The beginnings of bathing therapy in Gastein valley go all the way back to the 14th century. Bad Hofgastein became a spa destination in the 19th century (due to lack of space in Bad Gastein), after Emperor Franz I granted permission in 1828 for the building of a pipeline from Bad Gastein to Bad Hofgastein. Since that time,  Bad Hofgastein has received around 1 million liters of thermal water (from the Elisabethquelle) every single day from a total outflow of 4.5 million liters.