Rimski vrelec, Health resort and cultural heritage site in Kotlje, Slovenia
Rimski vrelec is a health resort set at the foot of Uršlja Mountain, featuring a natural mineral spring with water rich in iron content. The site includes sports facilities and ski slopes that make the grounds usable across different seasons.
This place began in the late 1800s as a health center called Römerquelle and became an important mineral water source for the Austrian-Hungarian region. The water was exported to many countries, including the United States, which helped build its reputation across Europe.
The name Römerquelle, or Roman spring, comes from the Roman road station that stood by the mineral source on the Celeia–Virunum route. The water was marketed as a cure for anaemia and heart and vascular disease, and was sold in major Austro-Hungarian cities and exported to the United States. The Vorančeva pot, also called the Carinthian Cultural Transversal, starts here.
The complex has been closed since a denationalisation dispute and is not open to visitors; the buildings stand unused. It lies about 1 km south of Kotlje on the road toward Ivarčko jezero, at 480 m above sea level. The Vorančeva pot, also called the Koroška kulturna transverzala, starts here, so walkers can still use the trailhead.
The mineral water was sold as Römerquelle across Austria-Hungary and exported to the United States, and was recommended for anaemia and cardiovascular disease. The complex has been closed for years due to a denationalisation process; in February 2012 it was bought by the IIPM institute of Russian physician Musa T. Abidov, who pledged to restore it by June 2013 but failed, so it returned to the municipality of Ravne na Koroškem.
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