The Great Spa Towns of Europe
Cultural
1613
2021
Cultural
The Great Spa Towns of Europe is a UNESCO World Heritage cultural, inscribed in 2021 (WHS 1613).
Criteria & Perimeter
Inscription criteria
(ii)(iii)
Category
Cultural
Summary
This transnational serial property comprises eleven spa towns, located in seven European countries: Baden bei Wien (Austria); Spa (Belgium); Františkovy Lázně; Karlovy Vary; Mariánské Lázně (Czechia); Vichy (France); Bad Ems; Baden-Baden; Bad Kissingen (Germany); Montecatini Terme (Italy); and City of Bath (United Kingdom). All of these towns developed around natural mineral water springs. They bear witness to the international European spa culture that developed from the early 18th century to the 1930s, leading to the emergence of grand international resorts that impacted urban typology around ensembles of spa buildings such as baths, kurhaus and kursaal (buildings and rooms dedicated to therapy), pump rooms, drinking halls, colonnades and galleries designed to harness the natural mineral water resources and to allow their practical use for bathing and drinking. Related facilities include gardens, assembly rooms, casinos, theatres, hotels and villas, as well as spa-specific support infrastructure. These ensembles are all integrated into an overall urban context that includes a carefully managed recreational and therapeutic environment in a picturesque landscape. Together, these sites embody the significant interchange of human values and developments in medicine, science and balneology.
Monuments in the Zone
Selection of protected monuments
- Eglise de La Chapelle-Huon — La Chapelle-Huon
- Hôtel Nepveu de Rouillon — Le Mans
- Immeuble de Nantes — Nantes
- Enclos funéraire de Saint-Joachim — Saint-Joachim
- Eglise Saint-Martin de Lacs — Lacs
- Hôtel de Charnières-Louet — Angers
- Enclos protohistorique — Saint-Avaugourd-des-Landes
- Ancienne celle grandmontaine de Montguyon — Placé
- Immeuble de Châteaudun — Châteaudun
- Phare de la Banche de La Baule-Escoublac — La Baule-Escoublac
- Croix en pierre du 15e siècle — Fougerolles
- Château de la Grandière — Grez-Neuville
- Château de Villedard de Yvoy-le-Marron — Yvoy-le-Marron
- Eglise Saint-Martin de Talcy — Talcy
- Immeuble de Nantes — Nantes
Appellations of the Landscape
Most-reviewed Loire appellations
| Appellation | Avg score | Reviews | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sancerre | 89.3 | 554 | White |
| Muscadet Sèvre et Maine | 88.6 | 237 | White |
| Pouilly-Fumé | 89.6 | 153 | White |
| Vouvray | 88.4 | 153 | White |
| Touraine | 86.3 | 85 | White |
| Chinon | 88.7 | 72 | Red |
| Menetou-Salon | 87.3 | 69 | White |
| Crémant de Loire | 87.5 | 54 | Sparkling |
| Val de Loire | 85.6 | 41 | White |
| Saumur | 88.4 | 40 | White |
| Anjou | 87.6 | 36 | White |
| Rosé d'Anjou | 84 | 35 | Rosé |
Data source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre (data.culture.gouv.fr). Last updated: April 14, 2026.