World Heritage Day Programme

The historic spa quarter in the old town of Baden-Baden is where the thermal springs originate. The Romans already bathed here. The ancient Roman ruins still bear witness to this. Over the centuries, the town developed around the springs. The thermal springs were catalysts for the specific spatial urban development of the town. In the 19th century, the old town was revitalised by the construction of the Friedrichsbad.

The “new” spa quarter was laid out in the first half of the 19th century – west of the former old town walls, on the other side of river Oos. Here, in the open floodplain landscape, the new centre comprising of the architectural ensemble of the Kurhaus, Casino, Concert Shell, Pump Room, Theatre and Colonnades was created.

The gardens, parks and green spaces in the inner town, including the famous Lichtentaler Allee, extend along the river Oos. All spa-specific buildings and facilities in Baden-Baden are embedded in the urban context of carefully main tained gardens, parks and green spaces.

The town extensions represent the expansion of the urban settlement in Baden-Baden outside the old town and the new spa district to accommodate the spa-specific services. Here, for example, new hotels were built to accommodate the spa guests.

The villa quarters, with park-like gardens, spread out on both sides of the slopes of the Oos valley. Seasonal as well as all-year-round accommodation were built here for spa guests. Churches of various denominations for the towns numerous international guests are also located in the villa areas of Baden-Baden.

The Lichtenthal Monastery looks back on 775 years of history with uninterrupted use by the Cistercian nuns. In the 19th century, the Monastery was – and still remains – one of the popular excursion destinations in Baden-Baden for the spa guests. In the immediate vicinity of the Monastery is the Brahms House, where the famous composer Johannes Brahms lived and worked for a long time.

Since the beginning of the 19th century, the steep wooded slopes around the urban settlement in Baden-Baden have been developed and provided with paths, vantage points, cafes and restaurants for recreation for spa guests close to the town. The spa landscape has an important therapeutic role and at the same time offers numerous possibilities for recreation and diversion.