The Great Spa Towns of Europe is a transnational World Heritage Site consisting of a selection of 11 spa towns across seven European countries. They were developed around natural mineral water springs.[1][2] From the early 18th century to the 1930s, Western Europe experienced an increase in spa and bathing culture, leading to the construction of elaborate bath houses.[1] These would often include gardens, casinos, theatres, and villas surrounding the springs and the bath houses.[1][3]
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 The Roman Baths in Bath, England, one of the spa towns within the World Heritage Site | |
| Location | Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom |
| Includes | Eleven spa towns in Europe |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii)(iii) |
| Reference | 1613 |
| Inscription | 2021 (44th Session) |
| Area | 7,014 ha (17,330 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 11,319 ha (27,970 acres) |
Nomination
The city of Bath was originally inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1987.[4]
The efforts to get the Great Spas of Europe onto the World Heritage List began in 2012, and the nomination was submitted in 2019.[5] On 24 July 2021, the Great Spas of Europe was officially inscribed on the World Heritage List.[2]
List of spa towns
| Town | Country | ID[6] | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baden bei Wien |  Austria | 1613-001 |  |
| Spa |  Belgium | 1613-002 |  |
| Františkovy Lázně |  Czech Republic | 1613-003 |  |
| Karlovy Vary | Czech Republic | 1613-004 | .jpg) |
| Mariánské Lázně | Czech Republic | 1613-005 | _Kolonaden.JPG) |
| Vichy |  France | 1613-006 |  |
| Bad Ems |  Germany | 1613-007 |  |
| Baden-Baden | Germany | 1613-008 |  |
| Bad Kissingen | Germany | 1613-009 |  |
| Montecatini Terme |  Italy | 1613-010 |  |
| Bath |  United Kingdom | 1613-011 |  |
Map
References
External links
- Official website
- The Great Spa Towns of Europe UNESCO collection on Google Arts and Culture