Opolno Zdrój was given its name oficially by the Saxon Ministry of Interior special regulation on March 6, 1927.
The history goes back to 1836 when the healing springs were discovered during the lignite mining. However, the mine soon turned out to be unprofitable so its owner, Gottlieb Apelt, decided to shut it down and to open the first spa facility instead. It was situated close to intersection of the roads leading to Bogatynia and Jasná Góra, at the Lichtenberger Wasser stream.
At first, the healing abilities of the springs were enjoyed mostly by locals and miners, but as the spa reputation increased, patients from all over Saxony and the Czech Republic became frequent visitors of the facility.
The treatments included rheumatism, arthritis, paralysis, neuralgy, skin diseases and women´s diseases. Beside drinking of healing water the patients used different healing baths, such as mud baths, steam baths, air baths and also sprays. The facility prospered well, it expanded rapidly, the number of wooden bathtubs and bathrooms grew. Soon a new facility, known as Saxon Teplitz (Sachsen Teplitz), was opened by Gottlieb Apelt´s son, Fryderyk. When Gottlieb Apelt died in 1867, the spa was overtook by Johann Gottlieb Schroeter, who opened a new modern spa hotel Carolabad. Other spa houses were founded in 1882 – 1909; Carolina Spa in 1882, Albert Spa in 1884 – 1885, Emperor Spa in 1902, Anna Spa in 1905 and Joseph Spa in 1909.
A brand new spa facility Stahlquelle offered ferrous and manganese water.
There used to be three spa houses in Opolno: Zum Kurhaus which serves as a nursing home today; Zum Oppelsdorf and Zum Annenhof, neither of them exists anymore.
The spa guests could also use the service od 26 private guesthouses owned by the town of Opolno Zdrój and administrated by Mayor.
Unfortunately, the gradual decline of the spa facility started after the WWII finished. One of the problems was a complicated road accessibility. In 1950, Uzdrowiska Polskie company provided a loan to resource the reconstruction of the facilities and the spa could be re-opened in June, 1950. However, as the lignite mining expanded, the healing waters were absorbed by the mine and the history of Opolno Zdrój Spa Facility ended.
Worth seeing remains the neo-gothic church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary built to be attended by spa guests. A number of spa houses are still standing.