Baden-Baden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Baden-Baden
Town
View of Baden-Baden from Mount Merkur.
Flag Coat of arms
Baden-Baden Location in Germany Show map of Germany Baden-Baden Location in Baden-Württemberg Show map of Baden-Württemberg
Country	Germany
State	Baden-Württemberg
Admin. region	Karlsruhe
District	Urban district
Area
• Total	140.18 km2 (54.12 sq mi)
Elevation	181 m (594 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	57,025
• Density	406.798/km2 (1,053.60/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	76530–76534
Dialling codes	07221, 07223
Vehicle registration	BAD
Website	baden-baden.de
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Part of	The Great Spa Towns of Europe
Criteria	Cultural: (ii)(iii)
Inscription	2021 (45th Session)

Baden-Baden is a famous spa town in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located in southwestern Germany. It sits at the edge of the beautiful Black Forest mountains, right by a small river called Oos. The town is about ten kilometers (six miles) east of the Rhine river, which forms the border with France.

In 2021, Baden-Baden became a special UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's part of a group called "Great Spa Towns of Europe". This is because of its amazing spas and unique buildings. These show how popular spa towns were in Europe from the 1700s to the 1900s.

What's in a Name?

The natural springs in Baden-Baden were known even to the ancient Romans. They called the place Aquae, which means "The Waters". Sometimes, they also called it Aurelia Aquensis. This name came from the Roman emperor Caracalla, who visited the area.

In modern German, the word Baden means "bathing". The town's original name, Baden, comes from an older word for "bath". Just like the English town of Bath, Somerset, other places named Baden are often found near hot springs in Central Europe.

The town got its doubled name, "Baden-Baden", to help people tell it apart from other places called Baden. For example, there's Baden near Vienna in Austria and Baden near Zürich in Switzerland. The name "Baden-Baden" officially became the town's name in 1931. It basically means "the town of Baden in the territory of Baden".

Exploring Baden-Baden's Location

Baden-Baden is nestled in a valley within the Northern Black Forest in southwestern Germany. Some of its western areas stretch into the flat Upper Rhine Plain. The highest point in Baden-Baden is the Badener Höhe, which is part of the Black Forest National Park.

The old town of Baden-Baden is built on the side of a hill, next to the Oos river. Since the 1800s, many of the main resorts have been built on the other side of the river.

There are 29 natural springs in the area! The water from these springs is very warm, ranging from 46 to 67 degrees Celsius (115 to 153 degrees Fahrenheit). This water is full of natural salts. It flows from deep underground, about 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) below Florentine Hill. The water flows at a fast rate of 341 liters (90 gallons) every minute. It's carried through pipes to the town's famous baths.

A Look Back in Time: Baden-Baden's History

People believe that Romans settled in Baden-Baden as early as the time of Emperor Hadrian. The ruins of a Roman bath were found in 1847, near the New Castle. These baths date back to the time of Emperor Caracalla in the 210s AD. He visited the area to help with his arthritic aches. Roman soldiers from Strasbourg also used these baths.

After the Romans, the town fell into disrepair, but a church was built there in the 600s. By 1112, Baden-Baden became the main town for a region called the Margraviate of Baden. The Lichtenthal Convent was founded in 1254. The rulers of the area first lived in Hohenbaden Castle, also known as the Old Castle. Its ruins can still be seen on the hill above the town. Later, they moved to the New Castle in 1479.

The region was divided in 1535. Baden-Baden became the capital of one part, called the Margraviate of Baden-Baden. The town suffered a lot during the Thirty Years' War and the Nine Years' War. French forces attacked and burned the town in 1689. The New Castle was rebuilt in 1697, but the ruler moved his main home to another town in 1706. The main church, the Stiftskirche, was rebuilt in 1753. It holds the tombs of several past rulers.

Baden-Baden started to recover in the late 1700s. It became a safe place for people escaping the French Revolution. The town became very popular after the Prussian queen visited in the early 1800s. She came for health reasons, as the waters were thought to help with many illnesses. The government then helped the town grow as a resort.

The town became a popular meeting spot for famous people. They came for the hot springs and other fun things like fancy hotels, the Spielbank Casino, horse races, and the beautiful Lichtentaler Allee gardens. Famous guests included Queen Victoria, Wilhelm I, and the composer Berlioz. The Trinkhalle (a pumproom for drinking the spring water) was finished in 1842. A railway line reached Baden-Baden in 1845, making it easier for visitors to arrive.

In the 1850s and 1860s, Baden-Baden was at its peak, known as "Europe's summer capital". Even though the town had about 10,000 people, its size could become four times bigger during the tourist season! Many visitors came from France, Britain, Russia, and America.

A theater was completed in 1861. A Greek church with a golden dome was built in 1863. It was a tomb for the teenage son of a prince who had died during a family trip. A Russian Orthodox church was also built later.

Just before the First World War, about 70,000 visitors came to Baden-Baden each year.

During the Second World War, some parts of Baden-Baden were damaged by bombs. Sadly, some people lost their lives. For example, a residential area called Oos had many buildings destroyed or heavily damaged in December 1944. The railway station was also badly hit in January 1945.

After the war, Baden-Baden became the main office for the French forces in Germany. It also became home to a large public broadcasting station. In 1981, the 11th Olympic Congress was held in Baden-Baden. Germany's largest opera and concert hall, the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, opened in 1998.

An old military airfield near Baden-Baden was turned into a civilian airport in the 1990s. This is now Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport. It's the second-largest airport in Baden-Württemberg by the number of passengers.

Baden-Baden's Weather

Baden-Baden has a mild climate. This means there aren't huge differences between the highest and lowest temperatures. It also rains throughout the year. This type of weather is called a "Marine West Coast Climate".

Fun Things to Do in Baden-Baden

Baden-Baden is a great place for tourists and people who love sports! You can enjoy golf and tennis in the area. Horse races are held every May, August, and October at a nearby track called Iffezheim. The countryside is perfect for hiking and mountain climbing. In winter, Baden-Baden is also a good spot for skiing. There's even an 18-hole golf course in Fremersberg.

Here are some cool places to visit:

Getting Around Baden-Baden

Road Travel

The main road to Baden-Baden is the autobahn A5. This highway connects major cities like Basel and Frankfurt. It's about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the center of Baden-Baden.

There are also two bus stations for long-distance buses: one near the main train station and one at the airport.

Train Travel

Baden-Baden has three train stations. The most important one is Baden-Baden station.

Air Travel

Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport is located close to the town. It's the second-largest airport in Baden-Württemberg. In 2016, over 1.1 million passengers used it. It mostly handles flights from low-cost airlines and for vacations.

Sister Cities

Sign of Karlovy Vary's sister cities

Baden-Baden has special connections with other cities around the world, called "sister cities":

Baden-Baden in Books and Movies

Baden-Baden has appeared in many stories and films!

• The famous Russian writer Turgenev wrote about Baden in his novel Smoke.
• Another Russian writer, Dostoyevsky, wrote his novel The Gambler while he was gambling a lot at the town's casino.
• The novel Summer in Baden-Baden by Leonid Tsypkin was inspired by Dostoyevsky's visit.
• The 1975 movie The Romantic Englishwoman was filmed in Baden-Baden, showing the Brenner's Park Hotel.
• The 1997 Bollywood movie Dil To Pagal Hai was also filmed in the town.
• A pop song by Finnish songwriter Chisu mentions Baden-Baden.
• In the TV show "The Sopranos," a character mentions moving from Baden-Baden to New Jersey.

Famous People from Baden-Baden

Many interesting people have connections to Baden-Baden, including:

Emil Kessler

Francis Pigou

Sir William Des Vœux

Anna Zerr

Antoinette Bower, 1961

• Philip II, Margrave of Baden-Baden (1559–1588): A ruler of Baden-Baden.
• William, Margrave of Baden-Baden (1593–1677): Another ruler of the area.
• Ferdinand Maximilian of Baden-Baden (1625–1669): A prince from Baden-Baden.
• Emil Kessler (1813–1867): A businessman who started a company called Maschinenfabrik Esslingen.
• William Hespeler (1830–1921): A German-Canadian businessman and politician.
• Sir William Des Vœux (1834–1909): A British colonial governor who governed places like Fiji and Hong Kong.
• Prince Maximilian of Baden (1867–1929): A German prince and politician.
• Felix Gilbert (1905–1991): A German-American historian.
• Kai Whittaker (born 1985): A German politician.
• Anna Zerr (1822–1881): A German opera singer.
• Édouard Risler (1873–1929): A French pianist.
• Reinhold Schneider (1903–1958): A writer.
• Antoinette Bower (born 1932): A British-American actress.
• Tony Marshall (1938-2023): A pop and opera singer.
• Peter Griffin (1939-2007): A disco singer.
• Alexandra Kamp (born 1966): A German model and actress who grew up in Baden-Baden.
• Franz Carl Müller-Lyer (1857–1916): A psychologist who gave his name to the Müller-Lyer illusion.
• Joseph Vollmer (1871–1955): An engineer who designed cars and early tanks.
• Wolfgang Krull (1899–1971): A mathematician.
• Marco Grimm (born 1972): A football player.
• Frank Moser (born 1976): A professional tennis player.
• Magdalena Schnurr (born 1992): A German ski jumper.

Images for kids

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  Baden-Baden in 1910

See also

In Spanish: Baden-Baden para niños