Águas Radium

December, 2015

Hotel Serra da Pena

     This is not one of those places more visited by tourists in Portugal, but for those of you who like ruins, and a more mystical environment, well, then this is one of the places you must see. I had several opportunities to check it out, unfortunately always seemed to happen something at the last minute that made give up the idea. So after Christmas, this year I finally could get to the place and take some pictures, and dig within its history. I should warn you that although the place is great for taking great photos, its history its a little bit off, I mean, there's nothing to certain, but I'll tell you what is common history about this place.

     Originally this was called Hotel Serra da Pena, and it's situated near Sortelha, belonging to Sabugal's county. At the beginning of the twentieth century it became known as Termas de Águas Radium (Radium Water Baths). They are a massive granite construction, now in ruins. The hotel part is the one that is located in the background of the large patio and the construction on the right corresponds to the old spa.

        As I said, the story is a bit confusing, but it seems that its origin is a legend. It begins with a Spanish Count, Don Rodrigo, who here would have cured her daughter from a serious skin disease, later sending, to build a spa hotel. But what deepens the mystery is a story of Acciainoli, according to which, until 1920 the waters were not known and at that Professor Lepierre stated that the springs had radioactive properties. There was a time, where appeared the radioactive fever, which stated that radioactive materials were beneficial to health (more specifically the radio). The It is said that the hotel was able to accommodate 150 people, and where it was possible to cure the following ailments: skin diseases, basin, arteriosclerosis, rheumatism, gout, hypertension, colitis, edema, circulatory failure, kidney and disturbances in nutrition, via treatment with radioactive sludge and the application of radioactive electrical pads, among others. 

       During World War II, its the end of the hot springs, as uranium becomes a bloody material. Around the years 40-50, the radioactive fever ends with the release of harmful effects that exposure to radioactive materials has to health. Later it come a project to try revive the hot springs, within a luxury hotel, but it never came through. So right now its in ruins, and yet it still fascinates those who pass by.