In the city of Baden-Baden, in Baden-Württemberg Land, southwestern Germany

 “Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” -- Hermann Hesse

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(in a valley of the Northern Black Forest in southwestern Germany) The city of Baden-Baden, in Baden-Württemberg Land (state), lies along the middle Oos River in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald). Baden-Baden is one of the world’s great spas. Its Roman baths (parts of which survive) were built in the reign of Caracalla (211–217 CE) for the garrison of Strasbourg. The town fell into ruins but reappeared in 1112 as the seat (until 1705) of the margravate of Baden. The city was occupied by French troops in 1688, and it was almost entirely destroyed by a fire the following year. It was revived in the late 18th century as an asylum for refugees of the French Revolution. The popularity of Baden-Baden as a spa dates from the early 19th century, when the Prussian queen visited the site to improve her health, but it reached its zenith under Napoleon III during the 1850s and ’60s, when it became a resort for European nobility and society. Notable buildings include the casino, the modern baths, the Stiftskirche (with tombs of the margraves) and the 15th-century Neues Schloss, the former castle-residence of the margraves and later of the grand dukes of Baden. Nearby are the ruins of the Altes Schloss, the Lichtental Convent (founded in 1254), and the Greek Chapel. The resort is popular for its thermal saline and radioactive waters.

+ Baden-Baden's curative waters and air of old-world luxury have attracted royals, the rich, and celebrities over the years -– including Barack Obama, Bismarck, Queen Victoria, and Victoria Beckham. This city still has grand colonnaded buildings and whimsically turreted art nouveau villas spread across hillsides framed by forested mountains. The bon vivant spirit of France, just across the border, is tangible in its open-air cafes, chic boutiques, and pristine gardens fringing the Oos River. With its temple-like thermal baths -– which put the Baden (bathe) in Baden -– and palatial casino, the allure of this grand dame of German spa towns is as timeless as it is enduring.

+ In 2021, Baden-Baden became part of the transnational UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name "Great Spa Towns of Europe," because of its famous spas and architecture that exemplifies the popularity of spa towns in Europe from the 18th through 20th centuries.

+ Pictured here is The Casino im Kurhaus, which has been an architectural landmark of Baden-Baden for nearly 200 years. The city stands above all for cure, casino, and horse racing. The French financier Bénazet received a concession for the casino here in 1838. He also took care of the expansion of the city and cultural life. Artists and writers from all over Europe enriched the cultural life of the city. The high nobility and the fine society travelled to Baden-Baden mainly for the cure. The Kurhaus, with an integrated casino, became the epitome of European spa culture.