The Great Spa Towns of Europe

World Heritage

Austria

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The transnational European Spa Towns site includes 11 towns in seven European countries: Baden near Vienna (Austria); Spa (Belgium); Františkovy Lazne (Czech Republic); Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic); Mariánské Lázně (Czech Republic); Vichy (France); Bad Ems (Germany); Baden-Baden (Germany); Bad Kissingen (Germany); Montecatini Terme (Italy); Bath (UK). All of these towns developed around natural mineral waters. They bear witness to the international spa culture in Europe from the early 18th century to the 1930s and gave rise to large international resorts that influenced the urban typology of spa complexes, such as the kurhaus and kursaal (buildings and rooms for treatments), pump rooms, drinking halls, porticoes and galleries, which were designed to exploit the natural mineral water resources and use them for bathing and drinking. Related facilities include gardens, meeting rooms, casinos, theaters, hotels and villas, as well as spa-specific support infrastructure. These complexes are integrated into an overall urban context, including carefully managed leisure and therapeutic environments and picturesque landscapes. Together, these sites embody an important exchange of human values and the development of medicine, science and balneology.

# Transnational heritage sites

# Natural mineral water

# International Hot Spring Culture

# Kurhaus

# kursaal

# City Type