur.com. August 1, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  7. ^ Turnšek, Roman (November 25, 2019). "Iz toplic so pobegnile tudi podgane in narkomani". Dnevnik. Retrieved June 18, 2024.

46°9′27.32″N 14°55′30.72″E / 46.1575889°N 14.9252000°E / 46.1575889; 14.9252000