AQUACENTRE AGRICOLA
Introduction
Dr. Gottlieb’s new spa facilities soon proved insufficient. Temporary cabins were installed in the Imperial Uranium Factory before a new dedicated spa building was commissioned in 1906.
The building was erected between 1906 and 1911 according to the design of the Imperial court architect Zotter. Officially opened on 22 October 1911, it was recognised as the first state radium therapy institute of its kind in the world.
History
The two-wing structure with a central atrium received water from the Štěp springs. It offered baths, drinking cures and radium irradiation. Irradiation therapy ceased in 1921, leading to the construction of a separate pavilion.
In 1928 both wings were extended. The building remained largely unchanged until the 1970s, when an annex with a gymnasium and rehabilitation facilities was added.
Description
The facility comprised 42 bath cabins of varying comfort levels, central heating, electric lighting, telephone connections, social rooms and medical laboratories, representing a technically advanced state institution.
Restoration
With changing spa demands, the building was transformed into a modern wellness centre. In 2011 it was renamed Aquacentre Agricola to mark one hundred years of operation.
Photogallery: http://mipalfi.rajce.idnes.cz/Lazenska_budova_-_Agricola/
