Primăria Orașului Borsec

Informații generale

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GENERAL PRESENTATION OF BORSEC AREA
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The geographical location of Borsec area
Lying in the northern part of Harghita County, the intra-Carpathian Borsec depression is located at the centre of the Oriental Carpathians Mountains, on the eastern side of the Gurghiu Mountains. It is crossed by both the Nagy-Bor brook, which is collecting all the neighbouring flowing waters, and its secondary brooks.

The erosion of the flowing waters led to a huge volcanic-mountain chain in the center of Borsec depression, forming a dividing pass that splits the depression into two smaller plateaus: in the north-west Borsecul de Jos Depression and in the north of Borsecul de Sus Depression, which resulted in the formation of the place where the mineral water itself is located. The depression's characteristic rocks are the slate and limestone, and since their formation had begun in the Neozoic era, from a geogenic perspective, the depression may be considered relatively young.

With an average altitude of 800 m, Borsec depression surpasses in height the large Ciuc and Gheorgheni intra-Carpathian depressions, whereas in comparison with other smaller depressions (Bilbor, Glod, Dr.goiasa) - part of a whole series of depressions, it is the smallest one, since their heights range between 900-1000 m. In terms of its territorial surface, Borsec depression ranks second among the small depressions mentioned above, with a surface of 50 square km, after Bilbor depression (159 square km) and before Glod and Dragasoaia depressions (12.5 square km, respectively 11.5 square km).

Borsecul de Sus Depression is bordered by Verafeny-teto (1076 m high) and Faget (1310 m high), while Borsecul de Jos with a lower position, is surrounded by Kozrez-nyaka (1259 m high) and Nagykozrez (1492 m high). In this way the road which runs on the north-west side of the depression, climbs up Borsec pass, which is 1112 m high, passes by Arkoza-teto, way up higher than 1200 m.

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The climate
Owing to its geographical location, Borsec has a sub-alpine depression climate. Its yearly average temperature is of 5º C, with minimum average temperatures ranging between - 5º C and - 7º C in January and 15º C in July. Humidity of the air ranges between 79 and 86% during summer, an exception having been the last few years due to a severe drought.

The healing features of the Borsec climate consist of the little variations in temperature, rare winds, purity of the air and richness in ozone. These are accompanied by a tonic and stimulating mountain-type bioclimate with a mostly negative air ionization (heavily sedative), which enables alternative treatments with physiotherapeutic agents, sun and ionized air baths.

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The flora
The flora of the Borsec depression is diverse. The most part of its territory is covered by forests. Here and there one can find other forms of vegetation due to the specific geographical and climatic conditions, such as alpine pastures at high altitudes and swamp vegetation alongside some brooks.

Up to 95% of the forests is represented by conifers, among which one can find small groups of deciduous forests, such as the little forests of old beeches on the height of Faget. The most common tree among the conifers is the spruce.

Owing to favourable natural conditions, spruce trees can reach tremendous ages and sizes. One can often found species older than 100 years or of 32-34 m high, some reaching up to 50 m in height and 1 m in diameter. There can also be admired some trees whose heights reach 40-50m.

In addition to spruce are poplars, but only up to 1000 m altitude, especially in Eastern and Western versants and beech which, sometimes, in depression, also come of different ages and sizes. Among deciduous trees, but in much lower numbers are found, copies of birch, maple, mountain ash, etc. There are also three varieties of shrubs and dwarf willow.

A curiosity of nature is the existence of dwarf birch (Betula humilis), relict declared monument of nature, given that currently in Europe are still a few copies.The existence of this species was found by scientists and specialists, who participated to the International Botanical Congress held in Borsec in 1934.

In forests and forest clearings grow many species of plants. Of flowers worth mentioning are some species of the carpathian type like "crows feet", "anemone liver", etc. Orchid family is represented by about 20 species, of which we mention "lady slipper" different kinds of decorative flowers (Orchis sp.), 3-4 varieties of lily, wild geranium, 2-3varieties of may-lily, etc. Near the Grota Ursului and the walls next to the main spring water, grows a variety of Cypripedium calceolus.

In the lower places there are six varieties of wild carnations and many varieties with small yellow flowers (Ranunculus sp.) In Borsec grows "vortex earth" with scattered leaves at the base, with high stems of 50-70 cm and a few large red flowers of lion-shaped mouth. Another plant found only in Borsec is "Voinicerul" a kind of dwarf conifer, found atop Faget.

Fauna
The forests that cover most of the Borsec depression are populated by many species of wildlife, from bears, Carpathian stags, wild boars, deer, wolves, foxes, lynx, martens, squirrels, hares, etc. Bird's world is also diverse and rich.

The most outstanding of the predatory is the eagle- small sized, but very greedy. The depression's sky is inspirited by the characteristic flight of Gaia, the hawk and also the heretic, and in the forests we meet "cintezoii", tits, and great filomela nightingale. There are also a large number of swallows and small birds from Europe, with many polychrome varieties. Of woodpeckers known is the "negraica", whose nest is found in the thicker spruce.

Borsec depression of natural beauties, rich flora and fauna attracts many visitors and many hunting and fishing enthusiasts. There are "iernuci" for hunters, chickens and blackcocks, among which the birch cock, a pretty rare bird. The streams of the valley are full of fish; the most important species are trout and grayling.
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Brief history of the place
Borsec's discovery is attributed to the Count Dénes Bánffy, which, according to the legend, in 1773 he hunted in the near forests, and was led by several local shepherds to the depression's mineral water springs. This assumption was obsolete, due to other resources, Borsec is mentioned for the first time in a document from 1700 called "Borsec's field".

Meanwhile, according to a court document from 1745, in this period the Seat dwellers from Gheorgheni found many bath houses and chapels in Borsec.

Besides the above mentioned, there are many legends and real descriptions between documents of time, but the biggest turning point of the place, meant the emergence in 1804 of the geologist Zimmethausen Antal from Vienna. He was who advised his friend Günther Bálint (who cured of a disease considered incurable, due to the thermal baths here), decided to sign a lease within 28 years on the total depression's springs, including the villages Lazarea and Ditrău- the territory owners of that time.

Their goal was to bottle the mineral water, and to construct and exploit someof the baths, starting this way a large investment. Regrettably, this man who is considered today Borsec's founder, was sued by the owner's association of the communes, after several years of activity.
In fact, these communes have been under strong influence of Count Lajos Lázár, who saw the profitability of the business and tried to take possession of this resource. The dispute lasted for 55 years, but the Zimmethausen heirs won in all the courts.

Travertine was discovered in 1819, its exploitation kept operating until today. Also in this period began the forest exploitation and the wood processing, the forest owners were the large villages of Ditrău Lazar, Remetea.

But the most valuable resource remained the mineral water, with its miraculous effects in treating and healing many diseases considered incurable at that time. The qualities of these waters have been studied for centuries by countless doctors and specialists of those times, starting with the sixteenth century, when the Italian doctor Bucella prescribed the Prince Sigismund Bathory a cure "with water from a stream of Borsec".

After that came Dr. Krantz's studies and conferences in Vienna, who, in 1770, described the qualities of these waters, and in 1793 in a medical journal published in Sibiu, the doctor Neustadler presented a scientific statement about Borsec's waters. Meanwhile the beneficial effects of these waters by an external treatment were revealed, it was making baths in those waters, although they came out of the ground at a temperature of only approx. 11 0 C.

So in the middle of the nineteenth century, the first baths were built, known as "Lobogó", "Lazarus "; "Saros"; etc. In this period they focused also on infrastructure, thus they built more houses and set streets and alleys, appeared the street lighting, (initially with sheep fat), they started building the Topliţa road over the mountain to Creanga - the engineer Baross Gábor was the founder of this work.

The formalization of the health tourism took place in 1918, when the first spa company was founded, whose primary task was the removal of traces of the First World War and reconstructed the infrastructure of the resort. The biggest revirement was found in the interwar period - when most villas were built, continuing the same style of architecture with beautiful wooden indent.
A proof of the resort's development recognition is also the fact that in 1937, took place here the International Congress of Balneology, with representation from many countries with traditions in this field.

After the sad case of the first bath investor, since 1832 many other tenants have tried to take advantage of opportunities for a period of 6-10 years or longer, getting much profit, often without the necessary investment in maintenance and development. In 1921 the baths were lent by Tischler Mór, who executed numerous investments, among others, for the discovery of the Main spring, which was successful in 1926.

The storm of the First and Second World War passed through Borsec also, causing huge damage to the baths, whose reparation occurred only after the nationalization in 1948. In 1949 started the construction of the central pavilion, and in 1953 they built a new modern bottling station, and introduced in Borsec a narrow railway line, which then spread until the Capu Corbului and then they built the viaduct, which crosses the depression.

Those investments had results: in the late 50's, the Borsec baths could already receive 3800 visitors, and the number of those who rested there was about 14,000 annually.

Borsec's spa resort history was contradictory, inserted with successes and failures, often brought a considerable profit to the proprietary tenants and to the communes, and other times caused bankruptcy to the investors and tenants less fortunate or economically ignorants.
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