Baile Felix, the resort that could have been

South of Oradea, along the thermal stream Peța, lies the town of Baile Felix - a valley sheltered between the Șomleului Forest, the Cordăului Hill and the Apateului Hill. Its position, at the foot of the forest and on the edge of the plain, has always given it a special character: a place where nature and warm water seem to have dictated the pace of development.

The hot springs in the area are mentioned for the first time in 1221, when "Abbatia de Heöviz, olim Hevius de Magno Varadino"¹ appears near the baths of Várad (Oradea). Historically, the area of Băilor Felix was surrounded by settlements documented since the 13th century, namely Sânmartin (1291), Haieu (1249) and Cordău (1273), but which developed independently of the location of the resort.

In 1580, Antonio Possenio, in charge of the organization of the University of Cluj, notes the presence near Oradea of "particularly good baths", capable of curing many sick peop