GUIDE OF TUSCIA

The thermal hot springs in Viterbo

Terme dei Papi: The swimming pool

The thermal area which is about 3 km far from Viterbo, has its centre in the well-known “Bullicame Spring” which Dante refers to in his “Inferno” of “Divina Commedia”. In the two bathing establishments “Terme dei Papi” and “Pianeta Benessere”,

Pianeta Benessere: The swimming pool

Which take advantage of this splendid natural resource, a broad range of treatments is practised. There are for example: mud treatment, sulphurous baths, a thermal cave, and respirators. At “Terme dei Papi“, which contain a natural hot spring , there is a big swimming pool with sulphurous vapours which is open also in winter. The temperature of the water is about 30°. As it was said above, the most famous spring is “Bulicame”, which has about eight metres of diameter. It is impossible to bathe there, but along the road leading to it from the Tuscania road there are several natural ponds where it is possible to dip oneself. Another area with thermal springs is “Bagnaccio”, a few kilometres north of Viterbo towards the road to Capodimonte, where it is possible to dip oneself or wallow in the natural warm pools.

The pool of Bagnaccio - The Bullicame hot spring

It is known that during the Middle Ages the thermal waters of Viterbo had some famous visitors e.g. the Popes Gregorio IX and Bonifacio IX. In 1400 an establishment was built that hosted the Pope Pio II. Another important thermal complex is in Saturnia. There is a plan to build a big thermal establishment in Viterbo, able to turn the thermal resources into a business thermal centre.

WELCOME TO THE SPRINGS OF HEALTH

The history of the hot springs in Viterbo

The history of the “Terme” traces back to antiquity. When the Romans, at the beginning of the III century BC., led by consul Quintus Fabius Rullianus, crossed the Cimino peaks ,they found villages scattered throughout the Etruria Valley: Castel d’Asso, Cordigliano, Musarna, Surrena, Ferento. From the Etruscan settlement called Surrena, now Viterbo, situated on the top of the hill of the “Duomo”, a road led to a plain called “Piano dei Bagni”, whose hot springs were already used at that time because of their therapeutic qualities.
The Roman army destroyed the Etruscan centres but benefited greatly from this civilisation.
The new settlers enlivened these lands and, since the elegant and refined Etruscan culture had left signs of a ‘thermal interest’ ,they continued to call the baths of our area “Terme Etrusche” even to the times of the Empire.
The remains of the Roman baths stretch out for eleven Kilometres along the antique “Cassia”, on the outskirts of Viterbo, and stand out in three main thermal spring areas : “Aquae Passeris”, ”Paliano” and the most important and famous “Bullicame”.
Several important documents , such as those of “Strabo”, “Symmachus”, “Tibulus”, ”Martial” and “Scribonius Largus”, physician of the emperor “Tiberius”, account for the great value that the “Viterbese” thermal spring area has had since ancient times. In the Middle Ages “the Terme” became a privileged thermal resort for many Popes.
It was in 1235, when Gregory IX came to be cured of “mal della pietra” in the “Bagno della Grotta”, that the age of the papal splendour at the Viterbo “Terme” began.
In 1404, Pope Bonifacio IX accepted the invitation of the Priors of Viterbo for water and mud treatments to help to cure his “”serious bone aches”, which almost disabled him from carrying out his papal duties.
But Viterbo’s “Terme” took their name ,”Terme dei Papi”, from Nicholas V. This Pope benefited so greatly from the treatments curing his illnesses, that in 1450 he had a magnificent palace built there, so that he could stay there whenever he needed.
That building with crenellated walls, beautiful cross-shaped windows and vaulted chambers has been called “Bagno del Papa” since then.
The palace cost 3000 gold ‘ducats’ and its upkeep was for many years one of the greatest expenses for the city. Still another Pope, Pius II, promoted some renovations and remodelling of the important thermal bath structure.
The “Terme” got a valuable mention in works of famous poets and artists throughout the ages. In the “Divine Comedy”, Dante Alighieri, often refers to the “Bullicame”, in particular in the XIV “canto” of the “Inferno”:

The ruins of the grand roman baths of Bacucco

Quale del bullicame esce ruscello
che parton poi tra lor le peccatrici
tal per la rena giu’ sen giva quello…

(Dante Alighieri)

Michelangelo Buonarroti, passing by the “Bagni di Viterbo” on one of his journeys to Rome (between 1496 and 1536), was struck by the beauty of the “Terme” and sketched two pen drawings of them. In one he drew a map of the antique thermal baths and personally inscribed the words “Map of the Viterbo Thermal Bath”; in the other he showed the interior and wrote the words “Come sta drento al dicto bagno” (How it is inside the bath).
The original sketches can now be found in the Vicar de Lille Museum in France, while a photographic copy is kept in the Civic Museum of Viterbo.

What makes Therapies successful

The natural therapeutic mud of the “Terme dei Papi” is extracted from the lake of “Bagnaccio” and smeared on the body, in particular on affected joints, by skilled personnel.

Therapeutic mud

"The grotto” in the hot spring

Inhalations


A jet of stream that vapourises the thermal water into fairly small particles (8 – 10 micron) and transports them toward the mucous of the respiratory tracts.

Hydro-massage

This is a bath taken in a special tub equipped with nozzles pointing toward the specific parts to be treated.

Massage

This is generally done to complete some thermal therapies ( mud treatment, “the grotto”, soaking baths etc.)
Massage is always done for therapeutic purposes, similar to those of the mud and bath treatment, for the treatment of circulatory and aesthetic problems, for example cellulitis etc.

Vascular Pathology Course


This is a course divided into two lanes: the patients walk down these lanes alternatively.
The two lanes are each filled with thermal water which is kept at different temperature and rises up to the patients’ knees.

Rehabilitation Pool

This is highly effective in rehabilitation therapy. The patients, immersed in the adequately equipped thermal pool and assisted by rehabilitation therapists, are able to perform movements, which would otherwise be impossible, or much more difficult, for them outside the water.