Rich history - Grand Hotel Sava Rogaška Slovenia

Rich history

16. - 17. stoletje

Diggings and a Roman road leading from Celeia past Lemberg and Rogatec to Petovium prove that the Celts and Romans already knew about the area of Rogaška Slatina. The documented history of Rogaška reaches back to the year 1572 when the first (known) analysis of it was made. A belief was established that a Croatian Ban Petar Zrinski, one of the most powerful feudal lords in Europe at the time, discovered the springs. It is supposed that in 1665 he was hunting in the area of Rogaška when he was miraculously healed by drinking from the Rogaška springs. The year 1676 marks the beginning of the Health Resort development. It was then that the first guesthouse was built. The turning point occurred around 1680 when Dr. Paul Sorbait, a Habsburg court physician and professor at the medical faculty of Vienna found out about it. Nobody could question the obvious success of healing that the court physician achieved by using Rogaška water. The demand for water increased to the extent that they had to start with a systematic research and filling. It became a commercial success. The first scientific monograph Roitschocrene written by the physic Johann Benedikt Gründel from Maribor was published in 1685.

17th - 19th century

At the end of the 17th century an impetuous battle for the right to exploit Rogaška began between Baron Courty, a landowner in Rogaška, a parish priest of Sv. Križ, a trustee who also provided for mental state of visitors of the springs, and surrounding farmers. Afterwards, individual honorary citizens of Vienna were entitled the right to use the springs. In 1721 this right was given to the Viennese pharmaceutical society. They restored the springs and after three years were able to sell more than 20,000 bottles of Rogaška water. With the abolition of the society in 1782, the use of Rogaška water became unbridled again.

In 1803 the Estates of Styria with earl Ferdinand Attems as the state governor bought the land around the springs from the then private owners. Hence 1803 is regarded as the year of health resort foundation.

By 1869 Rogaška water was third best-selling world water, right after waters of Vichy and Selters. It was known and drank all over the world. Its agent, the state health resort of Rogaška Slatina, was awarded a medal for the quality of water at the world exhibition in Chicago in 1893.

20th century

The health resort started to take on a more contemporary form. Its core is a classicistic garden – park, surrounded by famous health resort buildings: the construction of Tempel pavilion above the central spring, the first Health Resort House (Zdraviliški dom) and Styria spa.

By the end of the 19th century the establishment expanded and contrary to spa tradition, they did not appoint a physician as a director. The golden era, when the Rogaška Health Resort was the third in Europe, was interrupted by the World Wars with the loss of market consequently. The most important works were continued only after 1951, when they arranged a permanent water supply by drilling holes and were thus able to meet the growing demand once again.

History overview

Period Important milestones
12th century The formation of a spa in the immediate vicinity of mineral water springs, mentioned in the document of the Salzburg Archbishop Konrad already in the 12th century.
1572 The first (known) analysis was performed. The belief that the springs of Petar Zrinski, one of the most powerful feudals of the then Europe, was discovered by the Croatian Ban.
1665 Mineral water gained reputation of its healing powers after a miraculous health improvement of the Croatian Ban Petar Zrinski in 1665.
1676 The beginning of the development of the spa, when the first guesthouse was placed at the spring.
1680 Implementation of mineral water from Rogaška in medical practice. It was described by dr. Paul Sorbait. It was named Acidulae Roitschenses - Roast sorbet (slatina) along the nearby old Rogatec square.
1685 The outcome of the first scientific monograph of Roitschocrene, written by Maribor physicist Johann Benedict Gründel.
The end of the 17th century The beginning of a violent fight for the right of Rogaška. Baron Courty, the owner of the estate at Rogaška, the parish priest of Sveti Križ, was fought for the title, who was called as a guardian, who also took care of the mental state of the visitors to its springs, and the surrounding peasants.
1721 Thereafter, the right to exploit the springs belonged to individual deserving Viennese citizens, and in 1721 to the Viennese Society of Pharmacists.
1803 Year of establishment of the spa. Purchase of land around the springs of the then private owners of the Styrian provincial squares led by the provincial head Count Ferdinand Attems.
1869 Rogaška Voda, the third-best selling water in the world, immediately after the mineral water from Vichi and Selters, was known and drank throughout the world.
1893 Obtaining a medal of the regional spa in Rogaška Slatina at the world exhibition in Chicago for the quality of water.
The beginning of the 19th century More modern image of the spa. The core of the design is a classic garden - a park, along with the construction of a temple above the central spring, the first spa and Styria spa, famous wellness buildings.
Half of the 19th century More and more popular water was bottled in bottles made on the southern slopes of Boc, and in the middle of the 19th century, they sold about 500,000.
The end of the 19th century The golden era when it was the spa in Rogaška's third in Europe was interrupted by the World War and the associated loss of the market.
After 1951 Permanent regulation of water supply with boreholes. Due to new deposits deep underground, most of the surface springs lost wateriness or completely dried up.