HISTORY

Utilization of natural wealth – beginnings of balneology and mining in Bílina resort

As far back as during the reign of Princess Eleonora who purchased the springs of healing water from the municipality in 1710, Bílina encountered an upswing of activities in an area of business that brought further development to the town in the subsequent century – namely balneology. It was based on the abundance of the local mineral water that had been used for curative purposes from the year dot. And in the 16th century, when chronicler Václav Hájek from Libočany writes his glamorous stories on the cattleman of squire Košťál who discovered a spring of healing water, or on Nezamysl, Mnat and Vojen aka the mythological Premyslides who allegedly called out miners from Slaný to come and steam out spout salts from the mineral water, all those myths are evidence of the fact that the local springs had been commonly known and utilized. Where the Na Kyselce park currently stretches (with the name thereof reflected in the brand name of the mineral water), the first spa buildings would stand as early as in the 18th century, and the filling hall boasted with Lobkowitz heraldic bearings. In 1712, the springs were cleaned up and three of them fitted for utilization. Indicative of that are the reports of Dr. J. W. Sparmann, Dr. Ch.G. Schwenken, Dresden-based physicians, and of others, who would recommend drinking of Bílina acidulous water - mixed with milk or wine.

However, the person deserving greatest credit for spreading the fame and wide usage of Kyselka mineral resources was Franz Ambros Reuss (1761-1830), geologist and balneologist serving as a spa doctor in Lobkowitz spas. He endorsed the curative effects of both the Bílina acidulous water and of the bitter springing in the nearby Zaječice municipality. His Orography of the North-Western Low-Mountain Range and Mineralogical Geography of Bohemia were followed by his Natural History of the Bílina acidulous water, a masterpiece that actually spread the fame and glory of the Bílina spa resort beyond the monarchy borders. F.A. Reuss, doctor of pharmacy and philosophy, serving from 1808 as senior inspector, and subsequently as acting director of the plants of the Bílina-based Lobkowitz earldom, as member of the Royal Bohemian Society of Sciences in Prague, and member-correspondent of the Society of Sciences in Gottingen, tends to be referred to as father of Czech balneology. As a matter of fact, his relationship to his Bohemian motherland is crisply laid out in his life credo reading as follows: “How outrageous to stay in the country yet fail to recognize one´s homeland”. Dr. Reuss was moreover a huge proponent of utilization of coal that had, then, admittedly been known for quite some time, yet failed to assert itself. Dr. Reuss deemed coal to be a cheap and effective source of thermal energy, capable of replacing traditional wood. Perhaps that was the reason why regular coal mining commenced right there – in the vicinity of Bílina and Duchcov.

Shortly after, Georg Schwab became the tenant of the Bílina spring. It was him who for the first time dispatched the acidulous water in wax-sealed ceramic jugs and - later still – in bottles. Initially, the annual production equalled 2,689 jugs. In 1781, the production rose to 9,144 jugs – all dispatched to customers; in 1786, some 40,000 jugs were dispatched form the Kyselka resort. On a daily basis, 500 to 600 jugs or bottles were filled, packed in boxes of 12 pcs, a box at 4 goldens, a bottle or jug at a Kreutzer. In 1789, there was some concern due to landslide. There even was a threat of the springs being damaged. Luckily, concerns did not materialize.