Schlangenbad

Schlangenbad
Schlangenbad
Municipality
	Coat of arms
	Location of Schlangenbad within Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis district
	Schlangenbad Schlangenbad
	Coordinates: 50°5′39″N 8°6′12″E / 50.09417°N 8.10333°E
Country	Germany
State	Hesse
Admin. region	Darmstadt
District	Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis
Government
• Mayor (2018–24)	Marco Eyring (CDU)
Area
• Total	36.55 km2 (14.11 sq mi)
Elevation	320 m (1,050 ft)
Population (2022-12-31)
• Total	6,481
• Density	180/km2 (460/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	65388
Dialling codes	06129
Vehicle registration	RÜD
Website	www.schlangenbad.de

Schlangenbad is a municipality in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany.

Geography

Location

The community, which is a health resort (Kurort), lies 320 m (1,050 ft) above sea level in a sheltered location on a valley slope on the southern slope of the Taunus 12 km (7.5 mi) from Wiesbaden, 7 km (4.3 mi) from Eltville and 7 km (4.3 mi) from Bad Schwalbach.

Neighbouring communities

Schlangenbad borders in the north on the town of Bad Schwalbach, in the east on the town of Taunusstein and the district-free city of Wiesbaden, in the south on the town of Eltville and the community of Kiedrich and in the west on the town of Oestrich-Winkel.

Constituent communities

Schlangenbad's Ortsteile are the state-recognized health resort of Schlangenbad and its outlying centres of Georgenborn, Wambach, Bärstadt, Hausen vor der Höhe, Obergladbach and Niedergladbach.

Climate

In Schlangenbad, the climate is what is known in German as a Schonklima, which means a climate with temperatures that never get too high (no higher than 21 °C (70 °F) in the warmest months) and without great temperature fluctuations, usually occurring together with good shelter from prevailing winds.^[3] It does, however, cool off quite sharply in the nighttime. This moderate climate is comparable to a Mediterranean climate.

The temperate climate permits a remnant population of Aesculapian Snakes to survive in the area, despite the general cooling of the climate in what is now Germany. These snakes were once widespread in Middle Europe in warmer times, but are now otherwise only found in Mediterranean lands. Indeed, snakes are Schlangenbad's namesake: the community's name literally means “Snake Bath” in German.

Spa operations

Bad Schlangenbad about 1900

Historic Café Hall in Schlangenbad (near Wiesbaden)

Schlangenbad's thermal springs were discovered in the mid 17th century. Today, nine springs are running altogether. They issue from the ground at temperatures between 21 °C (70 °F) and 32 °C (90 °F) on the south slope of the Bärstädter Kopf. Rheumatic and other inflammatory illnesses are treated at the spa.

Sport and leisure facilities

Thermal outdoor swimming pool with kelosauna
Aeskulap-Therme (baths)
Schlangenbad tennis courts
Heinz Grein-Sporthalle Georgenborn
Sporthalle Bärstadt
Hausen football pitch

Hiking trails

The Rheinsteig, a new trail from Schloss Biebrich near Wiesbaden to Bonn by way of the Loreley, the “Enemy Brothers” castles (Liebenstein and Sterrenberg) and Lahneck Castle.
Hiking trail to Rauenthal about 45 minutes away, with an outstanding view over the Rhine Gorge.
Loop trails at the "Förster-Bitter-Eiche" carpark near the "Hinterlandswald".

Politics

Community council

The municipal election held on 26 March 2006 yielded the following results:

Parties and voter communities		% 2006	Seats 2006	% 2001	Seats 2001
CDU	Christian Democratic Union of Germany	48.3	15	38.0	12
SPD	Social Democratic Party of Germany	26.1	8	35.6	11
GREENS	Bündnis 90/Die Grünen	12.4	4	9.6	3
FDP	Free Democratic Party	8.9	3	12.5	4
PRO	PRO-Schlangenbad	4.2	1	4.2	1
Total		100.0	31	100.0	31
Voter turnout in %		57.7		59.0

Town partnerships

Craponne, Rhône, France

Education

Bärstadt primary school

Famous people

Sons and daughters of the town

Ludwig von Lauter (1855–1929), Prussian artillery general
Max Knoll (1897–1969), German electrical engineer, codeveloper of the first electron microscope