The Spa
The Spa
The Spa q
It was during the decade of the 1920s is when the Lanjarón spa was at its greatest splendour. Driven forward by the initiation of major reforms.
Since the mid-19th century, the healing powers of water would end up significantly changing the appearance of the population and the lifestyles of its inhabitants, increasingly associated with the growth of spas as promoters of hospitality and eventually tourism.
During the last third of the century, the population already had numerous cheap lodgings available in private houses or rooms. There were also three inns (La Granadina, San Rafael and Reguera).
During the 1920s Lanjarón spa was at its greatest splendour. Driven by some important reforms, new hotels began to be built, radically modernizing the local offerings and giving the town the appearance of a busy tourist area. The impulse in construction of that decade filled in in the space between the urban area and the spa, creating -the Avenue- with the dimensions and singularity of a whole new town.
Under the protection of the entrepreneurial dynamism of the local pro-men movement, during the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera and the II Lanjarón Republic, it would end up being the most important summer resort in Granada where the most select of its small bourgeoisie comes from; the spa had consolidated itself as the main attraction factor for visitors, creating a source of wealth and seasonal work that was the support of many domestic economies. If the municipality had always constituted an atypical getaway in a rural mountain environment, the new constructions definitively altered its Alpujarreña physiognomy and provided it with unusual tertiary services and industrial activity in the region.
The Civil War and the long post-war period represented not only a tragic interruption of this tourist trajectory and of that peaceful world built around the waters but also a change of ownership and management of the Spa.
Following the purchase of the establishment in 1947 by another Granada businessman, Manuel Gallardo Torrens, a new phase started, characterized by the growing consideration of water as a commodity for domestic consumption.
With this, a new productive and commercial activity – the packaging of mineral water – was inaugurated, which would eventually shift therapeutic uses to a progressively marginal position.
The revival of the spa as a resort with the modernization had to promote to a greater influx of the number of visitors.
In 1950, the agüistas were promoting 4.559 experiencing steady growth over the decade, to more than 7,000 people in 1960.
Nowadays the Lanjarón spa settles on a few remodelled services and a few new ideas with regard to the management of the tourist and spa activity.
Mineromedicinal waters
From 1774, the name Lanjarón began to spread for the therapeutic effects of its mineral-medicinal waters. In 1792, in order to guarantee a minimum level of order, the Town Council took the reins over Lanjarón water.
It is in 1819, with the arrival in Lanjarón of Mr Miguel Baldovi (first director of the Spa) when we see moderate use of the water and the investigation into its properties.
In 1875 it became privately owned, with the Duchess of Medina Santoña being its first owner. After her death, in 1899 it was acquired by Mr Silverio Carrillo, guaranteeing the success of their investment.
In 1922, upon his death, he passed property entirely to his daughter, Sister Matilde Carrillo, founder of the school of Charity of Lanjarón.
From this date on, the remodelling works take place, building a large spring’s hall and an events hall. Precisely one of the last major building projects was the restoration of the events hall.
The number of fountains already reaches 32, although only 5 are under the management of the centre itself since the rest of them are only considered drinkable. The properties of the five fountains that are marketed are very varied:
- Capuchina: Chlorides, bicarbonate and sodium-calcium. It is used for digestive issues.
- Capilla: Chlorides, bicarbonate y ferruginous. It activates the hepatic muscle system and is ideal for diabetics and people with high cholesterol levels.
- San Vicente: Bicarbonate-calcium. It helps overcome kidney deficiencies, reduces stress and promotes weight loss.
- Salud: Bicarbonate chlorides sodium-calcium. It is ideal to aid digestion.
- El Salado: Chloride sodium-calcium, ferruginous (strongly mineralized). It is used for thermal baths. It comes out at an average temperature of 27º C. It has anti-inflammatory properties and eliminates stress, fatigue, helps in respiratory problems and greatly attenuates the effects of osteoarthritis.