On March 10 this year, the acceptance of construction work was carried out. The work had been conducted since 2013 as part of the project “Restoring the former function of the bathing establishment in the historic swimming pool on Zgorzelecka Street in Bolesławiec.” The final works acceptance report was signed by Mayor Piotr Roman and Arkadiusz Majorczyk, director of Skanska’s project team.
The history of the bathing establishments dates back to the second half of the 19th century. At that time, the Municipal Bathing Establishments were one of the most important municipal investments in Bolesławiec. The present complex of buildings was created in two phases. Initially, the bathhouse building was constructed—the part of the structure now located closer to Zgorzelecka Street—with the support of financial councillor Kessler, who covered most of the project’s costs. The building was opened to the public in 1895. It was a highly impressive structure designed in the stylistic costume of so-called “Neo-Renaissance,” with red-brick façades and architectural details in a light colour scheme. The symmetrically composed body, with a central section dominating the side sections and covered by a flat roof, was crowned with a low attic wall. The second stage of construction involved erecting an indoor swimming pool next to the municipal bathhouse. This facility was built thanks to the generosity of a Bolesławiec resident. In 1911, Wilma Taemmer donated 150,000 marks to the city, in accordance with the wish of her late husband Max Taemmer, to build an indoor pool and exercise hall. Construction of the pool began in the summer months of 1914, incorporating a tower belonging to the medieval fortification system into the complex. The work was completed a year later. The use of reinforced-concrete arches made it possible to glaze a large part of the roof and directly illuminate the pool below. The pool, measuring 20 metres long and 10 metres wide, was housed in a building with modern interiors decorated with ceramic tiles in various shades of sea green, adorned with geometric ornamentation and bull’s-eye motifs. The whole was complemented by a group of sculptures highlighting the facility’s purpose. Only small reliefs depicting a seahorse and a cormorant, as well as monumental reliefs by Bolesławiec artist Jenny Bary-Doussin, have survived to this day. The first of the latter depicted sick, weak and physically impaired people, while the second showed people full of energy, joyful and smiling. The two representations were separated by a relief inscription: “Come, hurry to this place which a friend has prepared for you, so that after wonderful refreshment, full of strength, you may continue on your way.” At the level of the first storey, on the western side, a gallery was created that allowed spectators to watch the swimmers’ competitions. A rehabilitation exercise room and a Roman steam bath were also built. It is likely that, during the construction of the pool, it was decided to place a garden surrounded by a pergola in front of the bathhouse building on the Zgorzelecka Street side and to create terraces on the roofs of the bathhouse wings. In the 1930s, during the rebuilding of the complex, the terraces were enclosed, raising the wings by one storey. The main entrance was located on the western side. The older part of the bathing complex was rebuilt and adapted as a hall leading to the swimming pool.
(based on information from the Museum of Ceramics in Bolesławiec)
Work began in June 2013 as part of the project “Restoring the former function of the bathing establishment in the historic swimming pool on Zgorzelecka Street in Bolesławiec.” The scope of work included, among other things, replacing the roof tiles and skylight above the pool hall, supplementing the cladding, repairing damage to decorative tiles and other historic ceramic elements. Wrought-iron railings, cast-iron columns, and sandstone and terracotta slabs were cleaned and impregnated. The windows were replaced and the walls were protected against moisture. During the renovation, it was decided to install lighting at the brine pool and in the cardio room. The facility is currently being equipped with the necessary devices.
A number of attractions have been planned on the individual floors:
- basement:
- Gym
- Salt cave
- ground floor:
- Recreational brine pool, brine pool, brine jacuzzi—2 stations
- Cardio room—treadmills, rowing machines, steppers, stationary bikes, elliptical trainers and more
- Vaculife Professional Dual—an exercise device using vacuum and infrared technology
- CO2 cryotherapy device—the purpose of cryotherapy is to lower the temperature of the skin and deeper-lying tissues
- Solarium
- Sun meadow—2 stations
- first floor:
- Fitness room: small exercise equipment, mats, mirror
- SPA capsule—a modern device in the field of cosmetology and wellness
- Wet massage bed for dry massage
- Ocean Forte hydromassage and underwater massage tub
- Laguna Plus Bubble hydromassage and pearl bath tub
- Massage room: massage table, aquavibron with ZOW—a therapeutic massage device, deep electromagnetic electrostimulation device, shockwave therapy and combined therapy device
- Body cosmetology room: cosmetic chair with pedicure function, multifunctional beauty device, dermomassager, cabinet with UV light and magnifying lamp, manicure station with lamp
- Massage room: massage table, lymphatic drainage device, massage stone set with heater
- Saunas: steam—Alpine, Finnish dry (infrared), Finnish wet.
The Municipal Bathing Establishments are listed in the Voivodeship Register of Historic Monuments. The tower, which forms part of the complex of the city’s defensive walls and was incorporated into the Municipal Bathing Establishments, had already been included in the register in 1959. The modernization is being carried out as part of the project “Restoring the former function of the bathing establishment in the historic swimming pool on Zgorzelecka Street in Bolesławiec,” implemented under the Regional Operational Programme of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship for 2007–2013.
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