Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom

Great Spa Towns of Europe

WHS Score 3.28 Votes 145 Average 3.38

The Great Spa Towns of Europe represent the development of a specialized urban landscape that combined medical aspects, physical exercise and leisure.

These eleven Spa Towns are centered on natural mineral springs, which waters were used for bathing and drinking. The towns were expanded with important examples of  ‘spa architecture’, such as the ‘kurhaus’, drinking halls, theaters and casinos. They flourished from around 1700 to the 1930s.

Community Perspective: expect to find some fine Art Nouveau buildings, do some hiking, taste the water and most of the towns have modern spa facilities as well. Reviews of all inscribed towns are available: in Austria, Baden (Tsunami), in Belgium, Spa (Els, Clyde), in the UK, Bath (a double entry), in Italy, Montecatini Terme (Marian), in France, Vichy (Tsunami), in Germany, Baden-Baden (Caspar, Hubert), Bad Kissingen (Hubert), Bad Ems (Els), and in Czechia: Karlovy Vary (Matejicek, Hubert, Nan), Mariánské Lázně (Matejicek, Hubert), and Františkovy Lázně (Matejicek, Hubert).

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Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
The Great Spa Towns of Europe (ID: 1613)
Countries
Austria Belgium Czechia France Germany Italy United Kingdom
Status
Inscribed 2021 Site history
History of Great Spa Towns of Europe
WHS Type
Cultural
Criteria
  • ii
  • iii
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
Related Resources

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Natural landscape: Mountain
  • Urban landscape: Post-medieval European
Travel Information
Exact locations inscribed twice (or more)
Exact locations inscribed twice (or more)
The Spa Town of Bath is also inscribed as City …
Recent Connections
View all (104) .
Connections of Great Spa Towns of Europe
Individual People
  • Mozart
    "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's wife stayed in Baden bei Wien to cure ulcers on her leg and Mozart stayed with her." (Nomination File, p. 349)
  • Alexander II of Russia
    Bad Ems was the summer residence for Tsar Alexander II. The Russian church in Bad Ems "was initiated in 1857 by the locals of Bad Ems but only realised in 1876 with the financial support of Tsar Alexander II (the Tsar was at the opening)." "Tsar Alexander II of Russia signed the Ems Ukaz at the Haus der vier Türme. This decree, which banned the use of the Ukrainian language in literature and writing, is even now considered a symbol of Russian repression by Ukrainians." (Nomination File, p. 200, 205)
  • Peter the Great
    "The international recognition of the city of Spa grew when Russian Tsar Peter the Great visited to take the cure in 1717". (AB Ev) The water of the Géronstère souce "cured Peter the Great of his digestive problems." (Nomination File, p. 96) Peter the Great also visited Baden bei Wien in 1698 and Karlovy Vary in 1711. A monument to him can be found in the town of Karlovy Vary. (Nomination File, p. 87)

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Richard Wagner
    "one of the most significant guests of the nineteenth century was Richard Wagner, who kept a diary on his stay and even dictated notes from Mariánské Lázně to his autobiography, later published as "My Life". His operas "Das Liebesverbot" (The Ban on Love), "Tannhäuser", "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg" (The Master-Singers of Nuremberg), and "Lohengrin" are related to the composer's stays in Mariánské Lázně." Bad Ems was also a summer residence for Wagner, where he stayed at the Schloss Balmoral "during his spa break in 1877, working on his opera "Parsifal"".(Nomination File, p. 168, 198)
  • Napoleon was here
    Vichy: "The Parc des Sources, which still exists, was created in 1812 by Napoleon Bonaparte." (Ab Ev) Baden bei Wien: "Napoleon Bonaparte tasted the Baden thermal waters on 15 October 1809". (Nomination File, p. 75)
  • Goethe
    Goethe visited the Small Versailles Inn in Karlovy Vary in 1820.
  • Gustav Klimt
    Karlovy Vary: "in 1885, the Municipal Theatre saw the visit [of] Gustav Klimt, the Austrian painter who also created, together with Franz Matsch, the theatre's hand-painted curtain and mural paintings". (Nomination File, p. 146)
  • Fyodor Dostoevsky
    "Dostoyevsky spent four spa breaks at Ems, and wrote at length about them both in his letters to his wife and in A Writer's Diary. It was here that he, according to himself, found the leisure for literary work. In his lodgings at the Stadt Algier guesthouse he wrote parts of his novel "The Adolescent" in 1874, and Books 6 and 7 of "The Brothers Karamazov" in 1879." (Nomination File, p. 205) Dostoevsky also "spent five weeks in Baden-Baden, where [he] had a quarrel with Turgenev and again lost much money at the roulette table." (Wikipedia)
Geography
  • Hot Springs
    "In the centre of Bath are the Hot Springs, the baths and the Abbey. The hot springs were sacred to the Romans, initiating a continuous tradition of healing." (Nomination File, p. 272) Karlovy Vary also has hot springs, of which the "strongest spring [is] named Vřídlo (Hot Spring) with a temperature of 73.4°C", that "spurts hot water rich in carbon dioxide about 12-14 metres high which is a European phenomenon." (Nomination File, p. 131)
  • Geysers
    Karlovy Vary

    See www.karlovyvary.cz

Trivia
  • Over 100,000 inhabitants
    About 128670 in total

    See www.worldheritagesite.org

  • Modelled after
    Spa: "The Château de la Fraineuse was built at the end of the nineteenth century. Here, the architect took inspiration from the Petit Trianon built in 1769 for King Louis XV in the park of Versailles Castle. Far from being a simple pastiche, the castle is a genuine tribute to its illustrious model." (Nomination File, p. 102-103)
  • Dubbed as another WHS
    Small Versailles Inn in Karlovy Vary (1780)
  • Built or owned by Germans
    Grandhotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary, Deutsches Haus in Františkovy Lázně
  • Built or owned by British
    the English Church of St Lucas was built with funds donated by one of the spa's regular guests British King Edward VII (similar English churches may be seen in Baden-Baden, Františkovy Lázně, Karlovy Vary and Spa). (nom file)
  • Depicted in Mizielinska Maps
    Karlovy Vary Geyser, Mill Collonade, Baden Baden

    See i.pinimg.com

History
  • Nine Years' War
    Baden-Baden: The French "returned to occupy the city in 1688 at the onset of the Nine Years' War, burning it to the ground the next year."

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Thirty Years' War
    Baden-Baden: "Baden suffered severely during the Thirty Years' War, particularly at the hands of the French, who plundered it in 1643."

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Celtic history
    Bath: "The springs are thought to be the site of the Celtic pagan worship of the goddess Sul". (Nomination File, p. 305)
  • Congresses and Conferences
    "Baden bei Wien hosted side discussions from the Congress of Vienna from 1814-15." (Nomination File, p. 87) After the First World War, there were several conferences in Spa, e.g. in July 1918 at the Hôtel Britannique. The Château de la Fraineuse "was the site of the diplomatic Spa Conference in July 1920, which settled the question of the repairs owed by Germany." (Nomination File, p. 103)

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Contains significant structures from the 21st Century
    Baden-Baden: "the important collection of modern art in the Frieder Burda museum, located since 2004 in the modern building of Richard Meier, a reputed American architect. The museum connects with the existing Kunsthalle dating from the early twentieth century and is considered to be a congenial part of the Lichtental alley." (Nomination File, p. 422)

    See de.wikipedia.org

  • Ancient Roman colonies
    Baden Baden, Bath
  • Habsburgs (Austrian)
    Kaiserhaus in Baden bei Wien
  • Historic Resorts
    "All of these towns developed around natural mineral water springs. They bear witness to the international European spa culture that developed from the early 18th century to the 1930s, leading to the emergence of grand international resorts". (AB Ev)
  • Located in a Former Capital
    Vichy "was the capital of Vichy France from 1940 to 1942." .. "Vichy would be, for more than four years, the de facto capital of the French State. Paris was still the official capital, although the Vichy France government never operated from there. "

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Holy Roman Empire
    "According to a legend, Charles IV organized an expedition into the forests surrounding modern-day Karlovy Vary during a stay in Loket. It is said that his party once discovered a hot spring by accident, and thanks to the water from the spring, Charles IV healed his injured leg. On the site of a spring, he established a spa (...). The location was subsequently named "Karlovy Vary" after the emperor. Charles IV granted the town privileges on 14 August 1370."

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Assassinations
    German philosopher Theodor Lessing was murdered in Mariánské Lázně. "On 30 August 1933 he was working in his study on the first floor at the Villa Edelweiss (today at Třebízského 33) when he was shot through the window by assassins. He died the next day at the hospital in Marienbad."

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Medici
    The first part of the history of Montecatini ends in 1554, when the castle of Montecatini Alto was destroyed by Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1519-74). (Nomination File, p. 432)
Ecology
  • Peat
    The spa therapeutic and recreational spa landscape of Františkovy Lázně is an extraordinary example of a cultural landscape that was created from initially monotonous peat lands and moorlands to meet the needs of spa treatments in several steps". Františkovy Lázně "gained in popularity and prominence due, in particular, to its pioneering peat treatments" and "boasts the oldest peat spa in the world". (Nomination File, p. 111, 122, 125)
Architecture
  • Baroque
    The new town of Františkovy Lázně "was laid out initially along a central axis (founded on Baroque principles of axiality and symmetry) within which the principal functions of the spa were concentrated." "Following another fire in 1759, the city [of Karlovy Vary] was reconstructed according to late-Baroque principles." (Ab Ev) "A number of examples of Baroque architecture may be seen in The Great Spas of Europe. Bad Ems has some exemplars, including: one of the earliest hotels in Europe, the 'house with the four towers' located in the Kurpark". "The massive Baroque church of St Mary Magdalene stands high above the Vřídló Hotspring in Karlovy Vary". (Nomination File, p. 64, 317)
  • Carrara marble
    The "Old Baths" in Baden-Baden "were constructed on the orders of Grand Duke Friedrich von Baden on the site of old Roman baths (remains are preserved in the basement area, including Augustbad, the main round basin carved from Carrara marble)." (Nomination File, p. 214)
  • Reinforced Concrete
    Karlovy Vary: "the construction (1967-76) of the Hotel Thermal Spa meant the destruction of Chebská Street (...). The modern complex includes a Convention Centre and dominates the Teplá River Valley in the northern spa quarter. The monolithic reinforced concrete structure apparently lacks harmony with the historic environment but nonetheless represents a Functionalist style landmark of the post-war socialist era by Czech architects". (Nomination File, p. 452)
  • English garden
    Central Park in Mariánské Lázně
  • Art Deco
    Vichy: Église Saint-Blaise et Notre-Dame-des-Malades; Petit Casino
  • Art Nouveau
    Grandhotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary, Wandelhalle in Bad Kissingen
  • Palladio and Palladian style
    "The spa city [of Bath] is celebrated for its exceptional Georgian town planning, Palladian architectural ensembles, squares and crescents", with the "Royal Crescent (1767-75) (...) by Wood the Younger (the triumph of Palladian architecture in England)". "Villa Artemis was built in 1875 after a project of the builder Konrad Eckel, it is one of the purest examples of Neo-Palladianism in Karlovy Vary." "Villa Patriot [in Mariánské Lázně] belongs among the most characteristic examples of Palladian buildings in the villa architecture of the West Bohemian spas." (Nomination File, p. 69, 140, 162, 272)
  • Octagons
    Bath: "A modest octagonal bandstand with a pyramid roof is in the centre of Parade Gardens." "An important proprietary chapel was the Octagon in Milsom Street. (...) Here small heated rooms for worshippers were arranged around a central octagonal space from which the service was conducted. This became a fashionable chapel and popular with visitors to Bath including Jane Austen. The building closed for worship in 1895 and it has enjoyed several uses since then and is now a restaurant." (Nomination File, p. 285, 287)
  • Neoclassical architecture
    "Generally, throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, neo-classical styles of architecture were adopted for principal spa buildings such as baths, treatment rooms, conversation houses and assembly rooms." Bath Street in Bath is "an exemplary model of civic urban intervention by inserting a neoclassical street through the existing Jacobean fabric of the seventeenth century." (Nomination File, p. 282, 318)
  • Domes
    The dome of 1st Class Establishment in Vichy
  • French (formal) garden
    Gönner-Anlage (1909-12) in Baden Baden
  • Ideal City
    From the beginning of the 19th century, the new town of Františkovy Lázně "was further expanded, based on the principle of ideal towns, to form a regular rectangular grid within which the principal functions of the spa were concentrated." (Ab Ev)
  • Gothic Revival
    "In Baden-Baden's new nineteenth century spa quarter the neo-gothic Protestant church is a significant landmark with its two tall spires." The Château de la Terrasse in Spa was built in 1857 in the neo-Gothic style. The Kurhaus in Karlovy Vary is "in Neo-Gothic style with Neo-Romanesque motifs." (Nomination File, p. 64, 101, 134)
  • Georgian Architecture
    Bath: "The spa city is celebrated for its exceptional Georgian town planning, Palladian architectural ensembles, squares and crescents." (Nomination File, p. 272)
  • Gothic
    Baden-Baden: The abbey church of the Lichtenthal Abbey is in the Gothic style.

    See en.wikipedia.org

Damaged
  • Damaged in World War I
    Spa: "Theatre rebuilt after destruction of the eighteenth century theatre during WW1". (Nomination File, p. 348)
  • Damaged in World War II
    "the famous Weilburg Palace in Baden bei Wien, destroyed during the last days of World War II" – City of Bath: "During World War II, much of this southern part of the city was destroyed by German aerial bombing raids, prompting large-scale reconstruction after the war ended." (Nomination File, p. 362, 442)
World Heritage Process
  • Serial Transnational Sites
    7 countries
  • Exact locations inscribed twice (or more)
    The Spa Town of Bath is also inscribed as City of Bath
  • Reduced from broader TWHS
    The long list started with 42 sites across Europe (including 7 in France). 15 locations (4 Czech component parts, 6 German component parts, 2 Austrian component parts, 1 Italian component part, 1 Belgian component part and 1 French component part) were selected from this, but only 11 of these inscribed (excluding Luhačovice, Bad Pyrmont, Wiesbaden and Bad Ischl)

    See www.lieuxdits.fr

Religion and Belief
  • Cistercian
    Lichtenthal Abbey at Baden Baden
  • Russian Orthodox churches outside Russia
    Baden-Baden, Bad Ems, Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral in Karlovy Vary
  • Jesuit Order
    The former Jesuit Monastery close to the Collegiate church became the conversation house/Kurhaus until 1825 and afterwards the Town Hall. (nom file)
  • Augustinian Order
    former Augustine monastery in Baden bei Wien
  • Jewish religion and culture
    Jewish cemeteries in Bad Kissingen, Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Lázně
  • Benedictines
    "In the City of Bath, the Abbey of Saints Peter and Paul occupies a central position adjacent to the King's Spring and occupies a site of a Roman temple, a Norman Cathedral and Benedictine monastery." "The baths were managed (...) for 800 years by a Benedictine monastery". (Nomination File, p. 63, 438)
  • Legends and Folk Myths
    Spa: "The Sauvenière [source] is well known thanks to the legend of Saint Remacle's foot". (Nomination File, p. 95) According to the legend, the source was discovered by Saint Remacle. The alleged footprint of the saint's sandal still appears in a stone near the spring. According to belief, properties regarding fertility are attributed to the source by drinking the water and placing the foot in the indentation of the sandal.

    See fr.wikipedia.org

  • Protestantism
    Bad Ems is described as a mainly "Protestant spa", which also provided for the religious needs of its Catholic guests. "The Evangelical church in Mariánské Lázně served a protestant congregation". "In Baden-Baden's new nineteenth century spa quarter the neo-gothic Protestant church is a significant landmark with its two tall spires." There is also a Protestant temple in Spa, which was "the first Anglican temple on the continent", and Protestant churches in Baden bei Wien and Bad Kissingen. (Nomination File, p. 64, 69, 83, 103, 237)
  • Nunneries
    "Lichtenthal Abbey is a Cistercian nunnery in Lichtenthal in the town of Baden-Baden, Germany."

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Premonstratensians
    Mariánské Lázne: The "area with cold salty springs, known already in the sixteenth century, was owned by the Premonstrate monastery in Teplá." "The Municipal cemetery was founded in 1843 by the Premonstratensians of the Teplá Monastery." (Nomination File, p. 163, 392)
Human Activity
  • Festivals
    Baden bei Wien hosts several festivals, e.g. "the traditional Festival of Operetta (existing for more than 120 years), the colourful Festival of Roses, and the biggest pan-European Fotofestival: LaGacilly-Baden-Photo." Františkovy Lázně hosts "the International Strauss Festival which is visited by tens of thousands of visitors." Karlovy Vary has "the International Film Festival, one of the oldest film festivals in the world". "The City [of Bath] hosts annual festivals including the celebrated Bath festival (of music) and the Mozart Festival". (Nomination File, p. 89, 127, 148, 442)
  • Frescoes or murals by famous painters
    Karlovy Vary: "in 1885, the Municipal Theatre saw the visit [of] Gustav Klimt, the Austrian painter who also created, together with Franz Matsch, the theatre's hand-painted curtain and mural paintings". (Nomination File, p. 146)
  • Alpine ski areas in core zone
    Mariánské Lázně

    See www.skimarianky.cz

  • Invention of sweets and pastries
    (1) Traditional Czech Spa Wafers from the Bohemian spa towns; "The production of the wafers in Karlsbad and Marienbad was traditional to the towns' German-speaking population, who, after the ethnic cleansing of the area, brought the craft to Germany" (wiki) (2) Vichy Pastilles: "a French confectionery produced in the spa town of Vichy in central France. They were invented in 1825. They are recognizable as a white, octagonal type of candy pastille bearing the word "Vichy" in all-caps." (wiki)

    See termcoord.eu

  • Irrigation and drainage
    All the spa towns have a pipe network for the supply and disposal of the spring water. E.g. a "system of Roman and modern pipe routes is developed in Bath (...) The Roman Great Drain is constructed to discharge used water into the River Avon." (Nomination File, p. 276)
  • New Towns
    The new town of Františkovy Lázně "was laid out initially along a central axis (founded on Baroque principles of axiality and symmetry) within which the principal functions of the spa were concentrated." (Ab Ev)
  • Salt
    Two former salt production sites of the Untere and Obere Saline (lower and upper saltworks) in Bad Kissingen
  • Tramways
    The tram connection between Vienna and Baden bei Wien was established in 1900. (Nomination File, p. 86)
  • Locations for playing sport
    Baden Baden tennis club founded in 1877
  • Leprosy
    The Leper Hospital in the City of Bath (Nomination File, p. 66, 279)
  • Significant masonic lodges
    Masonic Hall Orchard Street in Bath
  • Golf Courses
    Vichy, Baden Baden, Mariánské Lázně, Bad Kissingen
Constructions
  • Hospitals
    Mineral water hospital in Bath
  • Historical Zoos
    Františkovy Lázně: "Following the American trend, a zoo was also established in [Loimann's Park], and so the forest park began to be known as America." (Nomination File, p. 64, 101, 134)
  • Icehouses
    "Belgium has more than 200 ice rooms spread around Flanders and Wallonia. An exceptional case, Spa alone has more than 15 of these small structures which were used to store food and make sorbet. This high concentration, which can only be explained by the large-scale hotel activity, offers an insight into the evolution of building techniques from 1757 to 1924." (Nomination File, p. 107)
  • Historic Cinemas
    Cinema Excelsior (1922) in Montecatini
  • Greenhouse
    Kurpark – Glasshouses in Baden bei Wien (1885), Old greenhouses Alla Torretta in Montecamini (early 1900s)
  • Monumental Fountains
    Baden-Baden: The "Josephinenbrunnen" in the Gönneranlage (Nomination File, p. 420)

    See de.wikipedia.org

  • Cemeteries
    Spa cemetery (1841), Baden Baden cemetery (1843), four cemeteries at Karlovy Vary
  • Tunnels
    Tunnel Urtelstein (1826/7) in Baden bei Wien
  • Obelisk
    Chotek's Footpath is the "oldest forest promenade" in Karlovy Vary. "In 1804 the obelisk of count Findlater was erected beside the path and in 1834 Theresa's obelisk, commemorating the visit of the Duchess Marie Therese Charlotte d'Angouléme in 1833." In Mariánské Lázně, a sandstone obelisk erected in 1849 "commemorates the fact that J. W. Goethe used to sit with Ulrike von Levetzow on the benches here". (Nomination File, p. 144, 165)
  • Notable Bridges
    Spa Bridge at Bad Ems
  • Notable Hotels
    Grandhotel Pupp, Imperial Hotel in Karlovy Vary, Ambassadeurs Hotel in Vichy
  • Railways
    "Railways were also extended to spa towns to promote better access and increased visitation (several spa railway stations are included, for example Bad Ems, with its associated station quarter of hotels and villas)." "Bath Spa railway station by Isambard Kingdom Brunel was opened for Bristol traffic in 1840 and London traffic a year later." (Nomination File, p. 33, 291)
  • Baths
  • Funiculars
    Infrastructure such as funiculars (for example at Bad Ems, Karlovy Vary and Montecatini Terme) facilitated access to lookout towers, restaurants and specific features of interest (AB ev)
  • Theatres and Opera Houses
    Elaborate theatres, opera houses, concert and dance halls can also be found in all component parts. (AB ev)
  • Dynastic Burial Places
    "The Prince's Chapel [in Lichtenthal Abbey] was built in 1288, and until 1372 was the burial place of the Margraves of Baden."

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Canals
    The Kennet and Avon Canal cuts through the Sydney Gardens in the City of Bath. (Nomination File, p. 289)
  • Bandstand
    "Music was an essential contribution to the cure, and in close proximity to the promenades are bandstands or similar pavilions from which bands played music throughout the day to visitors (examples may be seen in Baden-Baden, Baden bei Wien, Bad Kissingen and Karlovy Vary)." (Nomination File, p. 61)
Timeline
WHS Hotspots
Science and Technology
  • Astronomy and Astrology
    "William Herschel came to Bath to be the organist at the Octagon Chapel and with his sister, Caroline, lived at Number 19 New King Street where they built their mirrors and telescopes and eventually in 1781 discovered a new planet, Uranus. Caroline was an accomplished astronomer and discovered three new nebulae and eight new comets." (Nomination File, p. 295)
  • Scientific Developments
    – "The Great Spas of Europe exhibits an important interchange of innovative ideas that influenced the development of medicine, balneology and leisure activities from around 1700 to the 1930s." (Official description) "At their scientific core, spa doctors, physicians and balneologists brought forward advances in medicine, medical diagnostics and analytical chemistry of world significance. (...) The springs, and their geological and hydrological characteristics, also became the subject of seminal works, too". (Nomination File, p. 68)
WHS Names
  • Named after Queen Victoria
    City of Bath: "Royal Victoria Park, opened by Princess Victoria (future Queen of England) in 1830". (Nomination File, p. 441)
  • Name changes
    Upon inscription from "Great Spas of Europe" to "The Great Spa Towns of Europe"
18
  • Location for a classic movie
    Many films have been shot on location in Montecatini Terme, some examples including scenes from Franco Zeffirelli's "Camping" (1957), Anthony Asquith's "The Yellow Rolls Royce" (1964), Mario Monicelli's follow-up to "My Friend" (1982), and Nikita Michalkov's "Oci Ciornie" (1987). (Nomination File, p. 268) Marcello Mastrioanni won the award for Best Actor at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for "Oci Ciornie".

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Works by Nobel Prize winning authors
    "The future Nobel Prize winner Paul Heyse memorialised the Ems region in his novella, "Der Blinde von Dausenau"." (Nomination File, p. 205)
  • James Bond in Movies
    Casino Royale is shot in and around Karlovy Vary (Emperor Spa): the Grandhotel Pupp in Karlsbad functions as the Splendide Hotel in Montenegro, the Mill Colonnade as the train station.
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Community Reviews

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First published: 08/03/25.

Noahfranc

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Els Slots

As a resident of Germany, I decided to grant myself this check only after I made it to all 3 German components. And that day is finally here! Here is a collection of my experiences and thoughts: 

Baden-Baden:
I got here the Spring after inscription and we had absolutely perfect weather with the first flowers of Spring everywhere. Unfortunately the historical spa house was closed for renovations, but the other inscribes buildings around the river were open and I found the whole setting very pleasant. During our stay we walked along the river to the Lichtental monastery, which made for a great daytime experience. On another evening we took the Merkurbergbahn up for the view and watched the sunset. It was a lovely and very active city, but not too big. 

Bad Ems:
We went here last year right as Autumn was starting and were surprised at how small, quiet, and fairly rustic this town is. The surrounding area is quite pretty, there were multiple trails up into the hills I unfortunately didn't have time for. The famous 4-Towered house had only recently burned partially down, so there was a large cordon area filled with burned refuse. Thankfully the UNESCO-inscribed building had not been affected. The park was small but lovely, as were the theater and performance hall accessible for a small fee. 
Unfortunately, while I found the place very aesthetically pleasing, it was what some people would refer to as a dead/dying town, with many buildings and …

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First published: 10/10/23.

Tsunami

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Tsunami

Bad Ems

I spent a few hours in Bad Ems on a Friday afternoon in August.

The original Kurhaus, which is now Häcker's Grand Hotel (upper photo), is the most prominent feature of Bad Ems. It has a few drinking fountains on the ground floor, Römerquelle (lower left photo) in front of the hotel and the most importantly a 300-years-old ornate indoor swimming pool, the first swimming pool in Bad Ems. In comparison Ensana Nové Lázně Hotel that dominates the Kurpark in Mariánské Lázně has swimming pools from 1896. These swimming pools are accessible only if you stay at the hotels. 

The Kursaal (See Els' photo below), just west of Kurhaus, accommodates the Spielbank (casino) and two theaters, the Marble Hall (lower middle photo) and the smaller Kurtheatre. The former reminded me of the Great/Golden Hall at the Musikverein in Vienna, the home concert hall of the Vienna Philharmonic. In front of this Kursaal is the Walk of Fame with plaques embedded in the sidewalk with names of luminaries associated with Bad Ems. I noticed one of them was for Jacques Offenbach, who seems to be the composer most associated with Bad Ems. But of course this Walk of Fame must be fairly new. 

Between Kurhaus and Kursaal is a minor colonnade / arcade.

There is a reconstructed Limes only 500 m uphill from Häcker´s Grand Hotel. I'm guessing it has to be part of the other WHS associated with Bad Ems, Frontiers of the …

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First published: 20/09/23.

Tsunami

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Tsunami

Bad Kissingen

I had my bathing suit with me just in case, even though I was visiting Bad Kissingen only for 3 hours between trains around noon in late August. 

The first thing you might want to know about Bad Kissingen is that it is located in the state of Bavaria, under whose auspices this town has developed. 

From the train station I walked north and first came across Wandelhalle. The main feature of this structure is the 90 meter long space (See Hubert's left photo), part of which also dabbles as a concert hall. To the side of this space in Wandelhalle is Brunnenhalle, with Rakoczy Spring, a spa water drinking facility.

To the directly north of this Wandelhalle is a rather small Kurgarten, where outdoor concert can also be held.

To the west of Kurgarten is Arkadenbau, which is also interconnected with Wandelhalle to the south and Regentenbau to the north. Arkadenbau is the oldest structure of the three, seit 1838, and today houses a large info center where I found a free, round souvenir badge (lower right photo). I was happy to find this and put it on my shoulder bag. It proclaims "Great Spas of Europe, We are World Heritage! Bad Kissingen," and also lists all names of the other 10 great spa towns. Arkadenbau also houses a concert hall called Rossini Saal. Rossini seems to be the best known composer associated with Bad Kissingen.

Today Regentenbau is accessible to …

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First published: 24/07/21.

Nan

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Nan

There is a funny story re Aachen: Technically, it should be called Bad Aachen. "Bad" is the indicator of a town being a Bad (= spa). If you look at the German components of the site (Baden Baden, Bad Kissingen) you see this naming convention at work.

Eventually, Aachen figured that being first in an alphabetically sorted list of German cities would come in handy and dropped the prefix. To this day, though, town signs advertise that Aachen is a "Bad" and a "Kurort". While Bad translates nicely to spa, "Kurort" (Kur town) doesn't really have a proper English translation. The term "Kur" (cure, roughly treatment) is key to understanding the German and Czech spa sites.

A Kur is a preventive or rehabilitation treatment where you work on your health, by diet, via treatments and exercise. It always includes a social component. You are supposed to enjoy your time and relax: healthy mind equals healthy body. Nowadays, with German health insurance still footing the bill every few years, it has become a way to get a paid for vacation.

To achieve these goals a Bad and Kurort has several parts and most are found in a Bad like Aachen:

  • The town has a spring: Aachen's spring was the reason Charlemagne settled in town.
  • The town has a Grand Hotel: the Quellenhof (Quelle = Spring).
  • The town has a Casino: see above.
  • The town has a Kurpark to go on relaxing …
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First published: 22/02/21.

Hubert

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Hubert

The German part of this tentative site was reduced from the original six locations to three in the final nomination. And rightly so in my opinion. The remaining ones are: Bad Kissingen, Baden Baden and Bad Ems. I agree with Els that Bad Ems is not really impressive. So my review will focus on the other two German sites.

As in most of the other spa towns, the hot springs in Baden Baden were already used by the Romans. The remains of the Roman baths can be visited below the market square. The boom in the 19th century is closely linked to the granting of the casino licence. In summer, the high society frequented Baden Baden: Europe’s nobility, but also artists, composers and writers. Especially the Russians. Dostoyevsky fell out with Turgenev here. And Nikolai Gogol wrote about Baden Baden: "I only wanted to stay three days, but for three weeks now I can't break away. No one here is seriously ill. Everyone comes here to amuse themselves."
The most important spa buildings are the Kurhaus with the casino in the right wing and the Trinkhalle (pump room), both in neo-classical style with Corinthian columns. This is also where the Lichtentaler Allee begins, a two-kilometer-long footpath through an English garden along the river Oos. It is the usual promenade of the spa guests, you walk along typical examples of 19th century architecture: luxury hotels, museums and the theatre. A stroll through the villa district on the slopes above the …

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First published: 08/07/20.

Hubert

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Hubert

The story of this transnational nomination began in 2008 when "The Spa of Luhačovice" was deferred by the WHC. The ABE evaluation was clear: no OUV for Luhačovice alone, but ICOMOS recommended a thematic study on European spa towns. Initially, a total of 16 spa towns from seven countries were included in the tentative list. In 2016, the number was reduced to eleven. Interestingly, Luhačovice did not make it to the final nomination.The nomination website Great Spas of Europe provides photos and brief summaries of each spa, and links to their official websites. The nomination focuses on the development of European spa tradition between the 18th and early 20th centuries with its heyday in the 19th century. It only consists of spa towns with hot and mineral springs, seaside resorts are not included.

I visited the three sites of the Bohemian Spa Triangle on Easter weekend 2018.

Karlovy Vary is the largest and most famous of the three towns, and it was also the liveliest. Although the peak season had not started in April, the city centre was quite full with tourists and locals. The historic spa centre is located in the narrow valley of the river Teplá. I started my walk at the Grandhotel Pupp in the south and ended it after 2.5 kilometres in the north, where the narrow valley opens and the Teplá flows into the Ohře. All main spa facilities - spa hotels and mineral springs (Pramen in Czech) - are located along …

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First published: 21/06/20.

Els Slots

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Els Slots

The Great Spas of Europe will be discussed at the 2020 WHC meeting, whenever it will be rescheduled. I had ‘ticked’ it already in 2014 with a visit to Spa in Belgium and of course, like 553 others on this website, had been to the future double-nominated City of Bath in the UK as well. But with a serial transnational nomination such as this, it is always interesting to visit locations in other countries. Germany has 3 Spas left in the line-up for the 2020 nomination: Baden-Baden, Bad Kissingen and Bad Ems (Bad Homburg, Wiesbaden and Bad Pyrmont have been dropped). On my way back home from Worms I stopped for a few hours in Bad Ems, where they were eagerly awaiting the decision.

Bad Ems lies in the vicinity of Koblenz, close to the Upper Middle Rhine Valley WHS but on the river Lahn instead of the Rhine. The town with about 9,000 inhabitants extends on both river banks. It is therefore nice to walk along the waterfront and as many as four bridges allow you to get to that other side: two only for pedestrians and two also for motorized traffic. One actually has the best views of the buildings from across the wide river.

In the 19th century Bad Ems attracted visitors from all over the world to enjoy its spa facilities. Among them the Tsars Nicholas I and Alexander II from Russia and the writer Fyodor Dostoevsky, who had summer residences here. They were …

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First published: 02/03/20.

Tsunami

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Tsunami

Vichy

As a Japanese who grew up taking a hot bath every evening (like everybody else does in Japan even today), I have a predilection for spas, although, living in Europe, I hardly get to soak in "hot" water. 

11 spa towns from 7 countries in Europe are joining forces to become one WHS, and Vichy is solely representing France. I was staying for 2 nights in Clermont-Ferrand in February 2020, and one afternoon I took a train for 30 min. to visit Vichy. 

I first walked to the Hall des Sources in the Parc des Sources for "tasting" of the spa waters. The hall is not attended, but you can taste several different kinds of water as much as you want for free, and the most locals bring their own bottles. The water called "Celectine," with the least taste, had the best taste. 

Then I walked around the Parc that included a quite beautiful former casino / current congress hall and a working opera house. 

Then headed to the grandiose Thermes Les Dômes (Photo). This is where you can actually soak in water in a historic (but somewhat dilapidated) setting for 15 Euros. But at 15:00 I was told that the facility was full and was not taking in anymore guests that day. They suggested that I go to the nearby Celestins Thermal Spa. 

There I went to find out that it was a modern facility where you can enter for 30 Euros. …

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First published: 25/02/20.

Caspar Dechmann

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Caspar Dechmann

I have been to several of the nominated towns and while I find the topic very interesting and most towns worth a visit I feel that the nomination is to big and includes too many towns with hardly any OUV. I think it would make more sense to nominate the best example(s) and not so many candidates. A good candidate from what I can see without having been there is the Czech triangle as a separate nomination. I feel the French, Belgian and Italian candidates have very little to offer and could be left out altogether. In Germany I have been to Bad Homburg, Wiesbaden and Baden Baden. All are beautiful and a nice visit but Baden Baden sticks clearly out for me: It was the most famous of the German Spa towns and had the most famous guests. The town center is, other then Wiesbaden, clearly centered around the spas and laid out in the most beautiful way along a park. It is still an active spa town and well renovated and exudes still the air of luxury and style. It even has a splendid casino, good museums and a few castles to complete the perfect spa town. I think it would make a perfect candidate on its own. Nearby Schloss Rastatt is a wonderful excursion. 

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First published: 10/07/19.

Lisu Marian

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Lisu Marian

Montecatini - The most beautiful label assigned is "The Temple of European Thermal Energy". Loved area for mineral waters, thermal treatments of any kind, exceptional nature, traces of celebrities at every step, all leave the traveler memories Imperious beaches have beaten the area later, to the nineteenth centuries - the beginning of the twentieth century, here are the megalomanic-constructions, the newest in a pleasant Art-Nouveau style. If the Medici of Tuscany loved the spa town, the real financiers were the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. The interiors of many of the spas can now be admired, as well as the palace where the city hall now works - in fact, a true art museum.
 

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First published: 25/06/19.

Tsunami

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Tsunami

Baden bei Wien

This is the 5th Great Spa in Europe I have visited. The other 4 are Karlovy Vary in Czechia, Baden-Baden in Germany, Spa in Belgium and Bath in the UK.

I guess Bad Ischl in Salzkammergut, which I have also been to, is no longer included in this Great Spas of Europe nomination, but Baden bei Wien is. I'm not exactly sure how these decisions were made. 

I enjoyed visiting this small town outside Vienna quite a bit, but I see some problems in this nomination. First of all, there are not many traces of spa facilities in this town. At other spa towns included in this nomination you can either drink the spa water (Karlovy Vary; Spa) or soak in it (Baden-Baden; Bath) at their historic facilities. But here are no historic drinking or soaking facilities available for tourists. 

The nomination says, "Among the most significant spa buildings there are Josefsbad, Leopoldsbad, Frauenbad, Engelsbad, Franzensbad, Grand Hotel Sauerhof, Kurhaus, and the theatre."

To begin with, the staffs at the tourist info were not able to give much info on the specific sites related to this nomination. They just said the whole town is nominated. They did not even mention the fact that the tourist office building itself had been converted from the Leopoldsbad mentioned in the nomination. 

To be sure, there is a modern spa facility in town, aptly named Römertherme, but this is rather like a water park that …

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First published: 07/02/19.

Matejicek

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Matejicek

The Czech part of this nomination is sometimes called as the West Bohemian Spa Triangel. It consists of Karlovy Vary, Marianske Lazne and Frantiskovy Lazne. This part of Czechia was inhabited by German minority before WWII, thus, the spas are also known by their German names: Karlsbad, Marienbad and Franzensbad. Nowadays, Karlovy Vary is however very popular for Russian minority.

The Triangel as well as spa Luhacovice in the eastern part of Czechia (Moravia) have been included to T-list as separate sites for quite a long time. Luhacovice was deferred in 2008 and eventually "sacrificed" on the altar of trans-European nomination called Great Spas of Europe. The West Bohemian Spas emanate an international ethos for centuries. They certainly have the OUV, and they should have been already incribed. They are generaly appreciated as the symbol of spa culture by everyone in Czechia as well as abroad. Thus, I do not understand why the Czech nomination needs the help of western friends to be incribed... It reminds me one comment from the forum that by application of this approach the entire Europe minus Dresden will be inscribed soon as the trans-natinal cultural landscape of a global importance...

Luhacovice spa is also special but it is built in national style and it has mostly national connotations such as the influence of composer Leos Janacek.

The West Bohemia Spa Triangel is famous for natural springs (tasting higly recommended + liqueur Becherovka + delicious spa wafers), colonnades in Art Nouveau and …

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First published: 17/03/17.

Clyde

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Clyde

I visited this tentative WHS in March 2017. When I used to live in Belgium, I always visited Spa for automotive reasons rather then for its historic value.

If you visit or live in any of the Benelux countries (especially Belgium), you'll most probably drink Spa bottled water as it is one of the most popular brands. The word spa, meaning natural water source believed to possess special health-giving properties seems to have originated from this village. However, I had never visited Spa to appreciate its historical significance and its link to water.

This time round, I decided to give it a try, as I reckon it would surely be included in any form of WH inscription linked to water. The town is very small and most of the sites are close to the main square with the first casino in the world. The spires of the church dedicated to St Remacle can easily be seen from the main square.

It seems that a lot of money has been invested to favour Spa's inscription on the WH list. There are information boards and signs everywhere now and everything is in tip top condition except maybe for the Bains building.

The tourist office is housed in what I considered as the highlight of my visit - the Pouhon Pierre le Grand which is both a nature site and a monument housing the main natural spring of the town. The word 'pouhon' does not derive from the Walloon 'pouhi' meaning to draw …

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First published: 08/11/14.

Els Slots

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Els Slots

There's a rather grand transboundary nomination in the making called Great Spas of Europe. 16 Spa Towns scattered through Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, France, UK and Belgium are preparing a serial nomination on 19th century European spa culture. The final selection will hold less sites (maybe as little as 7 or 8). Bath, Spa, the West Bohemian Spa Triangle, Baden-Baden and Vichy seem to be the most likely ones to make the cut.

Last weekend I visited the Belgian town of Spa, a safe bet as it is considered the "original" spa after which the other 19th century resorts were named. The site was on Belgium's Tentative List on its own merits between 2008 and 2014, but now is caught up in what might become a cumbersome and messy pan-European nomination process. The failed attempts of the global Corbusier sites come to my mind when I think of the logistics. The nomination date for the Great Spas of Europe has already been postponed from 2015 to 2017.

I did not expect too much from my visit to Spa: the Dutch language Wikipedia-page on the town remarks that it "was" the most popular tourist site in the Ardennes until 1980. What happened then is unclear. I did enjoy my stay however: I spent a short weekend there, staying overnight in the much recommended Herbergue Chatoiment. The sunny autumn weather obviously attributed much to the beauty of the town. There were lots of tourists too, mainly Belgians making the best of …

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First published: 25/10/14.

Assif

Great Spa Towns Of Europe

Great Spa Towns of Europe (Inscribed)

Great Spa Towns of Europe by Els Slots

Currently residing in Bad Homburg, I was pleased to learn that it is planned to be included as a part of this transnational proposal. If successful, this would make small Bad Homburg home of two WHS, the other one being Kastell Saalburg, the most significant part of the Limes in Germany.

Germany is home to many spa towns and indeed many also feature in this proposal. Bad Homburg used to be, and still is, one of the most prominent ones. Until WWII it was also quite international, with prominent guests coming for treatments, entertainment and social contacts.

The most prominent element of this site is the huge spa park designed by the famous French garden architect Lenne, who additionally planned the spa park in nearby Wiesbaden. Many functional and ornamental structures are scattered in the park: a bathhouse (of course), an orangerie, a historical tennis court, a historical golf course - first in Germany, a casino, a pond, a Russian Orthodox church and even a Thai Buddhist temple. The last two constitute evidence of the international nature of the Bad Homburg clientele. There are also several fountains and monuments. Everything is well kept and survived the destruction of WWII. Only the interior of the bathhouse did not fully survive.

A major lose, on the other hand, was the Kurhaus, an establishment found in every spa town that housed the cultural events. It was famous and lavishly decorated. A visit to the well preserved Kurhaus in nearby Wiesbaden can demonstrate what …

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