Ad Aquas Herculi Sacras: The Image of Băile Herculane in the 19th Century British travel literature Cover Image

Ad Aquas Herculi Sacras: The Image of Băile Herculane in the 19th Century British travel literature
Ad Aquas Herculi Sacras: The Image of Băile Herculane in the 19th Century British travel literature

Author(s): Marius-Mircea Crişan
Subject(s): Cultural Essay, Political Essay, Societal Essay
Published by: Institutul de Cercetări Socio-Umane Gheorghe Şincai al Academiei Române
Keywords: Transylvania; the Banat; Băile Herculane; imagology; landscape; British travel literature; the image of Romania

Summary/Abstract: Băile Herculane is a resort preferred by the British travellers who visited the Banat and Transylvania in the second part of the 19th century. The authors of several travelogues point out the historical, political and administrative context, the richness of the soil, the beauty of the landscapes and the good conditions for treatment and leisure. They are impressed by the contrast between the grandeur of nature, on the one hand, and the architecture of the modern buildings, on the other. The travellers also pay attention to social aspects concerning the categories of people who are benefiting from the treatment in Băile Herculane, patients or tourists, and to local people, the peasants especially. A special interest is paid to the peasants’ traditional dress in the region and to the beauty of the peasant women. All of these elements represent sources of attraction for the British visitors.

  • Issue Year: 2010
  • Issue No: 13
  • Page Range: 22-37
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: English