This journey took me from Vienna to many interesting places, including the quicksilver mines at Idria and other remarkable locations in the Alps. During my stay in Vienna, I made a point of visiting nearby towns and notable sites, such as Kahlenberg, Klosterneuburg, Itzing, Baden, and Neusiedler See. Later, I traveled to Venice, not by stagecoaches, which follow fixed roads, but on horseback, so I could stop wherever I pleased and explore off the main path Journey Through Upper Hungary.
Baden Famous for its Baths
The first significant town I visited was Baden, about four German miles from Vienna. It is a pleasant walled town near part of Mount Cetius, which separates it from Pannonia. A small river, called the Stvechet, passes by the town and eventually joins the Danube about one German mile away from Vienna. Baden has three churches: one for the Jesuits, one dedicated to Our Lady, and St. Stephen’s Church.
Baden is most famous for its baths, which are much visited by people from Vienna and surrounding areas. There are nine baths in total:
The Duke’s Bath – the largest, square in shape, with steam leaving through a tunnel at the top.
The Bath of Our Lady – partly under a church of the same name Turkey Customized Sightseeing.
The New Bath
St. John’s Bath – triangular in shape.
The Jews’ Bath – with a partition separating men and women.
The Beggars’ Bath – shallow, where people lie down in the water.
The Bath of the Holy Cross – mainly for the clergy.
St. Peter’s Bath
The Sower Bath – with stone balusters, a handsome cupola, and a lantern above.
The baths are enclosed, with seats and floors made of fir wood. Unlike in England, they do not use guides but direct themselves with a short turned staff. The hottest of these baths is almost as hot as the Queen’s Bath in England.
Hospitality and Local Curiosities
During my visit, I met very good company and enjoyed comfortable accommodations at reasonable cost. A captain of the Emperor, whom I had accompanied, gave me a Gempskugel, a famous remedy said to be an excrescence from the liver of a wild Tyrolean goat. In Germany, it is highly praised as a treatment for liver disorders, malignant fevers, and the plague. Many believe it protects the user from harm for twenty-four hours.
After enjoying the baths and exploring Baden, I traveled to Neusiedl, one of the largest cities in Hungary. The town is square in shape, with a central piazza, and is remarkable for its structure and activity. Here, I observed the local customs and the lifestyle of the people, which added greatly to my understanding of the region.
