In the town known as Aquae in Baden, spa treatment has developed since Roman times as a combination of medicine and leisure. In 1792, the town entered its golden age under the reign of Emperor Francis II/I, who transformed Baden into an internationally renowned spa resort of the early 20th century. The prosperity of this period is reflected in the spa gardens, the town center with the Imperial Residence and Town Hall, the Biedermeier Baths, and the Sauerhof. The urban landscape was designed by architects such as Louis Montoyer, Charles Moreau, and Joseph Kornhäusel.

This Arcadian landscape continues to attract visitors to this day. Ludwig van Beethoven spent many years in Baden and composed several of his works here, including Symphony No. 9, while at the Attems Palace (today’s Café Central), Clemens Lothar Wenzel Prince Metternich and Emperor Francis planned the Congress of Vienna.

The Emperor and his brothers established their summer residences in the spa town, and until the end of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, the Habsburgs remained a defining presence in Baden. The introduction of the railway reduced travel time from Vienna to less than an hour, and every summer the nobility, aristocracy, high-ranking officials, and military officers came here for their holidays. From 1885 onward, the villas of these guests, together with characteristic spa buildings such as assembly rooms, hotels, and the theater, formed an exceptional urban ensemble. The pre-war prosperity continued until the Great Depression of 1929. The thermal baths, drinking halls, and the Krupka recreational area with the Beethoven Temple make Baden one of the textbook examples of the The Great Spas of Europe World Heritage designation.