Town in S central Romania (Vilcea county), situated right of the river Olt, in the Jiblea-Calimanesti Sub-Carpathian hollow, elevation 260-280 m, 18 km N of the municipality of Rimnicu Vilcea (seat of Vilcea county); population 8,633 (july 1,1991).
Together with its component Caciulata, it forms the Calimanesti-Caciulata all-season resort of national importance. The climate is characteristic of the sheltered Sub-Carpathian hollows, without temperature contrasts, with cool summers (July average around 20°C) and rather mild winters (january average 1.5°C below). Average annual temperature 9.8°C. Moderate precipitation (750-800 mm annually).
The natural cure factors are the sparing climate and the springs (discovered in 1827) of sulphurous, chlorided, brominated, sodic, calcic, magnesian, mostly hypotonic mineral waters, with varying concentrations, chemical compositions and temperatures (mineralization between 0.5 and 11.5 g/l; athermal, mesothermal = 41°C, and hyperthermal = 49.5°C). The spa is recommended for the treatment of digestive diseases (chronic gastritis with hypoacidity, chronic constipation, chronic colitis), hepatobiliary diseases (biliary dyskinesis, non-calculous or calculous chronic cholecystitis, chronic hepatitis, chronic pancreatitis, conditions after operations of the liver), kidney and urinary system diseases (kidney lithiasis, chronic pyelonephritis, urinary infections), metabolic and nutrition disorders (diabetes mellitus, hyperuricemic condittions, obesity), respiratory diseases (bronchitis, chronic tracheobronchitis), peripheral neurological disorders (paresis, conditions after proliomyelitis), rheumatic conditions
(spondylosis, arthrosis, polyarthrosis, tendonitis), post-traumatic conditions (after sprains, luxations, fractures), gynecological disorders (menopausal ovarian syndrome), ear, nose and throat diseases (chronic rhinosinusitis, chronic allergic laryngitis, etc.), dermatological, cardiovascular and other disorders.
The French doctor Joseph Caillat, who took temporary residence in Wallachia (1854), analysed the Calimanesti mineral waters in 1859, and in 1869 Napoleon III was on a cure of mineral water sent over from Calimanesti. In 1893, the samples of mineral water from Calimanesti-Caciulata won the gold medal at the International Foods and Mineral Waters Exhibition in Brussels. The firts cure establishments are dated 1910. The present-day facilities include modern installations for warm mineral-water baths in tubs and pools, for electrohydro-, and kinetotherapy, for aerosols and inhalations, outdoor pools with sulphurous thermal water (at Caciulata), mineral water fountains forinternal cure, gyms, sauna, swimming pool on the bank of the Olt, etc. At Caciulata there are a sanatorium for children, specialized in the treatment of hepatitis sequels, and the country's only sanatorium for silicosis patients; at Calimanesti there is a clinic of the Bucharest Institute of Balneophysiotherapy and Medical Recovery, and a
section of the specialized department of the Bucharest Institute of Medicine and Pharmacy. Bottling station for mineral waters.
Touristic draws: the Church of Ostrov, founded by ruler Neagoe Basarab and built over 1518-1522, the Turnu hermitage, with a church dating back to 1676, the Cozia Monastery 5 km from the town, founded in 1387-1388 by voivode Mircea the Old who was buried here, with original murals of 1391; museum sheltering a valuable collection of icons.
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"Caciulata", "Cozia" and "Oltul" Hotels
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Calimanesti Caciulata
