Accommodation Health Tourism History and Present

From the Roman Empire to Today: The Evolution of Thermal and Spa Treatments as Complementary Medicine

Thermal and spa treatments, used as complementary medicine since the Roman Empire, have now evolved into a vacation and accommodation concept within hotel services. Hotels that offer services with hot water, known as spa or thermal hotels, are growing through health tourism.

During the Roman Empire—when it ruled half the world and reached the pinnacle of power and wealth—Emperor Justinian's daughter fell gravely ill. The immense power and riches of the empire proved futile in curing her. On the advice of a traveler, a last resort was attempted: a journey to the thermal springs/spas (ılıca/kaplıca) in Anatolia. The result was nothing short of miraculous. The emperor’s daughter regained both her health and joy, returning to Rome. News of this miracle spread quickly. Nobles and the wealthy flocked to Anatolia’s magical waters seeking cures for their ailments. Over time, along with the treatments, the desire for comfort led to the construction of baths as solutions for primitive and temporary accommodations by the hot springs.

Today, many baths in Turkey still in use and marketed under the sign “Roman Hamamı” trace their origins back to that era.

Between 1200-700 BC, the Phrygian Kingdom that reigned over the Afyon-Eskişehir-Kütahya triangle became renowned as Phrygia Salutaris or “Healthy Phrygia,” due to the abundance and healing powers of its thermal springs.

Seljuks and Ottomans utilized thermal springs/spas to treat soldiers injured in battles.

Evliya Çelebi’s “Seyahatname” (Book of Travels) frequently mentions Anatolian thermal springs/spas, detailing which waters are beneficial for which ailments.

For thousands of years in Anatolia, thermal therapy has been known and its benefits repeatedly tested. Today, thermal treatment—accepted as a complementary therapy in Western medical circles, recommended, and supported by health insurance—is regaining its deserved place. Its establishment in facilities is advancing to world standards, echoing the comfort-seeking initiated by Roman nobles and the wealthy.

As Turkey’s first five-star thermal hotel, Oruçoğlu facilities continue their mission as pioneers and leaders, uncompromisingly integrating the quality of healing waters with the quality of accommodation.