The Elisenbrunnen Spa culture in <strong>Aachen</strong> <strong>Aachen</strong>‘s most important natural capital is its mineralrich thermal water, which surfaces through more than 30 springs within the town boundaries, reaching a temperature of 50°C. The thermal springs in the suburb of Burtscheid are even hotter, at more than 74°C. From when the Romans built a first settlement in the <strong>Aachen</strong> basin in the last century BC, they exploited the healing properties of the hot springs. Where the Hof stands today, they erected a first thermal spa, followed later by more spas at Büchel, on the site of today‘s Cathedral and probably also on the Market Place. Even after the end of the Roman period in the middle of the 5th Century, it would seem that parts of these large spa complexes remained intact. From at least 765 on, the Carolingian kings of Franconia used <strong>Aachen</strong> as their winter palace. <strong>Aachen</strong>‘s thermal springs gave <strong>Charlemagne</strong> relief from the ailments of old age, and so he took to spending the whole year there. health and spa resort began. Its thermal water was used more for internal and external treatment of rheumatism, inflammations and skin diseases, organ damage, poisoning, syphilis, asthma, mental distress and other ailments. <strong>Aachen</strong> was transformed into a fashionable health and spa resort. A luxury spa complex was erected around Komphausbadstraße for distinguished guests from all over Europe. A multitude of new spa buildings, bath houses, parks, promenades, drinking fountains, hotels and ballrooms dominated the townscape in the 18th and 19th century. Spa guests devoted their time to theatre, dancing, gambling and other amusements. During the First World War, a new spa district with a large spa complex and a luxury hotel was built around Monheimsallee. A number of bath complexes were destroyed in the Second World War, and the last grand spas closed down between 1960 and 2000. The remaining therapeutic baths in operation today are to be found in the special clinics in Burtscheid. The “Carolus Thermen“ spa, which opened in 2001, resumes the long tradition of spa culture in <strong>Aachen</strong>. <strong>Aachen</strong>‘s earliest known name, “Aquis“, reflects the importance for the township of the thermal springs and the ancient tradition of healing. And the legends of <strong>Aachen</strong>‘s foundation by the Romans and <strong>Charlemagne</strong> are also closely linked to its hot springs. In the Middle Ages and early modern era, more thermal springs were made accessible at other locations in the town, and new bathhouses and infirmaries were built. <strong>Aachen</strong>‘s clothmakers used the hot thermal water to full and rinse the wool after dyeing. In the 17th century, under the influence of the spa doctor Franciscus Blondel, <strong>Aachen</strong>‘s heyday as a renowned 6 The Elisenbrunnen on Friedrich-Wilhelm-Platz