A statue of the goddess Diana Abnoba stands in front of a pool at the Badenweiler thermal baths. A woman swims in the pool.

Bathing like a RomanA historical delight

29.8.20243 min. read time

Even the Romans appreciated the benefits of thermal springs. We delve into the history of the popular wellness temples.

BW Story - Bernd SautterAbout tingling baths in thermal springs

Applied historical sciences, so to speak. This historical source work is something to be proud of: An exquisite pleasure, even if you are not so well versed in ancient history. Tingling baths, pleasant temperatures and a feeling under your skin as if you had been reborn. The Romans already knew how to create such a state. Today we would call it wellness. We enjoy it at a historical site. Admittedly, today's ambience is no longer originally Roman. But that's a good thing. The soap brushes from back then would be pretty bristly today. However, we are very pleased that the most important thing has remained unchanged: the healing water. Today, as then, one million liters of warm water gushes out of the thermal spring in Badenweiler - every day!
Today, as then, the spring water is at the perfect temperature: 26,4 degrees Celcius. The natural mix of minerals alleviates rheumatic problems, has a beneficial effect on the intervertebral discs and helps with many an inflammation. Even the Romans felt this.

Excavations of the bath ruins bear witness to Roman history.

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However, we are happy to admit that the pleasurable experience is more important than any medical benefits. Keyword: letting your mind wander. In the here and now of the thermal warm water pool. With massage bubbles, of course. If it's good for the body at the same time, so much the better. Even the Romans knew that the claim to healing is hardly ever fulfilled by water. A blessing, certainly. But healing? The relevant deities were invoked for this. The goddess of ancient Badenweiler was called Diana Abnoba. Her name is carved in stone. Over at the remains of the original Roman baths.

One person swimming in the outdoor pool at the Badenweiler Therme in good weather

Some visitors swim in the outdoor pool. In the background are trees and a swimming pool, which is covered by a dome.

A semi-circular glass roof covers part of the outdoor area. Large trees, two small palm trees and a cyclist surround the glass roof.

A woman is swimming in a pool inside the thermal baths. There is a statue on the right-hand side of the pool.

In the Badenweiler thermal baths, guests swim in an antique ambience.

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You can tell from the foundations: Wellness back then was only marginally different from today's practices. People took saunas, bathed and enjoyed a massage. People chatted, gossiped and kept up to date. Some did business. Others fell in love. Still others did what we do today: Nothing. You have to be able to laze around sometimes. We can see the stone remains of the former baths from the pools of today's Cassiopeia Therme. It was built on this site 250 years ago. The complex is an impressive 3800 square meters in size. It has everything the Romans would have loved: a sauna area, countless special pools and a Roman-Irish area. Wonderful!

A woman with a blue towel is sitting on a wooden staircase in the sauna on the right. To her left, a fire burns in a white plastered tiled stove.

A woman walks out of a wooden log cabin wrapped in a blue towel. Above the door is the name Feuersauna and to the right is a large pile of layered wood.

The fire sauna has a very special ambience.

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There really is a terrible wellness gap between antiquity and modernity. In this respect, the Middle Ages must have been grim. No baths, personal hygiene only at home, if at all. The Romans withdrew from Badenweiler as early as the Alemannic invasion in 260. It was not until the end of the 18th century that the remains of the ancient bathing culture were discovered in two places in what is now Baden-Württemberg: Badenweiler and Baden-Baden. So much bathing in Baden - that can't be a coincidence.

The valley in which Baden-Baden is located today was also part of the Roman Empire at the time. The Limes was built a few hundred kilometers to the north. As a protective wall against those who had no idea about Roman culture (and bathing culture). The Roman settlement was called Aquae. After what bubbles up from the fine spring. There, the Romans let their gods be good people while they enjoyed themselves in the thermal waters.

A woman walks along a glass façade next to a swimming pool. Outside, behind the glass windows, there are some deckchairs and lots of trees.

Guests can enjoy an idyllic view of the Black Forest during the stay.

A hot affair, by the way. Water shoots out of the ground into the fresh air at up to 68 degrees Celsius. We enjoy the bathing rituals of the time in the Caracalla thermal baths. As is common today, Roman-Irish spa treatments are offered, a more sophisticated version of the traditions of the time. The Irish doctor Richard Barther once supplemented the Roman bathing culture, i.e. various warm thermal baths, with Irish hot air baths. Not just hot air! There are an astonishing 17 stations on the earthly path to Roman-Irish well-being, including hot air steam baths, thermal bubble baths, cream massages and, of course, the wonderful soap brush massage.

It's a dream how this history lesson gets under your skin. We are bathing in the 19th century. The Friedrichsbad enjoys a worldwide reputation. It is said to be one of the most beautiful baths in the world. A living monument to bathing culture. We can confirm this. Wellness is now available in many places. But wellness under an 18-metre-high historic dome that you have all to yourself: an unforgettable experience. 17 stations of pure renaissance, pure resurrection of your own spirits. To round off the wellness journey, a fine tea is served in the relaxation room at the end. It's amazing how well Roman and Irish tradition go together. How do we get back to normal life now?We don't have to. The Caracalla Therme offers more - and there are still a few hours left in the day. We round off the historic wellness day in the marble pool in the outdoor area. You could also say that we swim through the middle of Baden-Baden's palace park. Now we only have one thing left to decide: Which menu to end this timelessly wonderful day of well-being with? A small appetite is definitely noticeable. On the other hand, we are confident. Baden-Baden gives us no chance of making a bad choice in the culinary field.