Alpentherme Gastein Celebrates 20 Years with Major Investment

(eap) The Alpentherme Gastein thermal bath in the Austrian municipality of Bad Hofgastein in Salzburger Land is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year. After the former “Thermentempel” had been closed in 2002, a completely new building was erected, which culminated in the opening of the “Alpentherme Gastein” in 2004. “There is no thermal spa in the whole world that is located in the heart of a place with an all-round mountain panorama,” enthused Viennese architect Martin Kohlbauer back then when submitting his design proposal for the new thermal bath. Generous views of the Gastein mountains shaped his vision for the Alpentherme with an outdoor area and six different themed worlds. With the “Relax World”, “Family World”, “Sauna World”, “Ladies World”, “Sports World” and “Beauty World” areas, the spa offers relaxation, sports and entertainment for the whole family.

Visualization “swim-in aquarium” & family sauna | Photo: Courtesy of Alpentherme Gastein.

A total of around 27 million euros was invested in the new building at the time and further investments have continuously been made from then on. In 2017, thermal water bathing lakes were added to the spa, which do not require chlorine and are filled with genuine Gastein thermal water. Last year, the thermal spa reached another milestone: the sauna and thermal spa landscape has been heated in a climate-neutral way since then. Furthermore, something special is also planned for the anniversary year. This autumn, an around 300 cubic meter “swim-in aquarium” from Polin Aquariums, which will be home to around 500 marine fish and corals, is to be opened in the Family World in place of the water cinema.

“The aquarium is far more than just an attraction that will get attention and certainly polarize people,” says thermal spa manager Klaus Lemmerer. “With the aquarium, Alpentherme Gastein has also committed itself to an educational mission: The protection of the marine environment is an issue of great relevance and we want to raise awareness of this among our guests.” Extensive information on animals, plants and their habitats as well as the effects of environmental pollution on the world’s oceans will be presented. Besides, a new family textile sauna and a relaxation room are being built (read more about the non-nude sauna trend in our article published in EAP 2/2023). A total of around four million euros are being invested. ■