Exploring Baden-Baden: A Bavarian Gem?

Baden-Baden is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, which is in southwestern Germany. Baden-Baden is one of the world's great spas, with thermal saline and radioactive waters. The city is not in the state of Bavaria, which is the largest state in Germany and comprises the entire southeastern portion of the country.

Baden-Baden is in Baden-Württemberg, a state in southwestern Germany

Baden-Württemberg is renowned for its automobile industry, with companies like Daimler, Porsche, and Smart headquartered there. Tourism is also vital to the state's economy, especially in historic cities and regions like the Black Forest and Lake Constance.

Baden-Baden itself is a city known for its spa culture and thermal waters. It has a rich history, dating back to the Roman baths built during the reign of Caracalla (211-217 CE). The city was also the seat of the margravate of Baden until 1705 and has several notable buildings, including the casino, modern baths, and the Stiftskirche, the former parish church.

Baden-Baden is not to be confused with Bavaria, which is a separate state in southeastern Germany. Bavaria shares a border with Baden-Württemberg to the west.

Baden-Württemberg borders Bavaria to its west

Baden-Baden is a city in the state of Baden-Württemberg, in southwestern Germany. Baden-Württemberg borders Bavaria to its east.

Baden-Württemberg is a relatively new administrative area, having been created after World War II by combining the regions of Baden in the southwest, Württemberg-Baden in the north, and Württemberg-Hohenzollern in the southeast. These regions had been created by the occupying forces, and the historically more accurate administrative areas would be known as the Grand Duchy of Baden, the Kingdom of Württemberg, and the Province of Hohenzollern.

The Baden region lies in the southwest of Germany, with most of its major cities on the Upper Rhine Plain. The region is bounded by Lake Constance on the south and by the river Rhine on the south and west. To its west lies the French historical region of Alsace, to its south is Switzerland, the Palatinate to its northwest, Hesse to the north, and parts of Bavaria to the northeast. Its eastern border with the region of Württemberg runs from the Kraichgau through the Black Forest.

Baden-Baden is named after the margraves' residence, Hohenbaden Castle. The city is one of the world's great spas, with Roman baths built during the reign of Caracalla (211–217 CE) for the Strasbourg garrison. Baden-Baden's popularity as a spa dates from the early 19th century when the Prussian queen visited to improve her health. However, it reached its peak in the 1850s and 1860s, during the reign of Napoleon III, when it became a fashionable resort for European nobility and high society.

Baden-Baden is a spa town, famed for its Roman baths

Baden-Baden is not in Bavaria, but it is a spa town in the Black Forest in southwestern Germany, famed for its Roman baths. The town is named after the margraves' residence, Hohenbaden Castle. The Roman baths, parts of which still survive, were built during the reign of Caracalla (211–217 CE) for the Strasbourg garrison. The town fell into ruins and reappeared in 1112 as the seat of the margravate of Baden until 1705. The popularity of Baden-Baden as a spa dates from the early 19th century when the Prussian queen visited to improve her health. However, it became a fashionable resort for European nobility and high society under Napoleon III in the 1850s and 1860s.

The Roman bath ruins are one of the country's oldest and best-preserved examples of their work, offering a unique insight into ancient bathing culture. Visitors can take a guided tour or explore with a multilingual audio guide, learning about the Romans' appreciation of the thermal spring water's relaxing effects. The ruins lie beneath Römerplatz, with the museum accessible via Steinstraße or the Friedrichsbad underground car park.

The town's other notable buildings include the casino, modern baths, the Stiftskirche (now the parish church), the 15th-century Neues Schloss, the former residence of the margraves and grand dukes of Baden, and the ruins of the Altes Schloss, the Lichtental Convent, and the Greek Chapel. The resort is also known for its thermal, saline, and radioactive waters.

Overall, Baden-Baden's rich history, stunning architecture, and renowned spa culture make it a unique and captivating destination, attracting visitors worldwide seeking relaxation and a glimpse into the past.

Baden-Baden is a city along the middle Oos River in the Black Forest

Baden-Baden is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, in the southwest of the country. It is located along the middle Oos River in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald). The city is known for its thermal springs and has been a popular spa destination since the early 19th century.

The history of Baden-Baden dates back to ancient times, with the construction of Roman baths during the reign of Caracalla (211-217 CE). The town was later established as the seat of the margravate of Baden in 1112 and was occupied by French troops in 1688. A devastating fire in 1689 left the city in ruins, and it was revived in the late 18th century as a refuge for refugees of the French Revolution.

Baden-Baden's reputation as a spa town grew when the Prussian queen visited to improve her health. However, it became a fashionable resort for European nobility and high society under Napoleon III in the 1850s and 1860s. The city boasts several notable buildings, including the casino, modern baths, the Stiftskirche, and the 15th-century Neues Schloss, the former residence of the margraves and grand dukes of Baden.

The state of Baden-Württemberg, where Baden-Baden is located, is a relatively recent administrative area. It was created after World War II by combining the regions of Baden, Württemberg-Baden, and Württemberg-Hohenzollern. The region is known for its automobile industry, with companies like Daimler, Porsche, and Smart headquartered there. Additionally, tourism is an important part of the local economy, especially in the Black Forest region and around Lake Constance.

Baden-Baden is named after the margraves' residence, Hohenbaden Castle

Baden-Baden, a city in southwestern Germany, is named after the margraves' residence, Hohenbaden Castle. The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. In 1112, Hermann II of Baden first claimed the title of Margrave of Baden. The castle, located in Baden-Baden, was built around 1100 by Margrave Hermann II of Baden (1074–1130) on the west flank of the Battert rock. The oldest part of the complex, the Oberburg (upper castle), is built on a crest on the southwestern side of Battert Hill.

Hohenbaden Castle served as the residence of the margraves of Baden for almost 400 years. The Gothic lower castle was built under Margrave Bernard I (1372–1431) and was later expanded by Jacob, Margrave from 1431 to 1453. The Bernhardsbau, the main building in the castle's lower bailey (courtyard), is a testament to the heightened importance of the margraves of Baden.

In 1479, Margrave Christoph I moved the residence to the more comfortable Neues Schloss (New Palace) in the valley. The Old Castle then served as a widow's residence until it was destroyed by fire in 1599. The ruins of Hohenbaden Castle, with their fabulous views, remain one of the most attractive destinations in the northern Black Forest.

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