Hydrology in Baden: The City’s Waterways and Healing Thermal Springs

The thermal springs in Baden have attracted visitors for over two thousand years. On this walking tour, you’ll explore centuries-old thermal baths, ornate fountains, and historical water infrastructure that showcases Baden’s hydrology.

While you walk along the Limmat River and visit one of the 21 natural thermal springs in Baden, you’ll also discover the diverse opportunities and challenges of water management.

The tour starts near Badener Stadtbrunnen, the city fountain. As you’ll make your way through Kurpark Baden Stadtpark, the traditional centre of the spa area, you’ll discover the remains of its Roman baths, visit a thermal spring, and even have the chance to bathe in a hot water fountain. You’ll also find out how spa treatments were first developed, and what measures the city takes to protect houses against flood damage.

As you walk along the Limmat River, I’ll point out several bridges and houses with their own, long history and tell you how they’ve adapted over time. The tour ends on the Ruine Stein, an 11th-century fortress that was repeatedly destroyed during medieval wars and transformed into a park in 1837. You’ll be right on top of Baden’s water reservoir, with a beautiful view of the city and its waterways.

Along the way, you’ll have a chance to:

• Feel the warmth of the thermal water in the hot water fountains
• Hear how Baden’s industries negatively affected its water quality, and how this prompted environmental reforms
• Understand the variability of river flow discharge and learn three measurement methods at the BAFU station
• Pass by Kraftwerk Aue and hear about this hydropower plant’s sustainability and the impact on the ecosystem
• Discover Bezirksgebäude and its 1866 obelisk fountain marking the boundary between old and new Baden
• Take photos of diverse historical bridges leading over the Limmat: the high bridge, covered wooden bridge, and crooked bridge

This tour introduces you to Baden’s old city, and is fun for first-time visitors and water enthusiasts. It takes about 45 minutes to walk the tour, but there are many beautiful locations and cafés where you can take a break.

If you want to learn more about water in Switzerland, you might be interested in these excursions and courses:

• CrowdWater App
• Voicemap Tour in Zurich
• Actionbound
• Excursion Wasser in der Stadt Zürich More information on the excursion can be found here
• Excursion “Wasser in Baden” More information on the excursion can be found here
• Bike excursion «Juragewässerkorrektion». More information on the excursion can be found here
• Online course (MOOC) «Water in Switzerland»
• Online course (MOOC) «CrowdWater»

Credits: Meret Vogler, Franziska Clerc-Schwarzenbach, Jan Seibert, and Ilja van Meerveld