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Baden-Baden is a town in Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg

Baden-W?rttemberg is one of the 16 States of Germany of the Federal Republic of Germany. Baden-W?rttemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine?but one which has some of its major cities straddling the banks of the Neckar River ....
, Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest
Black Forest

The Black Forest is a forest mountain range in Baden-W?rttemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south....
, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe (region)

Karlsruhe is one of the four administrative districts of Baden-W?rttemberg, Germany, located in the north-west of the state. It is subdivided into the three regional associations : Mittlerer Oberrhein , Unterer Neckar and Nordschwarzwald ....
.

History
The German
German language

German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
 word 'Baden' translates as 'to bath/bathe'. The springs of Baden-Baden were known to the Romans
Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the Roman Republic phase of the Ancient Rome, characterised by an autocracy form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, and the foundation of the town is referred to the emperor Hadrian
Hadrian

Publius Aelius Hadrianus , as emperor Imperator Caesar Divi Traiani filius Traianus Hadrianus Augustus, and Divus Hadrianus after his apotheosis, known as Hadrian in English language, was Roman Emperor of Roman Empire from AD 117 to 138, as well as a Stoicism and Epicureanism philosopher....
 by an inscription of somewhat doubtful authenticity. The name of Aurelia Aquensis was given to it in honour of Aurelius Severus
Alexander Severus

Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander, commonly called Alexander Severus, was the last Roman Emperors of the Severan dynasty, having succeeded, as heir apparent, his despised cousin, the eighteen year old Elagabalus who had been murdered along with his mother by his own guards—and as a mark of contempt, had their remains cast into...
, in whose reign it would seem to have been well known.






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Baden-Baden is a town in Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg

Baden-W?rttemberg is one of the 16 States of Germany of the Federal Republic of Germany. Baden-W?rttemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine?but one which has some of its major cities straddling the banks of the Neckar River ....
, Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
. It is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest
Black Forest

The Black Forest is a forest mountain range in Baden-W?rttemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south....
, on the banks of the Oos River, in the region of Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe (region)

Karlsruhe is one of the four administrative districts of Baden-W?rttemberg, Germany, located in the north-west of the state. It is subdivided into the three regional associations : Mittlerer Oberrhein , Unterer Neckar and Nordschwarzwald ....
.

History


The German
German language

German is a West Germanic languages, thus related to and classified alongside English language and Dutch language. It is one of the world's world language and the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union....
 word 'Baden' translates as 'to bath/bathe'. The springs of Baden-Baden were known to the Romans
Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the Roman Republic phase of the Ancient Rome, characterised by an autocracy form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, and the foundation of the town is referred to the emperor Hadrian
Hadrian

Publius Aelius Hadrianus , as emperor Imperator Caesar Divi Traiani filius Traianus Hadrianus Augustus, and Divus Hadrianus after his apotheosis, known as Hadrian in English language, was Roman Emperor of Roman Empire from AD 117 to 138, as well as a Stoicism and Epicureanism philosopher....
 by an inscription of somewhat doubtful authenticity. The name of Aurelia Aquensis was given to it in honour of Aurelius Severus
Alexander Severus

Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander, commonly called Alexander Severus, was the last Roman Emperors of the Severan dynasty, having succeeded, as heir apparent, his despised cousin, the eighteen year old Elagabalus who had been murdered along with his mother by his own guards—and as a mark of contempt, had their remains cast into...
, in whose reign it would seem to have been well known. Fragments of its ancient sculptures are still to be seen, and in 1847 remains of Roman vapour baths
Thermae

The terms balnea or thermae were the words the Ancient Rome used for the buildings housing their public baths.Most Roman cities had at least one, if not many, such buildings, which were centers of public bathing and socialization....
, well preserved, were discovered just below the New Castle.

The town was named Baden (without the repetition) in the Middle Ages. From the 14th century down to the end of the 17th, Baden-Baden was the residence of the margraves
Margrave

Margrave is the English language and French language form of the German language title Markgraf and certain equivalent nobiliary titles in other languages....
 of Baden
Baden

Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine River in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-W?rttemberg of Germany....
, to whom it gave its name. They first dwelt in the Old Castle, the ruins of which still occupy the summit of a hill above the town, but in 1479, they moved to the New Castle, which is situated on the hillside nearer to the town. During the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War

The Thirty Years' War was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history. The war was fought primarily in Germany and at various points involved most of the countries of Europe....
 and the Nine Years' War, Baden-Baden suffered severely from the various combatants, especially from the French, who pillaged it in 1643 and left it in ashes in 1689. The margrave Louis William
Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden

Louis William, Margrave of Baden , was the ruler of Baden-Baden in Germany and chief commander of the Holy Roman Empire army. He was also known as T?rkenlouis ....
 (popularly known as Türkenlouis) moved to Rastatt
Rastatt

Rastatt is a city in the Rastatt , Baden-W?rttemberg, Germany. It is located on the Murg river, 6 km above its junction with the Rhine and has a population of over 47,000 ....
 in 1705.

During the Second Congress of Rastatt
Second Congress of Rastatt

The Second Congress of Rastatt, which was opened in December 1797, was intended to rearrange the map of Germany by providing compensation for those princes whose lands on the left bank of the Rhine had been seized by France....
, Baden-Baden was rediscovered as a spa town. The 19th century saw the town rise to become a meeting place for celebrities, attracted by the hot springs as well as by the famous Casino, luxury hotels, horse races, and the gardens of the Lichtentaler Allee. Baden-Baden was then nicknamed the European summer capital. The Russian writer Dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky

Fyodor Mikhaylovich Dostoyevsky "An Honest Thief"* "Elka i svad'ba" ; English translation: "A Christmas Tree and a Wedding"* Belye nochi ; English translation: White Nights ...
 wrote The Gambler
The Gambler (novel)

The Gambler is a novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky about a young tutor in the employment of a formerly wealthy Russian General. The novella reflects Dostoevsky's own addiction to roulette, which was in more ways than one the inspiration for the book: Dostoevsky completed the novella under a strict deadline so he could pay off gambling debts....
 while compulsively gambling at the Baden-Baden Casino. Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms , composer and pianist, was one of the leading musicians of the Romantic music. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene....
' local residence, the Brahmshaus, can still be visited today.

In 1931, the town of Baden-Baden was officially given its double name which is the short form for "Baden in Baden" (i.e. Baden in the state of Baden). This was already in common use to distinguish the town from Baden bei Wien
Baden bei Wien

Baden is a spa town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria and the capital of the Baden . Located about 26 kilometres south of Vienna, frequently the name is given as Baden bei Wien ; this name, however, is not official, but can be used to distinguish it from other cities of the same name such as Baden-Baden or Baden, Switzerland....
 and Baden im Aargau
Baden, Switzerland

Baden is a Municipalities of Switzerland in the Switzerland Cantons of Switzerland of Aargau, on the west bank of the river Limmat, 25 km northwest of Z?rich....
. In both World Wars, the town escaped destruction. After World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, Baden-Baden became the headquarters of the French forces in Germany
Allied Occupation Zones in Germany

The Allies of World War II powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative purposes during the period 1945?1949....
.

Under the supervision of the French Air Force
French Air Force

The French Air Force is the air force of the Military of France. Formed in 1909 as the Service A?ronautique, it is the world?s oldest military air service....
, a military airfield was constructed at Baden-Söllingen between the Black Forest
Black Forest

The Black Forest is a forest mountain range in Baden-W?rttemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south....
 and the Rhine River, 15 km west of Baden-Baden; the runway and associated facilities were completed in June 1952. In 1953, units of the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force

The Royal Canadian Air Force was the air force of Canada from 1924 until 1968 when the three branches of the Canadian military were merged into the Canadian Forces....
 were accommodated at the base later known as CFB Baden-Soellingen
CFB Baden-Soellingen

Canadian Forces Base Baden-Soellingen or CFB Baden-Soellingen was a Canadian Forces base located near the farming community of Rheinm?nster-S?llingen in the West Germany state of Baden-W?rttemberg....
. In the 1990s, the base has been converted into a civil airport, the Baden Airpark
Baden Airpark

Baden Airpark , or officially Flughafen Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, is an international airport located in the state of Baden-W?rttemberg in Germany, 40 km south of Karlsruhe, 15 km west of Baden-Baden and 55 km north of Strasbourg, France....
, which is now the second-largest airport in Baden-Württemberg.

Sights


  • Kurhaus
  • The Casino
  • Friedrichsbad
  • Caracalla Spa
  • Lichtentaler Allee
  • Sammlung Frieder Burda
  • Old Castle "Hohenbaden", built in 1102, a ruin since the 15th century
  • New Castle, former residence of the margraves of Baden
  • The famous Festspielhaus Baden-Baden
    Festspielhaus Baden-Baden

    The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden is Germany's largest opera house and concert hall with 2,500 seats.Opened on April 18, 1998, the new building's architecture incorporates the former central train station of Baden-Baden which, today, is the ticket sales hall and the Festspielhaus restaurant "Aida"....
  • Ruins of Roman baths, ca. 2000 years old, excavated in 1847
  • Stiftskirche, a church including the tombs of fourteen margraves of Baden
  • "The Paradise" (Paradies), an Italian style Renaissance garden with lots of trick fountains
  • Mount Merkur with Merkurbergbahn
    Merkurbergbahn

    The Merkurbergbahn is a funicular in the town of Baden-Baden in Baden-W?rttemberg, Germany. The line climbs Mount Merkur, the location of the Observation Tower Baden-Baden Merkur....
     funicular
    Funicular

    A funicular, also known as a funicular railway, incline, inclined railway, inclined plane, or cliff railway, is a type of self-contained cable railway in which a wire rope attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on Rail tracks#Railway rail moves them up and down a very steep slope, the ascending and descending v...
     railway and observation tower
    Observation Tower Baden-Baden Merkur

    The observation tower Baden-Baden Merkur is an observation tower on Mount Merkur near Baden-Baden, at 8?16'50" E and 48?45'52" N. The tower has been in use since April 8, 1950 by the former SWF as a transmission tower for FM-radio and, since 1953, television....
  • Fremersberg Tower
    Fremersberg Tower

    Fremersberg Tower is an 83 metre tall telecommunication tower built of reinforced concrete with an observation deck 30 metres above ground. There is a small restaurant located next to the tower....


Trivia, interesting facts


Former US President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He was the fifteenth Democrat elected to that office....
 was so taken by this little town that he stated "Baden-Baden is so nice they had to name it twice"

Much of Joseph Losey
Joseph Losey

Joseph Losey was an United States theater and film director. After studying in Germany with Bertolt Brecht, Losey returned to the United States, eventually making his way to Hollywood....
's 1975 movie The Romantic Englishwoman
The Romantic Englishwoman

The Romantic Englishwoman is a 1975 in film United Kingdom film directed by Joseph Losey. It stars Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson and marks the feature-length screen debut for Kate Nelligan....
 was filmed on location in the town, with the Brenner's Park Hotel featuring particularly prominently.

From September 23 to September 28 1981, the XIth Olympic Congress
Olympic Congress

An Olympic Congress is a large gathering of representatives from the different constituencies of the Olympic Movement, organised by the International Olympic Committee ....
 took place in the Kurhaus in Baden-Baden.

The England Football Team were based near Baden-Baden at Hotel Bühlerhöhe (Schwarzwaldhochstraße
Schwarzwaldhochstraße

The Schwarzwaldhochstra?e, or Black Forest High Street, is the oldest and one of the best known themed drives in Germany. It is a part of the Bundesstra?e 500....
) during the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup

The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the Anniversary#Latin-derived numerical names international football world championship tournament....
, while their wives and girlfriends stayed at the local Brenner's Park Hotel.

External links

  • , New York Times
    The New York Times

    The New York Times is an American daily newspaper published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"?named for its staid appearance and style?is regarded as a national newspaper of record....
    , July 9, 2006