Once the most modern spa in Europe, Neptune Baths, is found today in a pre-collapse state. Neptune Baths (former Imperial Baths or Szapary Baths) is located in Herculane Baths, one of the oldest spa resorts in Europe and it still is one of the most exponential heritage buildings in Romania.
But have you ever thought you were too small to make a change? Get ready to have your mind changed. This is the story of how a small group of architecture students is saving the most beautiful abandoned spa building in Romania and perhaps in all of Europe, Herculane Baths. It all started with the question “What can we do? How can we save it?” and a big dose of courage and idealism.
This is how HerculaneProject was born. In 5 years of activity, we have managed to start an emergency intervention on Neptune Baths, we have involved over 100 young volunteers in the project and raised around 90.000 euros. Besides the Neptune Baths reactivation project, we have successfully developed four editions of our summer school, 2 cultural projects, 2 fundraising campaigns and lots of other distinct actions meant to reactivate cultural heritage in Herculane Baths. We thought we were too small to make a change, but it wasn't so. Over 30.000 people support us on social media and over 7.500 individual donors have contributed to helping us achieve our dream - to save Neptune Baths.
Despite all the efforts we have been making for 5 years and despite the fact that we have carried out safety works, Neptune Baths have today 3 sectors in pre-collapse.
In order to avoid a series of collapses, we have to take down and rebuild the roofs together with the consolidation of the masonry, and these works have a cost of 15 - 20,000 euros/roof. So far we have raised 10.000euro, but the degradation process goes further much faster than we are!
Help us too! Get involved and be a part of the community that saves this amazing heritage building!
More info: herculaneproject.ro
The collapse of a structural wall. Photo Dorobantu Darius
One of the three sectors found in a state of pre-collapse. Photo Dorobantu Darius
Degradation. Photo: Dorobantu Darius
Roof found in a state of pre-collapse. Photo: Dorobantu Darius
Collapsed wall. Photo: Dorobantu Darius
The famous pink hallway. Photo: Dorobantu Darius
Neptune Baths , aerial view. Photo: Dorobantu Darius
Photo: Martin Neagoe
"Nothing is being done in this country." Some stole and now we're fixing what they broke. A corrupt system, which played Monopoly with the historical monuments of the oldest spa in Europe. We can destroy this corrupt system, each and every one of us!
We have taken on an almost impossible mission: to save the Neptune Baths, a historical monument of national interest, included in the list of the 7 Most Endangered Heritage Sites in Europe in 2022.
Why? Because we cannot stand aside when we see a great injustice and even though we are young we think about what we leave to future generations. The fight is not only one with a very fast degradation process but with the whole system that robbed the resort and brought the Neptune Baths into a legal deadlock and pre-collapse.
Why? Because we cannot stand aside when we see a great injustice and even though we are young we think about what we leave to future generations. The fight is not only one with a very fast degradation process but with the whole system that robbed the resort and brought the Neptune Baths into a legal deadlock and pre-collapse.
This legal deadlock prevents us from attracting funds, accessing funding and completing our main goal: to preserve and enhance this historic monument.
Despite all the efforts we have been making for 5 years and despite the fact that we have carried out safety works, Băile Neptun today has 3 sectors in precoalps. In order to avoid a series of collapses, we have to open and rebuild the roofs with the consolidation of the masonry, and these works have a cost of 15 - 20,000 euros/roof.
Help us too! Get involved!
Video - Alex Muntean.
Video - Alex Muntean.