Băile Felix

History

Thermal springs were valued in the eighteenth century by the monk Félix Helcher of the Monastery of Klosterbruck (de) in Moravia, administrator of the Váradszentmárton (today: Sânmartin, Romania) monastery. Between 1711 and 1721 the first treatment facilities were organized under the name of Félixfürdő (in Romanian: Baia lui Felix). Félix Helcher died in 1737. In 1885 a new spring, with a temperature of 49 °C, was found. The thermal springs were discovered around 1000, or around 1200, or according to other experts, only in 1700. The only fact agreed by all experts is the appearance of the first buildings in this resort: between the years 1711 and 1721. In 1920, the commune became part of Romania, in 1940, it was given back to Hungary. After World War II, it became part of Romania again. In 1948 Sanmartin monastery area was nationalized by the communist authorities. Several recreational bases, including the one belonged to Securitate, were built on the nationalized land. The Premonstatens Order claims it latter. On April 2, 2014, the Higher Court of Cassation and Justice (HCCJ) ordered the transfer of the filed case from Oradea Court to the Giurgiu District Court, where it is now. Other requests of the Premonstratens Order on retrocession the Băile Felix lands are in progress at HCCJ. Băile Felix has since been modernized during the pandemic and is one of Romania's best known Thermal Baths.

Geography

Băile Felix and 1 Mai are two thermal spa resorts located in a hilly area with birch and oak tree woods, 8 km south of the municipality of Oradea (seat of Bihor County) and 22 km south-east of Borş (border checkpoint to Hungary). The resort lost its passenger railway service in 2014.

Most-observed species

• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  48
• Tree-of-Heaven

  Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle · Magnoliopsida
  46
• False-acacia

  Robinia pseudoacacia L. · Magnoliopsida
  42
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  34
• Ashleaf Maple

  Acer negundo L. · Magnoliopsida
  34
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  33
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  33
• Barn Swallow

  Hirundo rustica Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  30

Most recent

• M 3.4 — 2023-08-19
  10 km E of Szarvas, Hungary
• M 3.6 — 2023-08-19
  10 km ESE of Szarvas, Hungary
• M 2.6 — 2006-12-08
  10 km NNW of Horea, Romania
• M 3 — 2006-07-14
  5 km NNE of Dobre?ti, Romania
• M 2.8 — 2006-02-02
  4 km NW of Vészt?, Hungary
• M 3.1 — 2005-05-17
  4 km SSE of M?rg?u, Romania