Baden-Baden, Germany

   

So, why did the town get a double name?  Baden is plural for "bath" in an older form of the German language.  Because of the hot springs, the town has been known for its baths since Roman times.  Other towns with hot springs were also called Baden (Baden near Vienna, Austria and Baden near Zurich, Switzerland), so the town in Germany became known as Baden-Baden to distinguish it from the other bath towns.  Baden-Baden was an informal name until 1931 when it became the official name of the town.   

This is the Trinkhalle or pump house.  This is where the hot water from the spring gets directed to the spa.  It also serves as the visitor center.

The outside of the building is covered in murals.

The temperature of the water varies from 115° - 153° depending on which spring is the source.  It is rich in salt. 

This is the Friedrichsbad Bath.  It was built in the 1800s.  In the old days, they had separate entrances for men and women.  Today, everyone can go in the same door.  In fact, everyone can participate in the 17 step spa treatment together - stark naked.  This article explains the routine:
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/12/fashion/at-the-friedrichsbad-baths-in-germany.html 

This sculpture decorated the ancient Roman baths.

We visited the ruins of the Roman soldier's baths.

This is the Casino Baden-Baden.  Besides being a spa town, Baden-Baden is a gambling town.  There were games of chance in Baden-Baden in 1748.  Jacques Bénezet remodeled the gaming halls from 1852-55, and they look much the same today.  The casino closed from 1872-1933 when the attitude in Germany was that gambling was immoral.  The casino closed again from 1944-1950. 

Tours occur in the morning before the casino opens for business.  The fee for a tour is 7€.  You can show up dressed in casual clothes for the tour; however, men must wear a jacket, shirt, and tie for gambling.  Women are instructed to wear "appropriate attire."  

We began our tour in the Austrian Salon.  This is where you change money into chips.  The casino accepts all major world currencies and credit cards.  This is the only room with a natural light source - the stained-glass dome at the top of the picture.

Gorgeous

Salon Pompadour
This is a replica of Madame Pompadour's bedroom in the Petit Trianon.  She was the mistress of Louis XV of France.  The town registry office holds weddings here once per month.    

This is the Red Hall, based on the hall of Versailles, Louis XIV style.

Bénezet Hall
This room contains a full wall portrait of Jacques Bénezet, the most famous leaseholder of the casino.  Did Elvis descend from this guy?

This bar is beautiful.

We received a parting gift - two tickets to enter the casino during gambling hours.  While the tour costs 7€, the casino entrance fee is only 5€.  If you only want to play the slot machines, you pay a 1€ fee.  We didn't return.

Our final activity during our day in Baden-Baden was a stroll through Lichtentaler Allee, a historic park and arboretum that runs along the west bank of the Oos River.  

You can't go to Germany without visiting a beer garden.

I had Schweinebraten aus dem Rohr - roasted pork with beer sauce, bavarian cabbage, and dumplings.  Yummy!
Actually, I would have to say that it was so good that I had to declare it yummy-yummy.

I washed it down with a Lowenbrau.