There are many swimming pools. Some are practical and unspectacular, others large and equipped with many different offerings – and there is the Johannisbad in Zwickau. A place that welcomes its visitors with charm, a swimming pool to feel good in.
Honestly, who would think of visiting a public swimming pool during a city trip or a short visit? Very few tourists have that much time. Anyone travelling to Zwickau should definitely plan a visit to the Johannisbad, not only for their own fitness and health, but also to see one of the most unusual swimming pools anywhere.
Orthopaedic sanatorium and baths Johannisbad Zwickau
In 1865/66, cholera raged through large parts of Germany. For the Zwickau doctor Dr. Julius Schlobig, this was a reason to do something to improve the hygienic conditions in the city. He had recognised that a lack of hygiene urgently needed to be combated and that water had a supportive effect in the therapy of various diseases.
As Schlobig was not entirely without means, he commissioned a Zwickau architect to plan and build a private orthopaedic sanatorium and baths. The young architect designed and realised a clinker facade building in the neo-Gothic style.
The main building had three storeys. The upper floors contained rooms for private patients, while the ground floor housed the cashier’s office, the administrator’s flat and waiting rooms for the baths.
The bath wing was equipped with nine bathing cells with bathtubs. Here, they offered not only baths to cleanse the body, but also medicinal baths. In addition, the wealthy guests could use an Irish-Roman bath. In a so-called frigidarium, a kind of relaxation room, massages were also offered in cabins. This room is still used as a relaxation room today. Individual sweat rooms with different temperatures were also set up for the benefit of the guests.
The less affluent guests could also take advantage of the offer; inexpensive shower baths were available for them.
In addition to the main house, a water tower with heating systems, cisterns and drying rooms for the laundry were also built. The steam chimney still exists today in a shortened form. In addition, there was a coach house with a stable, carriage room and kitchen. Today there is a restaurant here.
Dr Schlobig’s idea was a successful model and in professional circles his institution was regarded as a model institution. Only a few years later, around 1881, the capacities were no longer sufficient, and the guests/patients came to Zwickau from all over Germany. So extensions were built with new patient rooms and a flat for the doctor. These buildings have also been preserved to this day and complement the Johannisbad.
Dr Schlobig died in April 1887. In his will, he had bequeathed most of his movable and immovable estate to the municipality of Zwickau, thus laying the foundation for the municipal baths administration in Zwickau.
An indoor swimming pool for Zwickau
In 1890, a “fund for the construction of a bathing and swimming hall” was set up for the construction of a swimming hall for the city. After sufficient money had been saved, an extension was built along Johannisstraße. Care was taken to preserve the neo-Gothic style and to create a harmonious overall picture.
The swimming pool was officially opened on 2 January 1904. The pool that the people of Zwickau could now use was 17.75 m long, 9.50 m wide and up to 3.00 m deep. In addition, the old facilities were retained and supplemented by further tub baths and public shower baths.
The swimming pool was able to remain open for many years. Throughout this time, modernisations and modifications were made that kept the Johannisbad “alive”. Until 1971, it was Zwickau’s only winter swimming pool. However, it became apparent that the old building was slowly getting on in years. There were even plans to demolish it. With the political turnaround, resistance to demolition arose and there were plans for a total renovation.
In 1991, the Johannisbad closed its doors, and the first work even began, but it came to a standstill in 1993. Fortunately, there were committed groups who campaigned for the reconstruction of the Johannisbad. With EU funding, this was finally realised. It was possible to restore the historical elements (sixty changing rooms, benches, doors or the filigree decorated hall clock) and to install modern swimming pool technology and a modern sauna area. In addition, a therapy centre and physiotherapy were also integrated. The reopening took place in May 2000.
The Johannisbad – a wellness swimming pool
To this day, the Johannisbad is the only surviving public bath in the neo-Gothic architectural style in Germany. In the interior, however, the Art Nouveau style prevalent at the time prevailed.
When you step through the large entrance door, you find yourself in the entrance area with a cash desk and a modern turnstile for admission to the swimming pool. Here there is no indication of what was revealed to us a little later.
Through the tiled changing area we enter a high room and quite honestly, my breath caught. I had never seen a swimming pool like this before. We stand in a three-storey hall surrounded by a gallery. A wooden ceiling with skylights spans the room. Underneath is a band of windows that shields the area behind.
The gallery is bordered by a wrought-iron grille composed of leaves and tendrils. Behind it today are some tables and benches for the bathers. The numbers indicate that there used to be changing rooms here.
Stairs at the gable ends of the pool lead to the ground floor. Here there are still individual changing rooms in a colonnade that can be separated from the swimming hall with a curtain. If you look closely, you will see little golden water sprites on the columns.
I find the clock in its wooden case beautiful, which has surely announced the end of bath time to many a visitor.
On the opposite side is a water-spouting dragon, which is sure to bring much joy not only to the children.
I am a little envious of the people of Zwickau, who have one of the most beautiful swimming pools in the city, the Johannisbad, that I have seen so far. Next time I’m in town, I’ll definitely have to plan some time out with a sauna here.
Address:
Johannisbad
Johannisstraße 16
08056 Zwickau
Admission fees:
Please check the current tariffs online with the provider.
The visit to Johannisbad was made possible for us as part of a research trip to the Zwickau region.
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