Meskó Csaba: Thermal Baths - Our Budapest (Budapest, 1999)

Island was called Palatínus Island as its owner was the emperor’s representative, the palatine (Palatínus in Latin). Hence the name of the bath. The water supplies of its three pools, which have an aggregate surface of 6,500 square metres, derived from the thermal spring of the island and a 500-square-metre pool in the Danube also belonged to it. In 1937 the lido bath was reconstructed to plans by István Janáky and György Masirevich. That was when the modern gatehouse with its locker rooms was completed and the restaurant as well as the pool with artificial waves were installed. Palatínus Lido Baths is open from 1 May to mid-September. Its seven pools provide relaxation, bathing and swimming facilities for every generation. Its present-day pool, with a surface of almost 5,000 square metres, is one of the largest pools in Europe. The ’surf pool, with its hourly service of artificial waves, is perhaps the greatest attraction. The lido also has two children’s pools of different depths, shallow thermal pools and a learners’ pool. Palatínus, which can accommodate nearly nine thousand visitors at a time, occupies an area of 75,000 square metres of parkland, and features comfortable dressing facilities with lockers and cubicles. The women’s and the naturists’ sunbathing facilities on the roofs of the buildings are a popular feature.

The Csillaghegy lido bath 3 Pusztakúti út, District III

The Csillaghegy Lido Baths is one of the oldest lidos of Budapest. In 1919 the Csillaghegy Árpád Baths Co. began to develop the complex by modernising a pool built earlier in the basin of a dried-up lake. The lido, which occupies an area of about 10 acres, was built on terraces sunk into the hillside. There are swimming and learners’ pools on the bottom level and a children’s play-pool on the upper level.

In 1971, the swimming pool was equipped with a modern filtering system and since then it has been kept in operation throughout the year, a tent-roof covering being added in the winter. Due to its relatively cool water, Csillaghegy, with its parkland of more than 90,000 square metres, normally attracts younger patrons. There is a restaurant and a lido hotel on the premises.

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