als ▁have ▁claimed ▁that ▁the ▁sea ▁mud ▁has ▁a ▁cur ative ▁effect . ▁A ▁military ▁doctor , ▁Carl ▁Abraham ▁Hun nius , ▁founded ▁the ▁first ▁mud ▁c ure ▁resort ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 5 . ▁News ▁of ▁the ▁cur ative ▁mud ▁quickly ▁reached ▁the ▁arist ocracy ▁of ▁Saint ▁Petersburg , ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire . ▁Ever ▁since ▁then , ▁Ha aps alu ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁popular ▁summer ▁destination ▁where ▁people ▁from ▁all ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁come ▁for ▁medical ▁treatment . ▁Today , ▁there ▁are ▁three ▁mud ▁c ure ▁establish ments ▁in ▁Ha aps alu ▁varying ▁in ▁size ▁and ▁location . ▁ ▁Ha aps alu ▁sh aw l ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁Ha aps alu ▁became ▁famous ▁for ▁its ▁sh aw ls , ▁a ▁del icate ▁craft ▁made ▁by ▁local ▁women . ▁ ▁Other ▁attra ctions ▁The ▁Land ▁of ▁Il on ▁Wik land ▁( Wik land ia ), ▁a ▁recre ation ▁centre ▁for ▁children , ▁is ▁set ▁to ▁open ▁in ▁a ▁few ▁years ▁within ▁the ▁town . ▁This ▁world - f am ous ▁book ▁illustr ator ▁has ▁been ▁involved ▁with ▁Ha aps alu ▁since ▁her ▁child hood . ▁ ▁The ▁August ▁Blues ▁Festival ▁is ▁held ▁every ▁August ▁in ▁Ha aps alu . ▁ ▁Since ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁the ▁town ▁hosts ▁Ha aps alu ▁Hor ror ▁and ▁Fant asy ▁Film ▁Festival , ▁an ▁annual ▁film ▁festival ▁dedicated ▁to ▁genre ▁films . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁past ors ▁of ▁Ha aps alu ▁made