Summers have always been hot in Hungary and sunbathing has always been a popular. Few Hungarians are pasty white come September. We delved into the Fortepan photo archive to show how people relaxed beneath the sun’s rays, in parks, at the baths, on café terraces, even at airports.
There’s almost a primeval force behind sunbathing, solar energy a life-giving element for all,. Sunbathing has been practised for thousands of years. The Persians, Arabs, Greeks and Romans all basked in sunlight. Several descriptions have survived from antiquity, in which the benefits of sunbathing are discussed, and not only by doctors but also by philosophers and writers.
In the 20th century, it was prescribed for patients with TB. When the process began, more and more began to sunbathe, and its medicinal role was pushed into the background.
Of course, people are more cautious these days due to UV radiation and other harmful effects. Yet the physiological benefits of sunbathing in moderation are significant, in addition to tanning. Sunbathing provides the body with vitamin D and strengthens bones. It may even lower your blood pressure. Most of all, though, it is relaxing – as these Hungarians over the decades would testify.
