Schlangenbad
Encyclopedia
Schlangenbad is a community in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis
in the Regierungsbezirk
of Darmstadt
in Hesse
, Germany
.
in a sheltered location on a valley slope on the southern slope of the Taunus
12 km (7.5 mi) from Wiesbaden
, 7 km (4.3 mi) from Eltville
and 7 km (4.3 mi) from Bad Schwalbach
.
, in the east on the town of Taunusstein
and the district-free city of Wiesbaden
, in the south on the town of Eltville
and the community of Kiedrich
and in the west on the town of Oestrich-Winkel
.
as a Schonklima, which means a climate with temperatures that never get too high (no higher than 21 °C (69.8 °F) in the warmest months) and without great temperature fluctuations, usually occurring together with good shelter from prevailing winds. It does, however, cool off quite sharply in the nighttime. This moderate climate is comparable to a Mediterranean climate
.
The temperate climate permits a remnant population of Aesculapian Snake
s to survive in the area, despite the general cooling of the climate in what is now Germany. These snakes were once widespread in Middle Europe in warmer times, but are now otherwise only found in Mediterranean lands. Indeed snakes are Schlangenbad’s namesake: the community’s name literally means “Snake Bath” in German
.
Schlangenbad’s thermal springs were discovered in the mid 17th century. Today, nine springs are running altogether. They issue from the ground at temperatures between 21 °C (69.8 °F) and 32 °C (89.6 °F) on the south slope of the Bärstädter Kopf. Rheumatic
and other inflammatory illnesses are treated at the spa
.
Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis
Rheingau-Taunus is a Kreis in the west of Hesse, Germany. Neighboring districts are Limburg-Weilburg, Hochtaunuskreis, Main-Taunus, district-free Wiesbaden, Mainz-Bingen, Rhein-Lahn.-Geography:...
in the Regierungsbezirk
Regierungsbezirk
In Germany, a Government District, in German: Regierungsbezirk – is a subdivision of certain federal states .They are above the Kreise, Landkreise, and kreisfreie Städte...
of Darmstadt
Darmstadt (region)
Darmstadt is one of the three Regierungsbezirke of Hesse, Germany, located in the south of the state.- External links :*...
in Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Location
The community, which is a health resort (Kurort), lies 320 m (1,049.9 ft) above sea levelSea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
in a sheltered location on a valley slope on the southern slope of the Taunus
Taunus
The Taunus is a low mountain range in Hesse, Germany that composes part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains. It is bounded by the river valleys of Rhine, Main and Lahn. On the opposite side of the Rhine, the mountains are continued by the Hunsrück...
12 km (7.5 mi) from Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
, 7 km (4.3 mi) from Eltville
Eltville
Eltville am Rhein is a town in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road ....
and 7 km (4.3 mi) from Bad Schwalbach
Bad Schwalbach
Bad Schwalbach is the district seat of Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany.- Geographic Location :Bad Schwalbach is a spa town some 20 km northwest of Wiesbaden. It lies at 289 to 465 m above sea level in the Taunus, along the small river Aar...
.
Neighbouring communities
Schlangenbad borders in the north on the town of Bad SchwalbachBad Schwalbach
Bad Schwalbach is the district seat of Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany.- Geographic Location :Bad Schwalbach is a spa town some 20 km northwest of Wiesbaden. It lies at 289 to 465 m above sea level in the Taunus, along the small river Aar...
, in the east on the town of Taunusstein
Taunusstein
Taunusstein is the biggest town in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. It consists of more than 29,000 inhabitants.- Location :...
and the district-free city of Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
, in the south on the town of Eltville
Eltville
Eltville am Rhein is a town in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road ....
and the community of Kiedrich
Kiedrich
Kiedrich is a community in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany.- Location :The community lies in the Rheingau on the south slope of the Taunus, some 2 km north of the town of Eltville am Rhein and 3 km from the banks of the Rhine.- Neighbouring...
and in the west on the town of Oestrich-Winkel
Oestrich-Winkel
Oestrich-Winkel is a town in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany.- Location :This is a young town with roughly 12,000 inhabitants, having come into being in 1972 through the merger of the self-governing communities of Mittelheim, Oestrich and Winkel;...
.
Constituent communities
Schlangenbad’s Ortsteile are the state-recognized health resort of Schlangenbad and its outlying centres of Georgenborn, Wambach, Bärstadt, Hausen vor der Höhe, Obergladbach and Niedergladbach.Climate
In Schlangenbad, the climate is what is known in GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
as a Schonklima, which means a climate with temperatures that never get too high (no higher than 21 °C (69.8 °F) in the warmest months) and without great temperature fluctuations, usually occurring together with good shelter from prevailing winds. It does, however, cool off quite sharply in the nighttime. This moderate climate is comparable to a Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
.
The temperate climate permits a remnant population of Aesculapian Snake
Aesculapian Snake
The Aesculapian Snake is a nonvenomous snake native to Europe.-Description:They hatch at around 30 cm and average at around 110 cm but can grow up to 200 cm . They are dark, long, slender, and shiny...
s to survive in the area, despite the general cooling of the climate in what is now Germany. These snakes were once widespread in Middle Europe in warmer times, but are now otherwise only found in Mediterranean lands. Indeed snakes are Schlangenbad’s namesake: the community’s name literally means “Snake Bath” in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
Spa operations
Schlangenbad’s thermal springs were discovered in the mid 17th century. Today, nine springs are running altogether. They issue from the ground at temperatures between 21 °C (69.8 °F) and 32 °C (89.6 °F) on the south slope of the Bärstädter Kopf. Rheumatic
Rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
and other inflammatory illnesses are treated at the spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
.
Sport and leisure facilities
- Thermal outdoor swimming pool with kelosauna
- Aeskulap-Therme (baths)
- Schlangenbad tennis courts
- Heinz Grein-Sporthalle Georgenborn
- Sporthalle Bärstadt
- Hausen football pitch
Hiking trails
- The RheinsteigRheinsteigThe Rheinsteig is a hiking trail following a mainly elevated path along the righthand side of the river Rhine in Germany, its 320 km route stretches from Bonn to Wiesbaden, running parallel to the Rheinhöhenweg Trail and Rheinburgenweg Trail.-Description:...
, a new trail from Schloss Biebrich near Wiesbaden to Bonn by way of the Loreley, the “Enemy Brothers” castles (Liebenstein and Sterrenberg) and Lahneck CastleLahneck CastleLahneck Castle is a medieval fortress located in the city of Lahnstein in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, south of Koblenz. The 13th-century castle stands on a steep rock salient above the confluence of the Lahn River with the Rhine, opposite Castle Stolzenfels, in the district of Oberlahnstein...
. - HikingHikingHiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trail to RauenthalEltvilleEltville am Rhein is a town in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road ....
about 45 minutes away, with an outstanding view over the Rhine Gorge. - Loop trails at the "Förster-Bitter-Eiche" carpark near the "Hinterlandswald".
Community council
The municipal election held on 26 March 2006 yielded the following results:| Parties and voter communities | % 2006 |
Seats 2006 |
% 2001 |
Seats 2001 |
|
| CDU | Christian Democratic Union of Germany | 48.3 | 15 | 38.0 | 12 |
| SPD | Social Democratic Party of Germany Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
26.1 | 8 | 35.6 | 11 |
| GREENS | Bündnis 90/Die Grünen | 12.4 | 4 | 9.6 | 3 |
| FDP | Free Democratic Party Free Democratic Party (Germany) The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government... |
8.9 | 3 | 12.5 | 4 |
| PRO | PRO-Schlangenbad | 4.2 | 1 | 4.2 | 1 |
| Total | 100.0 | 31 | 100.0 | 31 | |
| Voter turnout in % | 57.7 | 59.0 | |||
Sons and daughters of the town
- Ludwig von Lauter (1855–1929), PrussiaPrussiaPrussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n artillery generalGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given.... - Max KnollMax KnollMax Knoll was a German electrical engineer.Knoll was born in Wiesbaden and studied in Munich and at the Technical University of Berlin, where he obtained his doctorate in the Institute for High Voltage Technology...
(1897–1969), German electrical engineerElectrical engineeringElectrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
, codeveloper of the first electron microscopeElectron microscopeAn electron microscope is a type of microscope that uses a beam of electrons to illuminate the specimen and produce a magnified image. Electron microscopes have a greater resolving power than a light-powered optical microscope, because electrons have wavelengths about 100,000 times shorter than...
Former and current Schlangenbad residents
- Ludwig Berger (1892–1969), filmmaker and writer
- Volker SchlöndorffVolker SchlöndorffVolker Schlöndorff is a Berlin-based German filmmaker who has worked in Germany, France and the United States...
(1939– ), filmmaker and Oscar winner - Wolf von Lojewski (1937– ), television moderator