Băile Herculane (Romania)

The name Băile Herculane reflects the town's Roman origins, where Hercules, God of Strength and Heroes was one of the main Gods associated with the springs.  His statue can be found at the northern end of the steep valley where the Roman baths were located.  Hercules gave his name to the town again in the 18th century, when it was part of the Austrian Empire and became Herkulesbad - a favourite of the Empress "Sisi", and praised as "the most beautiful resort on the continent" by her husband Emperor Franz Josef.  Finally, in 1919, the town became part of Romania and was named "Baile Herculane".  Between 1965 and1986, it became a popular resort, with large modern hotels and a new town centre.  The historic Neptune Baths, built in the 1880s and abandoned just over a hundred years later, are undergoing restoration as part of an ambitious project to bring them back into use.  They were highlighted in Europa Nostra's "7 Most Endangered Programme" in 2022.