BAILE NEPTUN

... and let's not forget Baile Neptun (the Neptun Baths), the monumental building and its tiny indoor pool that served as our "wet" training facility during the winter months in the 50s and early 60s. In 1963, the pool underwent a major remodeling effort, but that wasn't enough to retain the swim team. In 1965, all winter workouts were moved to ILSA's heated outdoor pool, thus marking the end of Neptun as a training facility for Timisoara's swimmers.

HISTORIC PHOTOS (courtesy of Szabo Feri)

	The monumental building that houses the pool is located on  the Fabric District side of the Decebal Bridge, just outside of Timisoara's central Cetate District and directly opposite of the Parcul Poporului (People's Park).  The edifice was built in 1913-1914 by the architect and original owner László Székely, who, during his tenure as the city's Chief Architect, designed many other monumental buildings, such as the Piarist Lyceum, the Neuhauss and Weisz Palaces in the center of the city, and the Abattoir. During the early days, the Neptun building was known as both the Székely House and the Hungaria Baths.
	Neptun's entry hall, the way it looked in 1915
	The Neptun pool (1915)

MORE RECENT PHOTOS

	The Neptun Building (photo by Szabo Feri, 1997)
	The renovated Neptun pool (work completed in 1965) (photo by Tzulu Morariu, 2003)
	The Neptun fitness room (photo by Tzulu Morariu, 2003) In addition to the fitness room, the Neptun Building houses a school for aspiring models (information current as of June 2003)