Bad Ems

Bad Ems belongs to the Great Spa Towns of Europe, the transnational property inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2021. Its spa buildings reveal several periods of development. A Kursaal already existed in 1696, and gambling was introduced in 1720; the later Kursaal was built between 1836 and 1839 to designs by Johann Gottfried Gutensohn.

The Marmorsaal and adjoining Kurtheater remain distinctive settings for cultural events. The theatre was added in the winter of 1913–1914, with an auditorium decorated in Rococo style and seating for approximately 520 people. Its programme accommodates theatre, music and ballet. Together, these spaces illustrate the importance of performance and social gathering in European spa culture, where visitors’ days were shaped by entertainment as well as the use of mineral springs.