Bundesbad Alte Donau

As a summer bath in Vienna's 22nd district Donaustadt, the bath enjoys great popularity. Located on the central bank of the Alte Donau near the Donaupark at Arbeiterstrandbadstraße 63, it is a listed building and owned by the Republic of Austria.

Bundesbad Alte Donau used to be a military swimming school; as time went by, it became less and less of a training centre. Nowadays, it is used purely for recreational purposes to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

About the Swimming Area

So much space to relax:
around 61,000 m² in total, divided into around 17,500 m² of water area and around 43,500 m² of land area (made up of approx. 38,000 m² of meadow – containing far more than 300 trees, which are very old in part – and approx. 2,800 m² of paths and walking area and about the same amount of building space.

Its History in a Nutshell:
On 20 June 1919 (see Wikipedia - Swimming) Bundesbad Alte Donau was opened as a military swimming school "meant to make the soldiers tougher and raise their discipline" (from unbekanntes Wien).

It was renamed "Bundesportbad Alte Donau" after WW2. Today, only the swimming jetty – which is connected to diagonal jetties that were used to form the boundary for water ball and swimming competitions – still serves as a reminder of the area’s function as a sports training centre. It was given its current name in the 1970s when it became a recreational area for people to get away from everyday hassle.