Wellness and well-being in a historical ambiance

Could there be a better place for beauty treatments and day spa arrangements than the traditional Badhaus spa at the Radisson Blu Schwarzer Bock Hotel in Wiesbaden, the oldest grand hotel in Germany with the famous “Kochbrunnen” spring water?

A one-of-a-kind place for health, relaxation, spa and treatments. Here, a 500-year-old thermal spa tradition meets contemporary wellness offers: traditional baths, a thermal pool, Finnish sauna, a steam room, quiet relaxation areas – and special massage, beauty and health treatments. Whether for a few hours or as a wellness weekend for two: Here, you’ll find the fountain of youth for your well-being.

Hotel guests from all over the world and wellness guests from Wiesbaden and the region enjoy the unique combination of the lovingly restored, heritage-protected bathhouse architecture and the purist style of the spa area at our Badhaus. The use of true thermal water from the neighboring “Kochbrunnen” spring continues the long bathhouse tradition in Wiesbaden and is an unparalleled therapeutic treasure today.

Here you can leave the hustle and bustle of everyday life behind you and find peace and relaxation. Immerse yourself and let yourself be pampered!

The Badhaus spa at the Radisson Blu Schwarzer Bock Hotel in Wiesbaden is over 500 years old. On it`s anniversary, the historical bathhouse is shining in new splendor. The heritage-protected art nouveau spa and its annex have been elaborately restored with great care and attention to detail.

In the treatment, bath and massage rooms in the heritage-protected part of the spa building, the water taps made of bronze, the brass handrails, the high white wooden doors, and some of the art deco tiles have been preserved. The stone tubs built into the ground have been modernized for the requirements of today’s spa visitors. The Badhaus hallway with its high vaulted ceiling, the decorative marble-clad walls and pillars, and the 13 ornate white wooden doors with transom windows creates an incomparably relaxing bathhouse atmosphere.

The Spa Area in the annex has a modern, purist design that refreshingly contrasts with the art nouveau style. Straight lines, large spaces and a harmonious combination of ceramic flooring, mineral wall surfaces and subtle lighting create a relaxing atmosphere for spa guests.

Observant spa guests will find the Schwarzer Bock emblem in many spots. Because, for all the tradition and solitude, it’s always good to know you’re still at the Badhaus at the Schwarzer Bock.

Badhaus history in Wiesbaden

1486 The “Schwarzer Bock” opens as a bathhouse in Wiesbaden. This recorded year still graces the door of the hotel bar. The hotel dating back o 1486 is the oldest enterprise in the city of Wiesbaden. Why did they choose the name “Schwarzer Bock”? Legend has it that the first owner of the bathhouse was the mayor Philipp zu Bock. As he had black hair, his house was called “Zum schwarzen Bock.”

1578 The Schwarzer Bock and the town of Wiesbaden suffer great damage in a fire. The house is newly rebuilt by Hermann Burg.
1637 In the middle of the 30 Years’ War, it is recorded: “Zum Bock has been fairly ravaged and now has no inhabitants.” At the end of the war, only 51 citizens were left in the small town of Wiesbaden.

1662 It is documented that the “Bock” has reopened: It even has two public baths.

1672 Louis XIV’s troops march through Wiesbaden again. The city is secured with trenches, gates and towers.

1677 The main damage from the 30 Years’ War has been repaired and in the list of bathhouses the “Bock” is called “Zum Schwarzen Bock.”

1712 The “Schwarzer Bock” is newly rebuilt and expanded in the same year through the acquisition of further property.

1717 Johann Philipp Schramm, the valet of Prince Georg August Samuel, becomes the owner of the “Schwarzer Bock” by marrying his widow. To make his bathhouse profitable, he installs a horse bath: an attraction for the small town.  

1726 Die acht abnahmeberechtigten Badhausbesitzer ernennen jährlich zwei Brunnenmeister, die die Aufsicht, Reparatur und Reinigung des Kochbrunnens besorgen. Das Quellwasser dient nicht nur der Eigenversorgung von Bädern, sondern es wird vielfach nach Mainz, Frankfurt und andere Orte verkauft.

1736 Der „Schwarze Bock“ floriert und erhält die Auszeichnung „Badehaus ersten Ranges“.

1749 Nach dem Tode Schramms geht der „Schwarze Bock“ in die Hände des Chirurgen und Hospitalsverwalters Johann Daniel Freinsheim über, dessen Witwe das Badhaus bis 1779 weiterführt. Daraufhin folgt eine Erbteilung. Die Frankfurter Damen lassen sich im Ehevertrag garantieren, daß sie einmal im Jahr zur Kur nach Wiesbaden dürfen — ohne ihre Männer. Ende des Jahrhunderts Neuer Besitzer ist der Badhauseigentümer(„Spiegel“) Ferdinand Daniel Bergmann. Dieser lässt das Pferde-Bad eingehen, denn: „In den Kriegsjahren wollte sich jedermann desselben unentgeltlich bedienen … „

1818 Der zu einem gediegenen Wohlstand gekommene Besitzer Bergmann stirbt. Seine Frau führt noch vier Jahre den Betrieb weiter und übergibt dann das Anwesen ihrem Schwiegersohn Chistian Bauer, von Beruf Postsekretär. Bauer unterhält neben dem Badehaus die Posthalterei und auch eine Weinwirtschaft. Auf Anraten der Nassauischen Regierung richtet er wieder ein Pferdebad ein, das Platz für zwei Pferde bietet. Goethe kurt im „Schwarzen Bock“ und verfasst die sinnigen Zeilen: „Beim Baden sei die erste Pflicht, dass man sich nicht den Kopf zerbricht, und dass man höchsten nur studiere, wie man das lustigste Leben führe“.

1834 Der „Bock“ wird an das Ehepaar Rudolph verkauft.

1860/61 Das Ehepaar gibt den „Bock“ an ihre beiden Töchter weiter. Das Haus hat inzwischen 47 Räume und kann täglich 50 Bäder abgeben. Die Gäste haben in den Badehäusern lediglich Unterkunft und Bäder; verköstigen müssen sie sich selbst; sie kochen das Essen auf den Öfen ihrer Zimmer.

1865 Dostojewski schreibt im „Schwarzen Bock“ an seinem Roman „Der Spieler“ — das Casino ist gerade um die Ecke. Er verspielt beim Roulette seine Reisekasse. Zudem wechselt der Besitz des „Schwarzen Bock“ an den Kaufmann Theodor August Schäfer.

1899 Schäfer erwirbt das anschließende Gasthaus „Zur goldenen Kette“ dazu. Alle Badhäuser, die um den Kranzplatz herum liegen, haben nun ein beachtliches Alter und können kaum mehr den Ansprüchen standhalten. Das erkennt auch Schäfer: Der „Schwarze Bock“ und die „Goldene Kette“ mit dem Badhaus „Zum Schwarzen Bock“ werden abgerissen, an ihre Stelle tritt vor dem 1. Weltkrieg ein moderner Neubau. Nach Vereinigung der „Goldenen Kette“ mit dem Badhaus „Zum Schwarzen Bock“ befinden sich sämtliche Quellen auf dem Gelände des „Schwarzen Bock“, und dessen Besitzer greifen den Gedanken auf, sie zu einer Quelle zu vereinigen und diese neu zu fassen. Man will dadurch eine Vereinfachung der bisherigen Besitz- und Anteilverhältnisse und eine Verbesserung der hygienischen Zustände herbeiführen.

1906 Eine diesbezügliche Vorlage beim Magistrat wird genehmigt: Die Stadt stellt die Anlage her, und die Kosten werden anteilsmäßig auf die Badhausbesitzer verteilt. Die neue gemeinsame Quelle erhält den Namen „Drei Lilien Quelle“ in Anlehnung an die im Wiesbadener Wappen befindlichen drei Lilien. Wiesbaden ist nun, unberührt von der Weltgeschichte, eine Stadt von „europäischem Format“ und eine Weltkurstadt. Der „Schwarze Bock“ hat nun schon Bäder mit elektrischem Licht, Lifte und 220 Betten -Zimmerpreis 5 Mark!

1911/12 Das Dach des „Schwarzen Bock“ wird ausgebaut.

1919 Europa versinkt im Ersten Weltkrieg. Aber schon 1919 steht im Tagebuch eines Kurgastes: ‚Es ist sechs Uhr morgens. Von allen Straßen, Gassen und Wegen strömen die Kurgäste den Quellen zu…“

1927 Erstmals erscheint das Emblem des „Schwarzen Bock“ auf dem Hotelbriefkopf.

1929 Der „Schwarze Bock“ hat 260 Zimmer, alle mit fließend Wasser und immer noch für nur 5 Mark.

1929-31 In addition to the bath units on the ground floor, upper-level baths are also established and the left side wing is also expanded during this time.

1951 After the Second World War, Karl-Heinz Schäfer gets his battered hotel back. The bombs have destroyed the upper floors. The facade is for the most part undamaged. The top floor is completely rebuilt. Just a year later, the “Bock” is standing again: “The first guests have already arrived and we can only accept so many reservations!” the receptionist tells the Wiesbadener Kurier.

1957 The final renovation work has been completed: the Schäfer family can present a new, modern “Schwarzer Bock.” Equipped with the latest technology of that time, it has approx. 160 rooms, some with antique furniture that adds special elegance. The Ingelheimer Room is especially glamorous with wood carvings from the 16th century and one of the most beautiful Renaissance ceilings from the year 1870/71.

1987 The Schäfer family sells: Frans-Pieter de Rooy from Amsterdam buys the hotel and leases it to Winfried D.E. Völcker, who also later purchased the “Schwarzer Bock.” He brought the “Schwarzer Bock” as the first German hotel into the association Distinguished Hotels of the World, the most famous member of which is the “Oriental Hotel” in Bangkok.

1993 The hotel is sold to the Deutsche Interhotel GmbH.

1995 to today; the “Schwarzer Bock” is managed by Radisson BLU. The 142 comfortable and stylishly furnished rooms all have air conditioning, marble bathrooms, ISDN phones, high speed Internet and wireless LAN. With its rich history, the “Badhaus” and its renowned thermal spa continues to be an attraction for all ages today. At the restaurant “Capricorne,” light and creative cuisine in an unconventional ambiance awaits guests. History meets modern art here. The atmosphere in the “Ingelheimer Room,” the event room for special occasions, still boasts the precious wainscots and wood carvings from the 16th century. 

1997 The owner of the company Schwarzer Bock Hotel Betriebs GmbH is now the Depfa Bank (today, Areal Bank) in 2003. The new owner of the Schwarzer Bock is the company Capital Hotel Management B.V.

1997-2010 During this time, extensive renovation work is carried out in multifarious areas: Restaurant Capricorne (1998), 3 new event rooms are created (2000), reception and conference rooms (2002), the kitchen and banquet terrace on the 5th floor (2003), rooms (2004/2005), the bar 1486 (2005), the kitchen and the Badhaus (2009/2010).

 
2010: The Badhaus spa reopens in new/old splendor.
On September 4, 2010, after extensive remodeling, the traditional Badhaus spa reopens with modern facilities. In the historical part of the spa, four units for the baths and massage treatments have been renovated and modernized to preserve the century-long tradition of bathing culture. In the back, modern part, the Spa Area, a Finnish sauna, a steam room and an experience shower have been installed. The swimming pool has also been completely renovated and the 5 x 7 m pool, located in the same place, is again run with over 86-degrees-warm spring water from the “Kochbrunnen” spring. In addition, there is a spacious quiet room with a view of the pool for undisturbed peace and relaxation. Guests can now choose between over 30 different treatments, relaxing baths, intensive massages, or face and body treatments offered by experienced wellness specialists for massages and cosmetics, and by salutologists who take care of the guests’ holistic health.
 
 

The Kochbrunnen in Wiesbaden is the best-known thermal spring in the city. This sodium-chloride spring was the center of the Wiesbaden drinking cure in the 19th century. The name “Kochbrunnen” (boiling fountain) refers to the water temperature of over 150 °F.

The spring at the Kochbrunnenplatz is first mentioned in 1366 as Bryeborn (Brühborn) and 1536 as Syedenborn (Siedeborn). The Kochbrunnen is an artesian spring that is, however, captured through a bore today. The productivity is around 360 liters/minute. The Kochbrunnen water has a temperature of around 150 °F when exiting, it smells faintly of hydrogen sulfide and tastes strongly salty. It is clear but turns turbid yellowish after 24 hours exposed to the air. The high carbonation initially contains the hardness in solution but once the water loses its carbonation calcium carbonate results. The oxidizing metals color the sinter, the mineral deposits, a red color.

The Kochbrunnen is one of the primary springs in Wiesbaden. Only a small water amount supplies the drinking spot at the Kochbrunnen pavillion and the “Kochbrunnenspringer.”

Some of the Wiesbaden grand hotels have grouped themselves around the square Kochbrunnenplatz and the neighboring Kranzplatz: for example, the oldest hotel in Germany, the “Schwarzer Bock” founded as early as 1486, the former “Palasthotel” – the first hotel with a telephone in the room – and “Hotel Rose” which has been housing the Hessian State Chancellery since September 2004.

Between the former foyer on the western edge of the square and the Kochbrunnen pavilion, there was the angular drinking hall, which was destroyed in the Second World War.

The Kochbrunnen water that springs right across from the Badhaus is used for a variety of treatments in the spa. You can drink the warm curative spring water directly at the Kochbrunnen square.

 

The pool is filled with water from the Kochbrunnen spring. Baths with the Kochbrunnen water in traditional stone tubs are especially popular.