Discover the Neues Kurhaus

For over a century, the Neue Kurhaus (New Redoubt) has been a magnificent eye-catcher in Aachen's Kurpark. The building has a rich and fascinating history. It occupies the site where the Maria Hilf Infirmary once stood – in its day one of the most modern hospitals in Aachen. On 10th July, 2019, the Aachen City Council passed a resolution to renovate the Neue Kurhaus. The plan is to open it up once more to the general public as an event venue. Join us on a trip through the history of the building.

#neueskurhaus
It was a casino – and now? Back to square one!
And what's next? Let's take a look: retrospective, perspective, renovation. By when? 2023, roughly.

Take a stroll along the site fence and find out more about the Neue Kurhaus, current progress of the project and future usage possibilities. See what it looked like when it was first built. Trace almost 40 years of casino history, and marvel at the discoveries made during the renovation.

 Historical photograph: Neues Kurhaus (Stadtarchiv Aachen)

History of the Neues Kurhaus

1914. A new redoubt for Aachen

The creator of Aachen's new spa complex was the Munich architect and developer Karl Stöhr. In the book "Die neuen Kuranlagen des Bades Aachen" (The New Spa Complex of Bad Aachen), published in 1917, he expressed his enthusiasm for the project: "It will remain for all time a glorious chapter in German cultural history that, in the midst of World War, work on this magnum opus – the Aachen Spa Complex with Spa Bath, Hotel Quellenhof, Gallery and Redoubt – which was planned and prepared while peace still reigned and, after navigation of difficult negotiations and obstacles, was commenced shortly before the outbreak of war – could be carried out in full during the war years 1914 – 1916, the buildings completed, furnished and equipped, ceremoniously opened and put into operation."

Stöhr's redoubt featured two concert halls. The building also had reading rooms, smoking rooms, salons and gaming rooms as well as two ladies' halls. Guests were treated to culinary delights in the dining hall, or the wine salon, or the patisserie, according to their preference. And there was an electrically lit wine and beer terrace looking out onto the concert area.

A room just for conversations (Stadtarchiv Aachen)

The neo-classical Neues Kurhaus, planned and built by the architect Karl Stöhr as part of a larger spa complex, opened on 8th June, 1916. It was built on the site of the Maria Hilf Infirmary, which was demolished to make room for this new grand project.

From yesterday to tomorrow

During the Second World War, the complex was partially destroyed. After its reopening in 1953 – with a carnival session – the Neue Kurhaus was used for events like concerts or the award of the "Orden wider den tierischen Ernst" (Medal for Combatting Deadly Seriousness). And, from 1976 to 2015, it housed the Aachen Casino.

Situated between parkland and tennis courts, the Neue Kurhaus was part of a larger spa complex which, in addition to its Gallery, Hotel Quellenhof and Spa Bath, also included gardens. The person responsible for the artistic composition of the ornamental gardens around the Neue Kurhaus today is Aachen's Municipal Gardens Director Weßberge. The gardens include the stately driveway, the concert area to the east, and the tennis courts and rest areas behind the building.

In the early days, a gallery connected the Neue Kurhaus and the Palasthotel Quellenhof. The 120-metre-long and 10-metre-wide structure offered the spa guests protection from the elements in the cold season. During the Second World War, the gallery was destroyed and never rebuilt. In the 1970s, its site was used to accommodate today's Eurogress.

Neues Kurhaus and its surroundings (Stadtarchiv Aachen)

The renovation phase

The Neues Kurhaus. An impressive monument to Aachen spa culture. Old treasures rediscovered.

The conversion into a casino in the late 1970s involved quite a number of structural modifications. Marble surfaces disappeared under plaster and carpeting; murals behind mirrors and wall coverings.

Hardly surprising, then, that in the the preliminary stages of the current renovation some spectacular finds were made, architectural and artistic highlights. For example, the "Light Rain" ceiling decoration in the large ballroom, an installation consisting of 40 kilometres of metal chain, had almost completely obscured the stunning original panel ceiling. Which is not to say that the installation – the work of renowned artist Otto Heinz Mack – was in any way less impressive …

1976 - 2015: The Neues Kurhaus was a casino (Algirdas Milleris).

What's next

Hotspot for gatherings

From the very start, the Neue Kurhaus has always been a place where people meet – to take the waters, to celebrate, or to gamble.

The City of Aachen aims to revitalise this tradition. Its decision to make the Neue Kurhaus available in the future as an event venue is a continuation of this core idea.

This will be a hotspot for social gatherings, where community spirit can be experienced and strengthened. In the future, the Eurogress Aachen will stage all kinds of events in the Neue Kurhaus.

A venue for new experiences – cultural, social, commercial and private.

More Info
www.eurogress-aachen.de

We're renovating the Neue Kurhaus. Get involved!

@unseraachen @stadtaachen