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
editThe 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
edit| Town | Country | ID[6] | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baden bei Wien | 1613-001 | ||
| Spa | 1613-002 | ||
| Františkovy Lázně | 1613-003 | ||
| Karlovy Vary | 1613-004 | ||
| Mariánské Lázně | 1613-005 | ||
| Vichy | 1613-006 | ||
| Bad Ems | 1613-007 | ||
| Baden-Baden | 1613-008 | ||
| Bad Kissingen | 1613-009 | ||
| Montecatini Terme | 1613-010 | ||
| Bath | 1613-011 |
Map
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "The Great Spa Towns of Europe". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
- ^ a b "Five sites in the Arab and Europe regions inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
- ^ Nomination of the Great Spas of Europe for inclusion on the World Heritage List (Report). United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ "Bath another step closer to second World Heritage listing". somersetlive.co.uk. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- ^ "11 European cities nominate The Great Spas of Europe for UNESCO World Heritage List". sheritagetribune.eu. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- ^ "The Great Spa Towns of Europe : Multiple locations". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
External links
edit- Official website
- The Great Spa Towns of Europe UNESCO collection on Google Arts and Culture