the badl &
its history
Monday – Sunday: 8.00 am to 6.00 pm
Open every day
The Mühlbach Badl, short “badl”, is the highest located bath in the Val Pusteria. In the middle of the Rieserferner-Ahrn Nature Park, we are located at 1700 meters above sea level in an idyllic place. Enjoy the clean mountain air in a small clearing, surrounded by resin-scented high forests.
Thanks to our own medicinal spring we have been known as a health spa since the last century and today more than ever a refuge for the discerning guest, an oasis ofrelaxation and regeneration.
The Badl-source
The “Badl”-source has always been known for its healing power – it is high quality water, which is rarely found in Central Europe in this purity. It springs directly at the “Badl” from gneiss and granite and is slightly mineral-rich. Immediately at the outlet of the source, a low level of radioactivity is measured, which has a stimulating effect. Numerous chemical laboratory tests have shown that it contains valuable minerals and trace elements such as calcium, sodium, chloride, boron, fluoride, lithium, iron, selenium, silica and iodine. The special thing about that water is certainly its exceptional purity and the particularly light, harmonious and ideal composition of minerals.
Water as original substance
Water is the basis of life on our planet and at the same time the most important element of all living organisms. Natural, pure water is rich in life-giving energy and the most important food on earth. All life on Earth comes from the primordial oceans. Water penetrates every cell in the body and enables the communication of the different cell groups. Water regulates all functions of the body, such as body building, metabolism, digestion, cardiovascular function and much more. It is also responsible for our consciousness and makes our thinking processes, feelings and moods possible. Water is the carrier of all physical and mental information.
Suitability
The water has a stabil temperature of four degrees the whole year long and it is suitable for drinking, fasting and bathing treatments. According to empirical experiences and reports, it provides increased energy gain and an improvement in well-being, it has a strengthening and detoxifying effect, stimulates metabolism and promotes blood formation.
Stimulating the immune system and invigorating the organism, the water of the “Badl” spring promotes various healing processes, especially for skin diseases (neurodermatitis, inflammatory wetting eczema) and helps with problems of the connective tissue, the eyes and the large intestine. Even mild rheumatic diseases can be positively influenced by the spring water, as it is reported in writings and stories from earlier times, when the nature of water was experienced without analysis.
It is now known that the balance between sodium and potassium and the exceptionally low nitrate content makes the water particularly suitable for the preparation of baby food.
The history
1834
Niederweger Chronicle
“In this valley you can find a spring of water that is used for bathing and which is visited by few people in the high summer, but without finding shelter or accommodation apart from a bad hut.”
1929
The baths and healing springs in the Hochetsch by Dr. Ignaz Mader – Publisher of the bookshop Vogelweide, Bolzano
The Riomulino bath (1695)
The Mühlbacher Bad is probably the highest located bath of Val Pusteria, from which guests are often frightened away by fresh snow in the middle of summer. But the place offers all the advantages of high mountain climate with its spicy air of nearby coniferous forests and strong sunshine. It is located in a wide high valley close to the alpine huts and 45 minutes above the village with the same name, which can be reached from Gais on a steep path in an hour – starting from Villa Ottone (Uttenheim) via the so-called Ainsberg it would be more convenient, but further.
B. Weber (1838 III, 413) describes it as the simplest and most cheap bath in the country; they lived in an alpine hut, slept on hay and cooked what everyone had brought with them; Nevertheless, the visit was numerous, allegedly during the bathing season 100 to 300 people from the area, who use the baths especially in case of weakness of the digestive organs.
Staffler (Topgr. 1847 IV, 260) called it a bathing house, built around that time which met modest demands and still exists in this state today. It has retained the characteristics of a peasant bath, because it is sometimes quite funny and cheerful.
According to F. C. Karpe (1830, Tyrolean Messenger) this water belongs to the earthy waters, unfortunately a correct analysis is missing here too. Two sources are springing out of gravel and gneiss:
1. Iron-source: Temperature 3.7 ° C. , radioactivity 2.9 Mache-units.
2. Badl-source: Temperature 3.7 ° C. , radioactivity 3.0 Mache-units.
1838
Beda Weber – das Land Tirol – a guide for travellers – Wagner’sche bookshop
“The Mühlbacherbad is located almost an hour above the church. The road to it is rough and steep, so even horse riding is associated with difficulty. The best way to walk or ride from Uttenheim is via the so-called Ainsberg. The accomodation over there consists of an alpine hut and the food has to be brought by each guest himself – certainly the simplest bath in Tyrol, but also by far the most comfortable. The spring is good visited by people from all around Tyrol who feel the healing effects of it, to which the fresh mountain air contributes a lot.”
1844
Tyrol and Vorarlberg topographically, with historical notes by Johann Jakob Staffler
“About 3⁄4 hours above the church of Mühlbach, the “Badl” is located on a steep alpine high. Until recently it was very bad equipped (because those who wanted to use this bath had to bring the necessary things with them), but now accommodation and food can be considered as very satisfactory. The source, although without actual mineral content, is very cold and pure, therefore strengthening. Because of its excellent effects, the Mühlbacherbad is often visited by locals, although it often happened that bathers in the middle of summer were frightened away by foot-deep snow.”
1980
Josef Innerhofer – “Taufers Ahrn Prettau” – The history of a valley
“Josef Oberbrugger from Mühlen (1829-1860) has confirmed himself as a naturopath. In the Uttenheim register of death he is mentioned three times as a treating physician. During his term of office, the chapel was rebuilt at the Mühlbach Badl. This well-known bath is located an hour’s walk from the village and is the highest in Val Pusteria (1694m). There once reigned a funny and relaxed mixture of bathing and alpine life. Perhaps thats the reason, why the people of Mühlbach used to be considered as very lively people. The healing power of the bath was widely praised, especially against diseases of the digestive organs. But the people had to provide themselves with food, drinks and wathever they needed. 1967 the Badl burned down …“
“… finally the Mühlbach Badl came into sight. A small number of spa guests and farmers of the area were hanging around the house or rested from the effort of doing nothing in the meadow surrounding the house.”
Dr. J. Daimer Taufers, 1877
Berggasthof „Badl“
in the Valley of Rio Molino
Rio Molino 30
39030 Gais, South Tyrol, Italy
We are looking forward!
Patrick & Dominik
Phone +39 0474 505 100
info@badl.it
