The History of Leisure Pools

Throughout history, heated leisure pools have been used to socialize, relax, and to enjoy the healing properties of soaking in warm water. Dating back far beyond the Romans, spas and leisure pools have been used for many centuries to help improve people’s health. To get a closer look at how heated pools have evolved over time, here is a quick and informative read on the history of leisure pools across the globe.

Roman Baths

The Romans were the first to use indoor, heated pools. Wealthy Romans would come to socialize, eat, and enjoy the advantages of the warm water. It was a place to exchange stories, talk business, and the like. To keep the pools warm, they would build them over boiler rooms where furnaces would push the warm air upwards, heating the pool. At this time, the Greeks also believed that using heated water could heal muscles and joint injuries, reduce stress, and boost natural defences. 

It didn’t take long before the use of Thalassotherapy and Hydrotherapy for cleansing, cosmetic, and healing purposes were introduced. The Romans also were the first to use essential oils, herbs, and teas in the baths to activate the therapeutic healing properties. Large public baths were eventually built all throughout Rome, designed primarily for soldiers to bathe and help ease their ailments after the war.

Bath, England

The famous city of Bath in England is still known for their Roman spas today. When the Romans came to England, they built the baths and a temple around the hot springs. At the time, people had started to believe that there were curative properties in the spring water, and Bath soon became a popular spot for people to come and relax and reap the beneficial properties in the leisure pools.

The Scandinavian Sauna

The Scandinavian countries of Finland, Norwegian, Sweden and Denmark were also taking advantage of their natural hot springs for their healing properties. Many of the local Scandinavians started to install spas or bathhouses inside their homes so they could enjoy the health benefits and reduce their stress levels year-round.

Spas Around The World

By the late 1500s, the tradition of spas had reached many cultures worldwide. The healing properties of warm water and saltwater leisure pools were being highly utilized, most notably by the Japanese and the Turks. It wasn’t long until beautifully designed saunas began popping up all over the place for people to take advantage of and enjoy.

Present Day

Today, there are many leisure pools and spas found throughout Canada. Some are filled with natural springs and salt water and used as public baths or spas. Custom leisure pools and spas are also commonly found in many homes and within recreation centres as well.

If you’re looking for a leisure pool or spa of your own, we have a wide variety of options that can help you get the relaxation and healing benefits that you deserve. Come see us today at Rideau Pools for a tour of what we have to offer.