Spa
Spa
The Romans came here to take the waters, and they were followed over the centuries by crowned heads, such as Marguerite de Valois, Christina of Sweden, and Peter the Great. Less welcome was Kaiser Wilhelm II, who established his general headquarters in Spa before fleeing to Holland in November 1918 to abdicate control of Germany. By then the town was already past its prime. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it had been the watering place of international high society, and many gracious houses remain from that period. The pleasures of “taking the cure” in beautiful surroundings were heightened in those days by high-stakes gambling, playing pharaon or biribi for rubles, ducats, piastres, or francs. The casino dates from 1763, but is only one of many architectural gems...
Read MoreThe Romans came here to take the waters, and they were followed over the centuries by crowned heads, such as Marguerite de Valois, Christina of Sweden, and Peter the Great. Less welcome was Kaiser Wilhelm II, who established his general headquarters in Spa before fleeing to Holland in November 1918 to abdicate control of Germany. By then the town was already past its prime. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it had been the watering place of international high society, and many gracious houses remain from that period. The pleasures of “taking the cure” in beautiful surroundings were heightened in those days by high-stakes gambling, playing pharaon or biribi for rubles, ducats, piastres, or francs. The casino dates from 1763, but is only one of many architectural gems that line the streets, many of which have been lovingly restored, restoring this small city to its former glory.
