The resort in Cranz was opened by Theodor von Schön, Governor of West Prussia, in 1816. It would not have happened without the observant physician Friedrich Kessel who noticed that in that area people lived longer and got sick less often. The climate, mineral springs, healing mud, and sea bathing were promoted as the resort’s key selling points. Other advantages included the proximity to Königsberg, a dense mixed forest nearby, and sandy clearings shielded from the wind by trees. The sunbathing season began as early as April.

Mineral water was the trademark of the Cranz resort. According to former Cranz residents, there used to be a public pump room for drinking mineral water near the beach and the promenade. However, there is no precise information on the location of the Cranz pump room, nor is there a photo of the room itself. Water was sold in almost all pavilions (but not in stores) and served in restaurants and cafes.

The owner of one of the town’s bottled water companies was Hans Sodies. His company sold mineral water in 350 ml glass bottles. Nowadays, there is a well with high-quality mineral water in Zelenogradsk, which is bottled and sold under the tradename “Zelenogradskaya”. According to experts, it is as good as the mineral water of such famous brands as “Narzan” and “Borjomi”.

In 1998, “Zelenogradskaya” mineral water (well 1/97) won a bronze medal and an honorary diploma at the Arab Water International Exhibition in Cairo. The participants were selected confidentially: the organizers commissioned experts to monitor the quality of mineral water throughout Russia, in particular, in the Kaliningrad Region. The mineral water brand was selected for the exhibition after the experts analyzed the samples purchased in a retail store chain. As a result, the producers of “Zelenogradskaya” water were invited to the prestigious international exhibition attended by representatives from 97 countries.