Bad Kissingen

Germany

Bad Kissingen lies on the banks of the Franconian Saale. After 1815, the Bavarian state invested heavily in the spa areas of Bad Kissingen and ensured an enormous economic upswing during this time. The royal court architect Friedrich von Gärtner built the Kursaal, followed by the new cast-iron pavilion above the two important springs of Rakoczi and Pandur.

For the drinking cure in the spa town he constructed arcades and a depot for storage jars of the widely-known Kissingen mineral water. The following boom in the spa industry led to the construction of several bathing establishments, starting with the Salinen Baths in 1842 and then the Kurhaus Baths and the Luitpold baths.

The foundation of the German Empire and the linking up to the railway network in 1871 gave the spa another significant boost. Ecclesiastical buildings of various denominations, including a Russian Orthodox church, still bear witness to intercultural exchange today. The town also developed into a meeting place for artists and writers. New and highly representative spa buildings were commissioned, including a spa theatre, the Wandelhalle (covered walk) with integrated pump room and the Regent's House as a meeting place for the noble spa society. A dense fabric of gardens and parkland was created around the spa area, including the landscape gardens of the Kurpark, the Altenberg, Luitpoldpark and the Rose Garden.

From the early 19th century onwards, the spa gradually spread out over the surrounding landscape, eventually including the promenades and walking paths into the woods, which lead to popular restaurants, noteworthy natural attractions and scenic viewpoints.

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