Nestled right at the feet of the Black Forest in South Germany, Baden-Baden is the smallest city district belonging to the region of Baden-Württemberg. It has been a favourite destination of many who desire to dip in the famous salt and radon rich thermal hot water springs. Baden-Baden over these years has managed to retain and maintain its reputation as a popular spa-town along with having a classy, picturesque and well-maintained aura. It is often called the Dame Julie Andrews of German spa towns. Along with this, Baden-Baden is a wonderful gateway for sports lovers as there are ample opportunities for them to exercise their adrenalin junkiness.
The town has an air of old-world luxury embedded within its environs. Its curative waters have not only been an attraction in today’s time, in-fact royals, the rich and celebrities have been flocking here for decades. Among the most popular and prominent individuals who have come here are: Barack Obama, Bismark, Queen Victoria, Victoria Beckham, et cetera. In addition, Baden-Baden also boasts of grand colonnaded buildings and whimsically turreted art-nouveau villas that are spread across the hillside. These constructions carry quite an intriguing frame of the forested mountains.
The Black Forest region shares its boundaries with France and thus one can find the French bon vivant spirit intricately immersing itself within the daily walks of life of the people of Baden-Baden. These features are visible within the open air cafes of the town along with the chic boutiques and pristine gardens that exist on the fringes of the river Oos. The town and its old world characteristics along with its temple like thermal baths, its palatial casinos – all of these make Baden-Baden part of a timeless journey within Germany.
All in the name
Back in the day, springs of Baden-Baden was particularly well known. The Romans used to call them Aquae or The Waters and Aurelia Aquensis or the Aurelia of the Waters. Moreover, today, the modern day name: Baden-Baden refers to bathing. Originally, this name was derived out of the plural of the word: Bad which means bath in the German language. Now, since there are many hot water spring baths throughout the Central European region such as: Baden near Vienna in Austria and Baden near Zürich in Switzerland. Therefore to distinguish this place from the rest was the reason for the current double name.
The Geography
Baden-Baden is situated within a valley in the Northern Black Forest area in Southwestern Germany. If one was to go westwards, then the Upper Rhine Plain comes about. Standing tall at a little over one thousand metres above sea level is the highest mountain of Baden-Baden: Badener Höhe. This mountain along with the surrounding region is collectively a part of the Black Fairest National Park. The old town region is located on the side of the hill which is further on the right side of the river Oos. There is also a resort which has been situated on the other side of the river since the 19th century. The most popular feature of the region, the natural springs, in total number 29 and their temperatures range from 115 to 153 degrees Fahrenheit that is between 46 to 67 degrees Celsius. It has been noted that the water in these springs contain a rich composition of salt which flow from the artesian wells that are 1800 metres deep under the Florentine hill. The rate at which the water flows in the springs has been calculated to be 90 gallons or 341 litres per minute through the various pipes into the myriad baths in the town.
Baden-Baden is also one of the nice independent cities of Germany but the smallest in size. It however forms an important secondary centre with particular functions of a regionally centre. The city also maintains important relations with the French North Alsace constituency.
As far as the city of Baden-Baden is concerned, it comprises of the following districts: Oos, bellows, West, downtown, Lichtental along with Oberbeuern and Geroldsau , Ebersteinburg , Steinbach, Neuweier, Varnhalt, Haueneberstein and Sandweier. Among the other residential spaces include the scattered areas of: Gaisbach, Gallenbach (Varnhalt) Hungerberg, Malschbach, Mührich, Müllenbach, Schmalbach, snails Bach (Neuweier), Seelach, detour (Steinbach) and Low Plättig. There are also certain uninhabited enclaves in the neighbouring region of Stadtkreis Baden-Baden.
In the case of the neighbouring regions of: Ebersteinburg, Haueneberstein and Sandweier. Each of them are governed by their very own form of local governments which are headed by a mayor.
The Journey
Travelling to Baden-Baden is facilitated by all the popular modes of transportation.
- Trains: It will only take you 15 minutes to reach the railway station from the centre of the town (ideally through bus number 201) and it is served by Deutsche Bahn which then goes on to run north and south, all along the Rhine, and then from east to west, traveling between: Munich–Stuttgart–Strasbourg–Paris.
- Airways: At about 10 kilometres from the city is the Karlsruhe/Baden Baden or the Baden-Airpark. From this airport one can access to many low cost carriers such as the Ryanair.
As far as travelling within Baden-Baden is concerned, everything here is at a walkable distance. There are many bus routes which are well connected with the villages which are located outside the periphery along with other towns as well. The ticketing system at almost all the bus stops is mechanised, in case of any difficulty you can always go to the bus driver and get the ticket.
Other tourists have recommended a few things that one must do for sure at Baden-Baden. One of them is going for a walk along the river Oos or in and around the forests. If you require any assistance then the Tourist Office is located at Trinkhalle. Also, it is here at the tourist office that you can collect the route/trail maps which would be of definite assistance.
If you wish to check out the thermal baths, in that case the first place that you must visit is: Römerplatz which is the heart of the bath quarter. Reaching this place will hardly take you over 5 minutes’ worth of a walk from Leopoldplatz while going through the pedestrian zone. It is at Römerplatz where you also will get to witness many ruins of the Roman baths. Some of the popular baths of the modern times are as follows:
- Roman Bath ruins
- Caracalla Therme
- Friedrichsbad Spa
- Friedrichsbad
- Roman-Irish bath
The town is full of reasonably priced food stalls along the numerous streets. Along with this, there are hotels which fit well with all pocket sizes. If you wish to get out of Baden-Baden, then you can go to the Black Forest which is just about a day’s worth of trip away and the other major cities like: Freiburg, Strasbourg and Stuttgart are all easily reachable.
The other sites that you need to visit in Baden-Baden are as follows:
- The Kurgarten (Spa Garden)
- Lichtentaler Allee
- Fabergé Museum
- Caracalla Baths
- Old Town
- Roman Bath Ruins
- Brahms House
- The Opera House (Festspielhaus)
- The Baden-Baden Museum
- Altes Schloss Hohenbaden
- The Paradies Cascade
- New Castle (Neues Schloss).
A bit of history
Archaeological surveys have shown that the first settlements in the region came about sometime around 8000 and 4000 BC. These conjectures have been corroborated by the numerous graves that have been found here. However, the most significant settlers of the region were the Romans. The first recorded Roman settlement in the region dates back to the time of Emperor Hadrian. At that time, they had constructed a bath which happened to be rediscovered right below the New Castle in the year 1847. This particular bath dates back to the period when Emperor Caracalla was the ruler. Documents have shown that he frequented to the region because of his arthritic aches. Also, the various facilities were used by the Roman garrison as well but only at Strasbourg. A church was constructed here in the 7th century but eventually the town was left for ruins.
By the 12th century, the region came under the rule of the House of Zähringen, which was headed by Count Hermann II. It thus transformed as a prominent seat of the Margraviate of Baden by year 1112 in the honour of the decree of Count Hermann II. Baden-Baden was the recipient of the town charter in the year 1250. The count also allowed the numerous thermal springs to be used as baths by the year 1306.
Furthermore, by the year 1507 a one of a kind tourist tax was raised and also there were certain appointees who took care of the wellbeing of the spas. During the same time the city had moved into the Swabian Circle. The Circle of Swabia or the Swabian Circle was an imperial circle of the Holy Roman Empire which was came about on the territory of the former German stem-duchy of Swabia.
During the latter half of the 16th century, Baden-Baden witnessed the violence of the witch hunting traditions. As per records, about 134 people within the city were caught in a witch trail and out of those at least 102 are said to have been killed. Witch hunting went on for a prolonged period of time; the last of the executions under the above trail was conducted in the year 1631.
With that Baden-Baden moves into the rather turbulent 17th century. In the latter parts of the century the region came under the Nine Years War in 1688. As a result of this, the French troops on 24th of August, 1689 burnt down Baden-Baden. The actual recovery of the town could only start in the late 18th century when it provided shelter to the emigrants due to the French Revolution.
In the meantime the Congress of Rastatt was established and through it Baden-Baden was brought back into the picture, particularly when the Congress was undergoing its seconding seating. Further popularity to the town came rather in an instant when the Prussian Queen visited here in the early parts of 19th century. One could have observed many luxurious hotels, spas and casinos, horse racing, and the myriad gardens sprouting up in the region during the same period. Thereon opulence came pouring in, quite literally. Among the most important guests who frequented were: Queen Victoria, Wilhelm I, and Berlioz. Baden-Baden suddenly was transformed and became known as the summer capital of Europe. Furthermore, when Napoleon took charge in the 1850’s, Baden-Baden scaled towards new zeniths. Subsequently, the town became a multicultural hub hosting guests form French, British, Russians, and Americans. There were lesser French tourists during the Franco-Prussian War but the losses there were instantly fixed as soon as the war ended.
Records also show that before the Frist World War, the town would annually revive as many as 70,000 guests. Baden-Baden largely was able to avoid damage during the war. However, after the Second World War, Baden-Baden was occupied by the French forces. In the year 1981, between 23rd and 28th of September Baden-Baden hosted the XIth Olympic Congress. Baden-Baden is also the place where the largest opera and concert house, Festspielhaus opened in Germany opened up in the year 1998.
Following is a list of the museums that can be visited in Baden-Baden
- City Museum Baden-Baden,
- Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden,
- Frieder Burda Museum,
- Museum of Arts and Technology,
- Roman Bath Ruins Baden-Baden,
- Faberge Museum,
- Brahms -Wohnhaus in Maximilianstr,
- Kunstmuseum Gehrke-Remund.
Baden-Baden also organises a number of annually held festivals which attracts a lot of attention. Following is list of some of the festivals:
- March/April: Easter Festival in the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
- April/May: Russian Cultural Days in the Kurhaus
- May: European Dance Award at the Kurhaus Baden-Baden
- May: Frühjahrsmeeting on the racecourse Iffezheim
- May: Whitsun Festival in the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
- June: Medieval winery Days in the Steinbach district – “Summer Gala”
- July: International Rose Releases tests
- July: International Oldtimer-Meeting Baden-Baden
- July: Philharmonic Palace Concerts in Neuweier Castle
- August: Great week on the racecourse in Iffezheim
- September: Grand Prix Ball
- October Sales & Racing at the racecourse Iffezheim
- October/November: World Dance Gala
- November: Television Film Festival Baden-Baden
- December: Awarded athlete of the year at the Kurhaus
- December: Christmas Market