SPOT HOT – Wiesbaden's Hottest Mile

wOw – Yvonne Kirchdorfer - yvonnekirchdorferwowtextde

Hot Springs—Wiesbaden’s Identity
Wiesbaden has more hot springs than any other UNESCO World Heritage city in Europe recognized for this feature. For some 25,000 years, they were the city’s source of energy, its asset, and its lifeblood. After World War II, most of these 26 “hot spots” were sealed off—and since then, they have all but vanished from the cityscape and the urban collective memory. 

Through September 3,
Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursdays until 8 p.m.
WDC Werkraum, Langgasse 5-9 Free
admission

How can we bring the hot springs back into the city’s collective memory as part of its identity and as a natural resource? By retelling their stories, making these places visible, and re-establishing them in everyday life, we are already setting something in motion. SPOT HOT offers initial inspiration for this and the opportunity to share your thoughts and revive the culture of remembrance. The long-term goal is to revitalize and further develop the 26 “hotspots” in Wiesbaden’s Historic Pentagonal District and restore Wiesbaden’s status as a city of hot springs.

Come by and discover Wiesbaden’s hot springs with fresh eyes. Share your opinions and knowledge on-site, and help shape their future!

The Exhibition—What to Expect  

1. Discover
   • Refresh your knowledge at the information kiosk (City Management/sam)
   • 3D flyover of Kochbrunnenplatz from 189 to 1955 (Pascal Zufelde)
   • A new bubbling heart: Model of the Kochbrunnenplatz redesign (Moritz Petrasch)
2. Get Involved
   • Hot Springs Quiz
     : How well do you know the hot springs?
   • Let
     off some steam—ask questions and share your thoughts on the hot springs
   • Our Future
     for the Hot Springs: Vote on-site for the hottest ideas to revitalize the hot springs
   • Your Personal Vision... Freely
     sketch your vision for the future of the hot springs—as an image, text, or both
   • Your Hottest Story
     Write down your personal hot springs story and pin it up
3. Sneak Preview: Digital Hot Spot Tour
   —A smartphone tour through the Historic Pentagon—coming soon
   A first step toward making Wiesbaden’s identity visible again is the smartphone tour “Spot Hot —the Hottest Mile,” which is currently being developed in cooperation with Citymanagement Wiesbaden and funded by the State of Hesse. The tour invites you to rediscover Wiesbaden’s DNA on an inspiring walk through the Historic Pentagon. An audio walk takes you to nine key historical stops and recounts the vibrant history of the former world-renowned spa town. Additional digital modules bring the hidden aspects of the city to life. The exhibition table in the WDC-Werkraum and a flyer already show the route along which nearly all 26 hidden thermal springs are located.
   A guided city tour on August 29 will also offer some insights into the future audio route (see Events below). 

Wiesbaden is once again becoming the “City of Springs”—whether as a source of joy, a source of healing, a source of prosperity, a source of the future, a source of community, or a source of ecological and economic wisdom. But where does this potential lie? What role do the thermal springs play in this? To answer these questions, we must first understand how the culture of the springs enabled our city to flourish for over two millennia—and then suddenly disappear. SPOT HOT aims to contribute to this understanding.

Yvonne Kirchdorfer is a communications scholar, freelance writer, project developer, and, among other things, co-founder of *feuilleton*, a magazine for art and culture in Wiesbaden. In 2024, she received the “Golden Lily” award for her volunteer work in schools, as well as the City of Wiesbaden’s “Special Prize for Democracy.” She is currently working with Citymanagement Wiesbaden to implement the digital tour “Spot Hot – Wiesbaden’s Hottest Mile.”

Project partners:
Angelika Stehle/WIsion, Attorney Adam 

Funded by:
Citymanagement Wiesbaden, Naspa Foundation   

Public Space
, Culture + Media
, Education