History
The water that the emperor himself supposedly drank
In the 19th century, mineral water from the Roman Spring was considered the best table water in Graz and Vienna restaurants, and it was even sold in Vienna pharmacies. It was exported to all major cities of Austria-Hungary and to England. It was bottled manually, and its distinctive symbol was the edelweiss flower. Emperor Franz Joseph himself is said to have drunk this water.
As early as Roman times, there was a station here on the Roman road Celeia–Virunum. With the discovery of Roman remains, the location and spring were renamed Rimski vrelec (Roman Spring) in 1877.
A thriving resort and health resort in the 19th century
In the 19th century, the Roman spring developed into the renowned resort and health spa Kärtner Römer Quelle.
The first resort was built in 1877 by the then owner Steinhäubl.
Good promotion also contributed to the resort’s popularity. Brochures in French, Italian, and German at railway stations successfully attracted guests from near and far.
At that time, cold and warm baths were used for treatment at the health resort. Visitors had access to ten cabins with wooden and iron bathtubs, located in a building above the spring itself. A special feature of the resort at that time was a natural stream bath in the room, through which stream water flowed. Among other things, the resort also included a bowling alley, a rabbit hutch, a dovecote, and a pond, as great emphasis was placed on healthy nutrition for guests.
