Baden-Baden () is a
spa town
A spa town is a resort town based on a mineral spa (a developed mineral spring). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits.
Thomas Guidott set up a medical practice in the English town of Bath in 1668. H ...
in the
state of
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
, south-western
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, at the north-western border of the
Black Forest
The Black Forest (german: Schwarzwald ) is a large forested mountain range in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, bounded by the Rhine Valley to the west and south and close to the borders with France and Switzerland. It is t ...
mountain range on the small river
Oos, ten kilometres (six miles) east of the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
, the border with
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, and forty kilometres (twenty-five miles) north-east of
Strasbourg, France.
In 2021, the town became part of the transnational
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
under the name "
Great Spa Towns of Europe", because of its famous spas and architecture that exemplifies the popularity of spa towns in Europe in the 18th through 20th centuries.
Name
The springs at Baden-Baden were known to the
Romans as ("The Waters")
and ("
Aurelia Aurelia may refer to:
People
* Version of feminine given name Aurélie
* Aurelia (mother of Caesar)
* Aurelia gens, a Roman family
* Aurelia Browder, American civil rights activist
* Astrud Aurelia, American drag queen
Science
* ''Aurelia'' (c ...
-of-the-Waters") after
M. Aurelius Severus Alexander Augustus.
In
modern German
New High German (NHG; german: Neuhochdeutsch (Nhd.)) is the term used for the most recent period in the history of the German language, starting in the 17th century. It is a loan translation of the German (). The most important characteristic o ...
, ' is a
noun
A noun () is a word that generally functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as living creatures, places, actions, qualities, states of existence, or ideas.Example nouns for:
* Living creatures (including people, alive, d ...
meaning "bathing" but Baden, the original name of the town, derives from an earlier
plural form of ' (
"bath").
(Modern German uses the plural form '.) As with the
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
placename
Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of ''toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for a proper name of ...
"Bath", other Badens are at
hot springs
A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circ ...
throughout
Central Europe
Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the area' ...
. The current
doubled name arose to distinguish it from the others,
[ particularly ]Baden near Vienna
Baden (German language, German for "Bath (disambiguation), Baths"; Central Bavarian: ''Bodn''), unofficially distinguished from Baden (disambiguation), other Badens as Baden bei Wien (Baden near Vienna), is a spa town in Austria. It serves as the ...
in Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
and Baden near Zürich in Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. The original Margraviate of Baden
The Margraviate of Baden (german: Markgrafschaft Baden) was a historical territory of the Holy Roman Empire. Spread along the east side of the Upper Rhine River in southwestern Germany, it was named a margraviate in 1112 and existed until 1535, ...
(1112-1535) split into several territories, including Baden-Baden and Baden-Durlach. The name "Baden-Baden" distinguished the Margraviate of Baden-Baden (1535–1771), from the Margraviate of Baden-Durlach. "Baden-Baden" thus means the town of Baden in the territory of Baden, whereas the name of the Margraviate of Baden-Baden meant "the Margraviate of Baden with its princely seat at Baden". Baden-Baden formally got its current name in 1931.
Geography
Baden-Baden lies in a valley of the Northern Black Forest
The Black Forest (german: Schwarzwald ) is a large forested mountain range in the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, bounded by the Rhine Valley to the west and south and close to the borders with France and Switzerland. It is t ...
in southwestern Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. The western districts lie within the Upper Rhine Plain
The Upper Rhine Plain, Rhine Rift Valley or Upper Rhine Graben (German: ''Oberrheinische Tiefebene'', ''Oberrheinisches Tiefland'' or ''Oberrheingraben'', French: ''Vallée du Rhin'') is a major rift, about and on average , between Basel in the s ...
. The highest mountain of Baden-Baden is the Badener Höhe
The Badener Höhe is a mountain in the Northern Black Forest in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It lies within the borough of Baden-Baden and municipality of Forbach. With a height of , it is the highest point in the borough of Baden-Baden ...
(), which is part of the Black Forest National Park. The old town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
lies on the side of a hill on the right bank of the Oos. Since the 19th century, the principal resorts have been located on the other side of the river. There are 29 natural springs in the area, varying in temperature from . The water is rich in salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...
and flows from artesian wells
An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer containing groundwater under positive pressure. An artesian aquifer has trapped water, surrounded by layers of impermeable rock or clay, which apply positive pressure to the water contained within th ...
under Florentine Hill at a rate of 341 litres (90 gallons) per minute and is conveyed through pipes to the town's baths.
History
Roman settlement at Baden-Baden has been dated as far back as the emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
Hadrian
Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania B ...
, but on dubious authority. The known ruins of the Roman bath
In ancient Rome, (from Greek , "hot") and (from Greek ) were facilities for bathing. usually refers to the large imperial bath complexes, while were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed in great numbers throughout ...
were rediscovered just below the New Castle in 1847 and date to the reign of Caracalla
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Lucius Septimius Bassianus, 4 April 188 – 8 April 217), better known by his nickname "Caracalla" () was Roman emperor from 198 to 217. He was a member of the Severan dynasty, the elder son of Emperor S ...
(AD 210s), who visited the area to relieve his arthritic aches.[.] The facilities were used by the Roman garrison in Strasbourg
Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
.
The town fell into ruin but its church was first constructed in the 7th century. By 1112, it was the seat of the Margraviate of Baden
The Margraviate of Baden (german: Markgrafschaft Baden) was a historical territory of the Holy Roman Empire. Spread along the east side of the Upper Rhine River in southwestern Germany, it was named a margraviate in 1112 and existed until 1535, ...
. The Lichtenthal Convent (') was founded in 1254. The margraves initially used Hohenbaden Castle
Hohenbaden Castle (at the time of its establishment ''Schloss Hohenbaden'', now ''Old castle'' or ''Altes Schloss'') in German Baden-Baden was the residence of the margraves of Baden for almost 400 years. The castle was built around 1100 by Herman ...
(the Old Castle, '), whose ruins still occupy the summit above the town, but they completed and moved to the New Castle (') in 1479. The Margraviate was divided in 1535, with Baden-Baden becoming the capital of the Margraviate of Baden-Baden, while the other portion became the Margraviate of Baden-Durlach. The Baden-Baden witch trials, an investigating encompassing the entire territory and resulting in hundreds of verdicts, took place in 1627-1631. Baden suffered severely during the Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history
The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (80 ...
, particularly at the hands of the French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
, who plundered it in 1643. They returned to occupy the city in 1688 at the onset of the Nine Years' War
The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarch ...
, burning it to the ground the next year. The margravine
Margrave was originally the medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or of a kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain feudal families in the Em ...
Sibylla rebuilt the New Castle in 1697, but the margrave
Margrave was originally the medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or of a kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain feudal families in the Emp ...
Louis William removed his seat to Rastatt in 1706. The Stiftskirche In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons: a non-monastic or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a ...
was rebuilt in 1753 and houses the tombs of several of the margraves.
The town began its recovery in the late 18th century, serving as a refuge for émigrés from the French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
. The town was frequented during the Second Congress of Rastatt
The Second Congress of Rastatt, which began its deliberations in November 1797, was intended to negotiate a general peace between the French Republic and the Holy Roman Empire, and to draw up a compensation plan to compensate those princes whose ...
in 1797–99 and became popular after the visit of the Prussian queen in the early 19th century. She came for medicinal reasons, as the waters were recommended for gout
Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of a red, tender, hot and swollen joint, caused by deposition of monosodium urate monohydrate crystals. Pain typically comes on rapidly, reaching maximal intensit ...
, rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including art ...
, paralysis
Paralysis (also known as plegia) is a loss of motor function in one or more muscles. Paralysis can also be accompanied by a loss of feeling (sensory loss) in the affected area if there is sensory damage. In the United States, roughly 1 in 50 ...
, neuralgia, skin disorders, and stones. The Ducal government subsequently subsidized the resort's development. The town became a meeting place for celebrities, who visited the hot springs and the town's other amenities: luxury hotels, the Spielbank Casino, horse races, and the gardens of the Lichtentaler Allee
The Lichtentaler Allee is a historic park and arboretum, set out as a 2.3 kilometer strolling avenue along the west bank of the river Oos in Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is open daily without charge.
Baden-Baden-Lichtentaler Al ...
. Guests included Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
, Wilhelm I, and Berlioz.[ The pumproom (') was completed in 1842. The Grand Duchy's railway's mainline reached Baden in 1845. Reaching its zenith under ]Napoleon III
Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...
in the 1850s and '60s, Baden became "Europe's summer capital". With a population of around , the town's size could quadruple during the tourist season, with the French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
, British, Russians
, native_name_lang = ru
, image =
, caption =
, population =
, popplace =
118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate)
, region1 =
, pop1 ...
, and Americans
Americans are the Citizenship of the United States, citizens and United States nationality law, nationals of the United States, United States of America.; ; Although direct citizens and nationals make up the majority of Americans, many Multi ...
all well represented. (French tourism fell off following the Franco-Prussian War.)
The theater was completed in 1861 and a Greek church
The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also call ...
with a gilt dome was erected on the Michaelsberg in 1863 to serve as the tomb of the teenage son of the prince of Moldavia
Moldavia ( ro, Moldova, or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic: or ; chu, Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; el, Ἡγεμονία τῆς Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and former principality in Centr ...
Mihail Sturdza
Mihail Sturdza (24 April 1794, Iași – 8 May 1884, Paris), sometimes anglicized as Michael Stourdza, was prince of Moldavia from 1834 to 1849. He was cousin of Roxandra Sturdza and Alexandru Sturdza.
Biography
He was son of Grigore Sturdza, se ...
after he died during a family vacation. A Russian Orthodox church was also subsequently erected. The casino was closed for a time in the 1870s.
Just before the First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the town was receiving visitors each year.
During the Second World War, 3.1% of the houses in Baden-Baden were completely destroyed by bombs and 125 civilians were killed. 5.8% of the houses were heavily damaged by bombs. Lichtenthal, a residential area in the southwest of the town, was hit by bombs and Saint Bonifatius Church was severely damaged on 11 March 1943. Balg, a residential area in the northeast of Baden-Baden, was hit by bombs on 17 December 1944. On 30 December 1944 one third of the buildings of Oos (i.e. about 300 houses), a residential area in the north of the town, was destroyed or heavily damaged by bombs and Saint Dionysius Church was severely damaged as well. On 2 January 1945 the railway station of Oos and various barracks on Schwarzwald Road were heavily damaged by bombs.
After World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Baden-Baden became the headquarters of the French occupation forces in Germany as well as of the Südwestfunk, one of Germany's large public broadcasting stations, which is now part of Südwestrundfunk. From 23–28 September 1981, the XIth Olympic Congress
An Olympic Congress is a large gathering of representatives from the different constituencies of the Olympic Movement, organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). As detailed in chapter 1, rule 4 of the Olympic Charter, the IOC Pres ...
took place in Baden-Baden's '. The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden is Germany’s largest opera and concert house, with a 2,500 seat capacity.
The building was originally built in 1904 as Baden-Baden central railway station. This building replaced the original railway station whi ...
, Germany's largest opera and concert house, opened in 1998.
CFB Baden-Soellingen CFB may refer to:
* College football
* Canadian Forces base, military installation of the Canadian forces
* Caminho de Ferro de Benguela, railway in Angola
* Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District
* Cipher feedback, a block cipher mod ...
, a military airfield built in the 1950s in the Upper Rhine Plain
The Upper Rhine Plain, Rhine Rift Valley or Upper Rhine Graben (German: ''Oberrheinische Tiefebene'', ''Oberrheinisches Tiefland'' or ''Oberrheingraben'', French: ''Vallée du Rhin'') is a major rift, about and on average , between Basel in the s ...
, west of downtown Baden-Baden, was converted into a civil airport in the 1990s. Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport, or Baden Airpark is now the second-largest airport in Baden-Württemberg by number of passengers.
In 1981 Baden-Baden hosted the Olympic Congress
An Olympic Congress is a large gathering of representatives from the different constituencies of the Olympic Movement, organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). As detailed in chapter 1, rule 4 of the Olympic Charter, the IOC Pres ...
, which later has made the town awarded the designation Olympic town
Olympic town is an honorary designation given by the International Olympic Committee to certain towns, which have had a profound importance for the Olympic movement.
Among towns awarded this designation is Baden-Baden, given it in 1997, because o ...
.
Climate
Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is precipitation
In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...
year round. The Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
subtype for this climate is " Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
).
Lord Mayors
* 1907–1929: Reinhard Fieser
* 1929–1934: Hermann Elfner
* 1934–1945: Hans Schwedhelm (when he was not in office because of military service, mayor Kurt Bürkle was in office)
* April 1945–May 1945: Ludwig Schmitt
* May 1945–January 1946: Karl Beck
* January 1946–September 1946: Eddy Schacht
* 1946–1969: Ernst Schlapper (CDU) (1888-1976)
* 1969–1990: Walter Carlein (CDU) (1922-2011)
* 1990–1998: Ulrich Wendt (CDU)
* 1998–2006: Sigrun Lang (independent)
* 2006–2014: Wolfgang Gerstner (born 1955), (CDU)
* 2014-2022: Margret Mergen (born 1961), (CDU)
* 2022-present: Dietmar Späth (independent)
Tourism
Baden-Baden is a German spa town. The city offers many options for sports enthusiasts;[ golf and tennis are both popular in the area.][ Horse races take place each May, August and October at nearby Iffezheim.][ The countryside is ideal for hiking and mountain climbing.][ In the winter Baden-Baden is a skiing destination.][ There is an 18-hole ]golf course
A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". Th ...
in Fremersberg.
Sights include:
* The ', whose ' ("Spa Garden") hosts the annual Baden-Baden Summer Nights, featuring live classical music concerts
* Casino
* Friedrichsbad
The Friedrichsbad is a spa in the city of Baden-Baden in Germany. The Neo-renaissance spa building was completed in 1877.
History and architecture
The architect Karl Dernfeld designed the Friedrichsbad in the Renaissance style. It was built betw ...
* Caracalla Spa
* Lichtentaler Allee
The Lichtentaler Allee is a historic park and arboretum, set out as a 2.3 kilometer strolling avenue along the west bank of the river Oos in Baden-Baden, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is open daily without charge.
Baden-Baden-Lichtentaler Al ...
park and gardens
* Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden (State Art Gallery)
* Museum Frieder Burda
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these i ...
built by Richard Meier
Richard Meier (born October 12, 1934) is an American abstract artist and architect, whose geometric designs make prominent use of the color white. A winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1984, Meier has designed several iconic buildings ...
for one of Germany's most extensive collections of modern art
* Fabergé Museum
The Fabergé Museum is a privately owned museum located in the German spa city of Baden-Baden, dedicated to items made by the Russian jewellery firm Fabergé. It was opened by Russian art collector Alexander Ivanov on 9 May 2009. It is owned by ...
* Museum der Kunst und Technik des 19. Jahrhunderts (Lichtentaler Allee 8), covering the technology of the 19th century
* Kunstmuseum Gehrke-Remund, which exhibits the work of Frida Kahlo
Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón (; 6 July 1907 – 13 July 1954) was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, ...
* ', Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped wit ...
's residence, which has been preserved as a museum
* Hohenbaden Castle
Hohenbaden Castle (at the time of its establishment ''Schloss Hohenbaden'', now ''Old castle'' or ''Altes Schloss'') in German Baden-Baden was the residence of the margraves of Baden for almost 400 years. The castle was built around 1100 by Herman ...
or ''Old Castle'', a ruin since the 16th century
* New Castle ('), the former residence of the margraves and grand dukes of Baden, now a historical museum
* Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden is Germany’s largest opera and concert house, with a 2,500 seat capacity.
The building was originally built in 1904 as Baden-Baden central railway station. This building replaced the original railway station whi ...
, the second-largest festival hall in Europe
* Ruins of Roman baths, excavated in 1847
* ', a church including the tombs of fourteen margraves of Baden
* Paradise ('), an Italian-style Renaissance garden with many trick fountains
* Mount Merkur, including the Merkurbergbahn funicular
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite en ...
railway and observation tower
* Fremersberg Tower
Fremersberg Tower (German: Fremersbergturm) is an telecommunication tower built of reinforced concrete with an observation deck 30 metres above ground. There is a small restaurant located next to the tower.
Fremersberg Tower, which was built in ...
* Sturdza Chapel on the Michaelsberg, a neoclassical chapel with a gilded dome designed by Leo von Klenze
Leo von Klenze (Franz Karl Leopold von Klenze; 29 February 1784, Buchladen (Bockelah / Bocla) near Schladen – 26 January 1864, Munich) was a German neoclassicist architect, painter and writer. Court architect of Bavarian King Ludwig I, Leo ...
which was erected over the tomb of prince Michel Sturdza's son
Transport
Road
The main road link is autobahn A5 between Freiburg and Frankfurt
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...
, which is 10 km away from the city.
There are two stations providing intercity bus service
An intercity bus service (North American English) or intercity coach service (British English and Commonwealth English), also called a long-distance, express, over-the-road, commercial, long-haul, or highway bus or coach service, is a public tr ...
s: one next to the main railway station and one at the airport.
Railway
Baden-Baden has three stations, Baden-Baden station being the most important of them.
Air
Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport is an airport located in Baden-Baden that also serves the city of Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe ( , , ; South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the third-largest city of the German state (''Land'') of Baden-Württemberg after its capital of Stuttgart and Mannheim, and the 22nd-largest city in the nation, with 308,436 inhabitants. ...
. It is Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
's second-largest airport after Stuttgart Airport
Stuttgart Airport (German: ''Flughafen Stuttgart'', formerly ''Flughafen Stuttgart-Echterdingen'') is the international airport of Stuttgart, the capital of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is christened in honor of Stuttgart's forme ...
, and the 18th-largest in Germany with 1,110,500 passengers as of 2016 and mostly serves low-cost and leisure flights.
Image gallery
File:Baden-Baden - Altstadt.jpg, old town (')
File:View of Baden-baden.jpeg, Florentine Hill ('), with the New Castle (top right), the Caracalla Spa (lower right), and the ' (lower left)
File:Stiftskirche von Baden-Baden.jpg, Baden-Baden's parish church (')
File:Baden-Baden 10-2015 img37 Pump house.jpg, The '
File:Brenners.jpg, Brenner's Park Hotel
File:Baden-Baden Russische Kirche 01-gje.jpg, The Russian Orthodox Church (')
Baden-Baden-Stourdza-Kapelle-01-gje.jpg, Sturdza Chapel
File:Baden-Baden-Roemerplatz-32-Friedrichsbad-Neues Schloss-Kloster vom Heiligen Grab-2022-gje.jpg, The ', New Castle, and Abbey School (')
Baden-Baden Kurmuschel.jpg, The Spa Shell, an open-air concert venue
File:Baden-Baden 10-2015 img39 Museum Frieder Burda.jpg, Museum Frieder Burda
Baden-Baden-Lichtentaler Allee-516-Spaziergaenger-2012-gje.jpg, Lichtentaler Allee
Baden-Baden-Kunsthalle-22-Burdamuseum-Joan Miro-Femme 1970-2007-gje.jpg, Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden-Faberge-Museum-04-2021-gje.jpg, Fabergé Museum
Baden-Baden-Museum19-02-Baden in Schoenheit-2020-gje.jpg, Museum der Kunst und Technik des 19. Jahrhunderts
Baden-Baden-Brahmshaus-40-Wohnzimmer-2017-gje.jpg, Brahmshaus
Baden-Baden-Festspielhaus-Alter Bahnhof-72-Suedecke-gje.jpg, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden-Merkurturm-20-2014-gje.jpg, Mount Merkur, tower
Baden-Baden-vom Korbmattfelsen-54-Fremersberg-2021-gje.jpg, Fremersberg Tower
File:Hohenbaden hb.JPG, The Old Castle
File:Baden-Baden-Kurhaus-27-2021-gje.jpg, The ' and Casino
Twin towns – sister cities
Baden-Baden is twinned with:
* Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary (; german: Karlsbad, formerly also spelled ''Carlsbad'' in English) is a spa town, spa city in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 46,000 inhabitants. It lies on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá. ...
, Czech Republic
* Menton, France
* Moncalieri, Italy
* Sochi
Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the largest resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi River, along the Black Sea in Southern Russia, with a population of 466,078 residents, up to 600,000 residents in ...
, Russia
* Yalta
Yalta (: Я́лта) is a resort city on the south coast of the Crimean Peninsula surrounded by the Black Sea. It serves as the administrative center of Yalta Municipality, one of the regions within Crimea. Yalta, along with the rest of Crimea ...
, Ukraine
Artistic depiction
Baden featured in Tolstoy's '' Anna Karenina'' (under an alias)[ and Turgenev's '' Smoke''. Dostoyevsky wrote '' The Gambler'' while compulsively gambling at the town's casino.][
The novel '' Summer in Baden-Baden'' by ]Leonid Tsypkin Leonid Borisovich Tsypkin (Леонид Борисович Цыпкин) (March 20, 1926 – March 20, 1982) was a Soviet writer and medical doctor, best known for his book '' Summer in Baden-Baden''.
Early life
Tsypkin was born in Minsk, Soviet U ...
is inspired in Dostoyevsky's visit to this resort.
The 1975 film ''The Romantic Englishwoman
''The Romantic Englishwoman'' is a 1975 British film directed by Joseph Losey and starring Michael Caine, Glenda Jackson, Helmut Berger. It marks the feature-length screen debut for Kate Nelligan. The screenplay was written by Tom Stoppard and T ...
'' was filmed on location in Baden-Baden, featuring the Brenner's Park Hotel particularly prominently. The 1997 Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
movie ''Dil To Pagal Hai
''Dil To Pagal Hai'' (; ), is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language musical romance film directed by Yash Chopra. The film follows the love lives of the members of a musical troupe, in which two dancers played by Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor get ent ...
'' was also shot in the town.
Baden-Baden is the subject of a pop song by Finnish songwriter Chisu
Christel Martina Roosberg (née Sundberg; born 3 January 1982), known by her stage name Chisu (), is a Finnish pop artist, songwriter, and producer. She wrote her first single, " Mun koti ei oo täällä", to the soundtrack of the 2007 film '' Soo ...
of how the economic woes of Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
could be solved by selling bottled tears to Europe (specifically Baden-Baden).
Notable people
Public service & commerce
* Philip II, Margrave of Baden-Baden
Margrave Philip II of Baden (born 19 February 1559 in Baden-Baden – died 7 June 1588 in Baden-Baden) was from 1571 to 1588 Margrave of the Margraviate of Baden-Baden. He was the son of the Protestant Margrave Philibert of Baden-Baden and the C ...
(1559–1588), Margrave of Baden-Baden, 1571 to 1588
* William, Margrave of Baden-Baden (1593–1677), regent of Baden-Baden, 1621 and 1677
* Ferdinand Maximilian of Baden-Baden
Ferdinand Maximilian of Baden-Baden, ''Hereditary Prince of Baden-Baden'' (23 September 1625 – 4 November 1669) was the father of the famous general Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden.
Born in Baden-Baden, he was the oldest son of Will ...
(1625–1669), father of the "Türkenlouis" Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden
* Friedrich, Freiherr von Zoller Friedrich Johann Daniel Alois, ''Freiherr'' von Zoller (May 25, 1762 - February 25, 1821) was a Bavarian lieutenant-general who fought in the Napoleonic Wars.
Biography
Von Zoller was on born on 25 May 1762 in Baden-Baden, and because his father w ...
(1762–1821), Bavarian lieutenant-general who fought in the Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
* Emil Kessler
Emil Julius Carl Kessler (20 August 1813 - 16 March 1867) was a German businessman and founder of the Maschinenfabrik Esslingen ('Esslingen Engineering Works').
Biography
Kessler was born in Baden-Baden, attended school there and later studied con ...
(1813–1867), entrepreneur, founder of the Maschinenfabrik Esslingen
* Colonel Francis Mahler (1826–1863), officer in the Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
during the American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
* Richard Enderlin
Richard Enderlin (January 11, 1843 – February 11, 1930) was a musician and United States Army soldier who received a Medal of Honor for the heroism he displayed when fighting in the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.
Gettysburg
Enderlin was born in ...
(1843-1930), Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
, Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
recipient for rescuing a fallen comrade during the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...
during the American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
* William Hespeler
William Hespeler (December 29, 1830 – April 18, 1921), born ''Wilhelm'', was a German-Canadian businessman, immigration agent, and member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. He served as Speaker of the Legislature and as honorary co ...
(1830–1921), German-Canadian businessman, immigration agent and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba (french: Assemblée législative du Manitoba) is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at provincial gener ...
* Francis Pigou (1832–1916), Anglican priest
* Sir William Des Vœux (1834–1909), British colonial governor, Governor of Fiji
Fiji was a British Crown colony from 1874 to 1970, and an independent dominion in the Commonwealth from 1970 to 1987. During this period, the head of state was the British monarch, but in practice his or her functions were normally exercised loca ...
(1880–1885), Governor of Newfoundland (1886–1887) and Governor of Hong Kong
The governor of Hong Kong was the representative of the British Crown in Hong Kong from 1843 to 1997. In this capacity, the governor was president of the Executive Council and commander-in-chief of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong. ...
(1887–1891)
* Prince Maximilian of Baden (1867–1929), last heir of the Grand Duchy of Baden
The Grand Duchy of Baden (german: Großherzogtum Baden) was a state in the southwest German Empire on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918.
It came into existence in the 12th century as the Margraviate of Baden and subs ...
, a German prince, general and politician
* Louis II, Prince of Monaco
Louis II (Louis Honoré Charles Antoine Grimaldi; 12 July 1870 – 9 May 1949) was Prince of Monaco from 26 June 1922 to 9 May 1949.
Early years
Born in Baden-Baden, (Germany), he was the only child of Albert I, Prince of Monaco (1848–1922), a ...
(1870–1949), Prince of Monaco from 1922 to 1949
* Wilhelm Brückner
Wilhelm Brückner (Wilhelm Van Marchena Brücknerhttps://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/182324026/person/222434993877/facts 11 December 1884 – 18 August 1954) was Adolf Hitler's chief adjutant until October 1940. Thereafter, Brück ...
(1884–1954), officer and chief adjutant of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
* Rudolf Höss (1900–1947), Nazi, SS commandant of Auschwitz concentration camp
Auschwitz concentration camp ( (); also or ) was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland (in a portion annexed into Germany in 1939) during World War II and the Holocaust. It con ...
, executed for war crimes
* Leopold Gutterer (1902–1996), Nazi state secretary in the Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
* Felix Gilbert
Felix Gilbert (May 21, 1905 – February 14, 1991) was a German-born American historian of early modern and modern Europe.
Gilbert was born in Baden-Baden, Germany, to a middle-class Jewish family, and part of the Mendelssohn Bartholdy clan. In t ...
(1905–1991), German-American historian
* Fritz Suhren
Fritz Suhren (10 June 1908 – 12 June 1950) was a German SS officer and Nazi concentration camp commandant.
Early years
Suhren joined the Nazi Party in 1928 and the Sturmabteilung at the same time. Tom Segev, ''Soldiers of Evil'', Berkley Boo ...
(1908–1950), SS Nazi concentration camp commandant executed for war crimes
* Kai Whittaker
Kai Whittaker (born 10 April 1985) is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and member of the Bundestag since 2013.
Education and early career
Born in Baden-Baden to a British father and German mother, Whittaker completed h ...
(born 1985), German CDU politician, member of the Bundestag
The Bundestag (, "Federal Diet") is the German federal parliament. It is the only federal representative body that is directly elected by the German people. It is comparable to the United States House of Representatives or the House of Commons ...
since 2013
The arts
* Anna Zerr
Anna Zerr (26 July 1822 – 14 December 1881) was a German operatic soprano.
Zerr, a native of Baden-Baden, studied in Paris before making her debut in 1839, singing the role of Amina in ''La sonnambula'' in Karlsruhe. In 1846 she joined the Vien ...
(1822–1881), German operatic soprano
* Eugene Armbruster
Eugene L. Armbruster (1865–1943) was a New York City photographer, illustrator, writer, and historian born in Baden-Baden, Germany and based in Bushwick, Brooklyn, where he died. His work includes many buildings, roads, and neighborhoods in ar ...
(1865–1943), New York City photographer, illustrator, writer, and historian
* Paul Nikolaus Cossmann
Paul Nikolaus Cossmann (6 April 1869 – 19 October 1942) was a German journalist.
Biography
Born in Baden-Baden into a Jewish family, his parents were cellist Bernhard Cossmann and his wife Mathilde Hilb, the daughter of a Karlsruhe merchant. He ...
(1869–1942 in Theresienstadt
Theresienstadt Ghetto was established by the Schutzstaffel, SS during World War II in the fortress town of Terezín, in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (German occupation of Czechoslovakia, German-occupied Czechoslovakia). Theresienstad ...
), German journalist
* Hermine Finck
Hermine Finck (1 January 187231 October 1932) was a German opera singer. She created the role of The Witch in the world premiere of Humperdinck's ''Hansel and Gretel'' and appeared in numerous leading soprano roles in the opera houses of Germany ...
(1872–1932), opera singer
* Édouard Risler
Joseph-Édouard Risler (23 February 1873 – 22 July 1929) was a French pianist.
Biography
Risler was born in Baden-Baden (Germany) of a German mother and an Alsatian father. He studied under Louis Diémer, Théodore Dubois and Émile Decomb ...
(1873–1929), French pianist
* Reinhold Schneider
Reinhold Schneider (Baden-Baden, May 13, 1903 – Freiburg im Breisgau, April 6, 1958) was a German poet who also wrote novels. Initially his works were less religious, but later his poetry had a Christian and specifically Catholic influence ...
(1903–1958), writer
* Franz Zureich
Franz Zureich (1904–1992) was a Germans, German Painting, painter, graphic artist, illustrator, and Caricature, caricaturist.
Influenced by Albert Haueisen, Zureich was best known for his city representations, decorative motives, industrial etc ...
(1904–1992), painter
* Antoinette Bower
Antoinette Bower is a British-American retired film, television and stage actress, whose career lasted nearly four decades.
Early years
Bower was born in Baden-Baden to a German mother and an English father. She lived in England, Vienna and M ...
(born 1932), British-American actress
* Tony Marshall (born 1938), pop and opera singer
* Heinz Bosl
Heinz Bosl (21 November 1946 – 12 June 1975) was a German ballet dancer.''Oxford Dictionary of Dance'' (2004) Oxford University Press
Bosl was born in Baden-Baden. He studied at the Bavarian State Opera's ballet school based in Munich. After ...
(1946–1975), German ballet dancer
* Elmar Hörig
Elmar Hörig, (born 15 June 1949) is a German radio and television presenter.
Life
Hörig was born in Baden-Baden, Germany. He studied Anglistics and PE. Until 1986, he worked as a teacher at the home school Lender in Sasbach amongst other things ...
(born 1949), radio and television presenter
* Robert HP Platz
Robert Hugo Philip Platz (born 16 August 1951) is a German classical composer.
Born in Baden-Baden, Platz studied music theory and composition (with Wolfgang Fortner), musicology (with Elmar Budde) and piano in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, betw ...
(born 1951), composer and conductor
* Sabine von Maydell (born 1955), actress and author
* Marc Trillard
Marc Trillard (born 1955 in Baden-Baden) is a French writer.
He publishes his contributions to many titles in the French press. He is also author of documentaries for radio France Culture and France 3 television.
He settled in Brazil in 2010.
W ...
(born 1955), French writer
* Andreas Heinecke (born 1955), social entrepreneur and creator of Dialogue in the Dark
* Jean-Marc Rochette
Jean-Marc Rochette (born 23 April 1956) is a French painter, illustrator and comics creator.
He is best known and recognized for the comic book series '' Edmond le Cochon'' and '' Le Transperceneige'', as well as for his illustrations of the lit ...
(born 1956), French painter, illustrator and comics creator.
* Tobias A. Schliessler (born 1958), German cinematographer
* Ann-Marie MacDonald
Ann-Marie MacDonald (born October 29, 1958) is a Canadian playwright, author, actress, and broadcast host who lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. MacDonald is the daughter of a member of Canada's military; she was born at an air force base near ...
(born 1958), Canadian playwright, novelist, actress and broadcast host
* Stefan Anton Reck
Stefan Anton Reck is a German orchestra conductor and painter. He was born on 26 April 1960 in Baden-Baden, Germany.
Career
After having attended the "Richard Wagner-Gymnasium" in Baden-Baden, he studied piano at the Hochschule für Musik in ...
(born 1960), German orchestra conductor and painter
* Birgit Stauch (born 1961), German sculptor, works in bronzes, sculptures, sketches and portraits.
* Florian Ballhaus (born 1965), German cinematographer
* Alexandra Kamp
Alexandra Kamp-Groeneveld (born 29 December 1966) is a German model and actress.
Biography
She was born in Karlsruhe to Peter Kamp and his wife and grew up in Baden-Baden. She visited drama schools in New York, Los Angeles and Paris before s ...
(born 1966), German model and actress, grew up in Baden-Baden.
Science
* Franz Carl Müller-Lyer Franz Carl Müller-Lyer, born Francis Xavier Hermann Müller (5 February 1857 - 29 October 1916) was a German psychologist and sociologist.[Müller-Lyer illusion
The Müller-Lyer illusion is an optical illusion consisting of three stylized arrows. When viewers are asked to place a mark on the figure at the midpoint, they tend to place it more towards the "tail" end. The illusion was devised by Franz Carl ...]
* Joseph Vollmer
Joseph Vollmer (1871–1955) was a German automobile designer and engineer and a pioneering tank designer. As chief designer for the German War Department's motor vehicle section, he designed the World War I German tanks A7V, K-Wagen, LK I and LK ...
(1871–1955), automobile designer, engineer and pioneering tank designer
* Alfred Kühn (1885–1968), zoologist and geneticist
* Frederick Lindemann, 1st Viscount Cherwell
Frederick Alexander Lindemann, 1st Viscount Cherwell, ( ; 5 April 18863 July 1957) was a British physicist who was prime scientific adviser to Winston Churchill in World War II.
Lindemann was a brilliant intellectual, who cut through bureauc ...
(1886–1957), British physicist
* Erich Friedrich Schmidt (1897–1964), German and American-naturalized archaeologist
* Wolfgang Krull (1899–1971), mathematician
Sport
* Marco Grimm
Marco Grimm (born 16 June 1972) is a German former professional Association football, footballer played as a defender (association football), defender. He spent four seasons in the Bundesliga with FC Bayern Munich, Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart ...
(born 1972), football player, 334 pro appearances
* Frank Moser (born 1976), German professional tennis player
* Magdalena Schnurr
Magdalena Schnurr (born March 25, 1992 in Baden-Baden) is a German ski jumper. She won the FIS Junior Ski Jumping World Championships 2009 in Štrbské Pleso. She finished in seventh place in the World Championship 2009 in Liberec
Liberec (; ...
(born 1992), German ski jumper
See also
* List of reduplicated place names
This is a list of places with reduplication in their names, often as a result of the grammatical rules of the languages from which the names are derived.
Duplicated names from the indigenous languages of Australia, Chile and New Zealand are l ...
References
Bibliography
*
*
* .
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
{{Authority control
Karlsruhe (region)
Towns in Baden-Württemberg
Baden
Spa towns in Germany
Gambling in Germany
Burial sites of the House of Leiningen