Maiden bath park & spring in Hisarya

Updated: Jun 28

Dear fans of "Photo Moments", it is a great pleasure for me to present to you Maiden bath park & spring.

How to get to Maiden bath park?

It was built outside the boundaries of the ancient city of Diocletianopol.

To the north, the park borders Vasil Petrovich Street. To the east, the boundaries of the park are outlined by "General Gurko" boulevard. To the south and west, the park is bordered by "Ilin Paunov" street.

Maiden bath park is extremely green, quiet and peaceful, with large avenues for walking and cycling.

Maiden bath spring

The mineral water from Maiden bath spring has the highest radon content, which makes it the most indicative for the treatment of urological diseases and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The water is alkaline, hydro-carbonate-sodium and fluorine, colorless and odorless and with a pleasant taste.

At this spring, in 1882, the first chemical analysis of mineral water in Bulgaria was made, thus marking the beginning of organized balneotherapy in our country. Then the government of Eastern Rumelia issued the first "Regulations for the operation of the hissar baths".

In the park there is Maiden bath water pavilion, which is one of the most famous and most visited places in the city of Hisarya.

The characteristics and chemical composition of the living water gushing from the "Momina Banya" spring are as follows:

Water temperature: 46°C
pH: 8.8
Radon content: 165 emanations / liter
Metasilicic acid: 61 mg/l
Fluorine: 4.5 mg/l
Calcium: 4 mg/l
Sodium: 58 mg/l
Chlorides: 8 mg/l
Sulphate: 28 mg/l
Hydrocarbons: 91 mg/l
Magnesium: trace amounts

Indications for treatment:

Renal and urological diseases - primarily kidney stone disease
Gastrointestinal diseases
Liver-biliary diseases
Endocrine-metabolic diseases – diabetes, gout and others
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system

Main biological effect of mineral water:

Enhancement of diuresis
Tissue washing - antitoxic effect
Breakdown of fat deposits
It enhances purine metabolism and removes uric acid from the body
Stimulates gastric secretion
Improves liver functions

Treatment methods:

Drinkable
External balneotherapy

My dear friends, I have very carefully transcribed this information for you from the whitewash sign hanging on one of the walls near the drinking pavilion at the Maiden bath spring.

In the next photo moment, I present to you the old building of the bathhouse in the park, which is currently being renovated. I expect in the spring the place will look in a new and attractive way, and I will be very happy to present it to you here.

On top of the bath building there is a marble plaque with an inscription that reads:

At the time of the Roman emperors Maximian Galeri (293-311) and Licinius father (308-324), a large bath building was built on the spring "Momina Banya".

A Latin brick inscription has been preserved from this period, which speaks of the construction of a bath in honor of the mentioned Roman rulers.

Legend of the origin of the name "Maiden bath"

According to legend, the daughter of the local governor liked to bathe in the spring outside the fortress walls. Surprisingly, however, one day when the city was attacked by enemies and the gates of the fortress were closed, the boyar's daughter and her friends remained at the spring. In order not to be captured, the girls preferred to drown in the warm spring. Since then, the splashing of water in the bath can be heard at night and it is believed that the girls come out of the spring and dance.

There is also a second fountain in the Maiden bath park, which is probably fed by the same catchment.