{"id":13579,"date":"2020-04-22T20:40:16","date_gmt":"2020-04-22T20:40:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gocaldas.com\/o-hospital-termal-em-caldas-da-rainha\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T19:35:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T19:35:20","slug":"thermal-hospital-at-caldas-da-rainha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gocaldas.com\/en\/thermal-hospital-at-caldas-da-rainha\/","title":{"rendered":"Thermal Hospital at Caldas da Rainha"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Inspiration<\/a>><\/span>Itineraries<\/a><\/p>\n

By GoCaldas Team\u25cf<\/i>22 April 2020<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Bathe Where a Queen Bathed, Drink from an 18th-Century Fountain and Walk the Royal Woodland: A Guide to the Thermal Hospital of Caldas da Rainha<\/h1>\n
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Founded in 1484 by Queen Leonor, it is considered the oldest thermal hospital in the world. History, opening hours, tickets, the best spots inside and what to see nearby.<\/p>\n

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The Thermal Hospital, founded by Queen Leonor in 1484. Photo: GoCaldas<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n
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Related: Queen Leonor, the founder<\/a><\/p>\n

What to see<\/h2>\n

Welcome to what is considered the oldest thermal hospital in the world. Its founding, in 1484, also marks the founding of Caldas da Rainha.<\/p>\n

The Thermal Hospital was born at the end of the 15th century thanks to the vision of Queen Leonor<\/a>, who, according to legend, discovered the local waters by chance when she saw people bathing in them.<\/p>\n

The generous queen quickly realised the healing power of the waters, which she is said to have used herself, and created a hospital based entirely on thermal treatments, designed above all for the poor.<\/p>\n

That is what makes it unique: all this happened more than 500 years ago!<\/p>\n

The hospital stands on Largo Rainha D. Leonor, which locals simply call \u201cLargo do Termal\u201d. It was completely rebuilt in the 18th century, after King Jo\u00e3o V came to Caldas da Rainha to take the waters.<\/p>\n

A new phase<\/h3>\n

The work was led by the engineer Manuel da Maia, who later helped rebuild Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake.<\/p>\n

In the 1890s the building was renovated again under the administration of Rodrigo Berqu\u00f3<\/a>, who added the third floor.<\/p>\n

Come and visit the oldest thermal hospital in the world and see the Queen\u2019s Pool, where Leonor herself bathed.<\/p>\n

Visits are run by the Hospital and Caldas Museum<\/a>, and they are well worth combining with the museum itself and the rest of the spa heritage: the Nossa Senhora do P\u00f3pulo Church<\/a> and the S\u00e3o Sebasti\u00e3o Chapel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fun facts about the hospital and its waters<\/h3>\n