15 June proved to be a historic day for the village of Banya in the Razlog region, following the official opening of the newly built public mineral baths in the village with a festive ceremony. This was announced by the local council. The local authority stated that this is an important step in the village’s development as an emerging spa and balneological destination, creating new opportunities for residents and visitors to the area.

The event was attended by partners involved in the project’s implementation, the deputy mayors of Razlog Municipality, Slavcho Farfarov, Gergana Kostova and Hristo Zaikov, mayors of settlements within the municipality, the Chair of the Razlog Municipal Council, municipal councillors, Tsvetina Ivanova – Executive Director of the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and Spa Tourism, villagers and numerous guests, who all shared in the celebrations.

The new mineral baths were funded from the state budget via the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (MRDPW), with the ground-breaking ceremony taking place on 8 August 2024. Today, the facility is a modern centre for balneotherapy and public use, designed to meet both the needs of local residents and the growing tourist interest in the area.

The mayor of Razlog Municipality, Krasimir Gerchev, expressed his satisfaction with the completion of the project and emphasised its great public significance.

“This is a historic day for Razlog Municipality and the village of Banya. Whenever things got difficult, I would recall the words of the women from the village of Banya: ‘Mayor, we really want this facility to be built, because the village of Banya needs it’. Today we are delighted that this long-awaited project is now a reality. We are proud that we have managed to build one of the most modern public mineral baths in the region. This is an investment that, above all, will contribute to a higher standard of living and a better quality of life for the residents of the village of Banya,” said the mayor.

The building has a capacity of 70 people and features two mineral pools – one for men and one for women, each with a capacity of around 35 people.

The facility comprises five main functional areas:

  • an area with a mineral pool for women, complete with changing rooms, showers and toilets;
  • a men’s mineral pool area with changing rooms, showers and toilet facilities;
  • a bath area, accessible to both men and women, creating a comfortable environment for relaxation, recuperation and balneotherapy.

Particular attention was paid during the construction of the facility to the functionality and convenience of each area, as well as to the modern ventilation system, which ensures a healthy and comfortable environment for visitors.

The prices for using the facilities are:

  • Adults – 5 euros.
  • Pensioners – 2 euros.
  • Children under 7 accompanied by an adult – free of charge
  • Private bath – €10.
  • Family bath – €15.

The public mineral baths will be open every day.

With the opening of the new mineral baths, the village of Banya gains a modern public facility that will enable residents and visitors to the area to take full advantage of the proven therapeutic qualities of the mineral water in a modern, welcoming and comfortable setting.

Source: focus-news.net