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Dr. Karl Henn – "father" of health resort activities in Radenci

“Mineral champagne" of the young Karl Henn

While travelling through Radenci in his youth, dr. Karl Henn tasted the mineral water of the Radenci thermal spring. And in 1865, he returned to Radenci, determined to focus his work on a well that would again capture the “mineral champagne” he had learnt about in his student years. He bought the land on which the mineral spring was located and, after four years of hard work and perseverance, his determination paid off. Natural mineral water finally started to flow from the wooden oak pipe that he had driven 17 metres into the ground, its taste and quality much better than the water he first tasted as a student 36 years previously.

The ever growing fame of the healing mineral water from Radenci

Karl Henn began pointing out the healing properties of the CO2-rich mineral water from Radenci to doctors and to the general population. During the first year after starting production, he bottled and sold 37,000 bottles. He soon attained great business success, followed by many medals won at food and culinary exhibitions in Slovenia and in foreign European capitals. Even the pope in the Vatican and the emperor in the Viennese court were drinking the famous Radenci mineral water. In the 19th century, locals would use clay pots or “pütre” to take the mineral water with them into the fields, because the water in them would keep cold for a long time.

Beginnings of the health resort industry

Realising that the carbon-dioxide-rich mineral water was excellent for use in healing baths, Dr. Henn decided to build an indoor bathing complex. After his death, construction was continued by his son, who also planted a park in the area. In 1882, the first health resort facility with 11 bath cabins and 12 guest rooms was opened in Radenci. The health resort was then called “Slatinski Radenci” (eng. Mineral Radenci), and in addition to an accommodation facility with a park and indoor swimming pool, it also included several healing springs (the Gizelin, Kraljev, and Jurijev springs). At that time, guests could enjoy carbon mineral baths, and the health resort also dealt in distributing bottled mineral water throughout the country and abroad. In their first year, they welcomed 79 guests, and just six years later, the number was as high as 200. 

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