>>> A word to our “ancestors”
“You never know what will happen
when things suddenly change.
Yet do we know what will happen
if they remain unchanged? (Elias Canetti)
Our ancestors, i.e. the
early owners of the hotel, will most likely have had
thoughts similar to these before today’s Weiherbad hotel
emerged from a small “Kohler- or Weiherbad“, a natural
pond or spa. We, too, faced the same considerations
before we got to work on our biggest conversion to date
in 1999.
Here is a short review of our history
1850: The “Kohler-
or Weiherbad“ is mentioned in writing for the first
time:
At an altitude of 1156 metres above sea level it formed
thanks to a bathing spring which emerged in a mossy
meadow not far from the house. The water was recommended
as a form of therapy for “general and local asthenia,
all types of abnormal blood flow, particularly in
women”, which is why Dr. v. Call referred to the spa not
only as “Weiherbad” but also “Weiberbad”, meaning
“women’s’ spa ”. The bathing spring contains alum and
sulphur, which is why the use of the water is “not only
advisable for people suffering from severe coughs, fever
and tuberculosis”.
The double name "Kohler“ or “Weiher“ spa has the
following origins: Kohlerbad is named after the “Kohlerviertel“,
the charburners’ quarter in the area, whilst Weiherbad
is named after the "Fischweiher”, the fish pond which
the Counts of Künigl built behind the spa. It was
originally a spa for poor people, but gained a renowned
boost thanks to visits and spa stays by illustrious
nobles: Prince Franz Seraph Porzia, resident in Spittal
in Carinthia, underwent a health spa on the advice of
his Niederdorf/Villabassa-born custodian Karl von Kurz
zum Thurn. Recovered from a long-term ailment, he left
behind his coat of arms which can still be viewed in the
hotel today. 1936:
The hotel was bought by the sisters Anna & Maria Stoll,
as well as Maria’s husband Franz Senfter, and has come
into our family this way.
1945/1950 circa:
In the hotel’s “bath house” (today an auxiliary
building) the last spas were offered, however the spa
culture declined after that, due in part to the chaos of
the war and to the hotel continuously changing hands; no
more springs were tapped and the source ran almost
entirely dry as a result, down to a small runlet which
can still be found behind the hotel today.
1950 circa: Franz Sefter, the brother of the
current senior manager Annelies, with his wife, Irma
Ploner “temporarily” took over the run-down business – a
temporary tenancy which has lasted nearly 50 years. Irma
Ploner goes down in the history of Niederdorf/Villabassa
as a special innkeeper – she impressed guests like no
one else with her breezy but charming manner; she broke
new ground in tourism, was one of the first to
unreservedly welcome foreign guests like locals. After
the death of her husband in 1982 she continued to run
the business alone.
1961: The hotel was inherited by the current senior
manager “Senfter Rauter Annelies”, who for family
reasons does not run it herself but leaves operation to
her brother and his wife.
1964: Large-scale conversion of the Weiherbad –
the “Hobag” company was commissioned to build a new
dining room as well as an attic. A total of eight new
rooms were built – the hotel capacity increased to 25
rooms. 1997: The
business was taken over by the current owners.
1999: A further conversion – all rooms were
equipped with bathrooms, completely refurnished,
balconies were added to some rooms, a lift was
installed, the public sanitation facilities were
completely renovated, the kitchen was reconstructed and
a new central heating room installed. All of this was
built in the unbelievably short time of 4-5 months
(March-July 1999).
August 2005: In
the adjoining Niederdorf/Villabassa spa park the new
Kneipp facility was opened – and the spring water from
the pond was used once again. Thus a cycle is completed
and the water is used, albeit in a simplified form, for
"spa or Kneipp cures” once more. |
