Spa, Belgium

Spa
Spå (Walloon)
The Casino of Spa
The Casino of Spa
Coat of arms of Spa
Location of Spa
Map
Spa is located in Belgium
Spa
Spa
Location in Belgium
Location of Spa in the province of Liège
Coordinates: 50°29′33″N 5°51′51″E / 50.49250°N 5.86417°E / 50.49250; 5.86417
Country Belgium
CommunityFrench Community
RegionWallonia
ProvinceLiège
ArrondissementVerviers
Government
 • MayorSophie Delettre (MR)
 • Governing party/iesMR
Area
 • Total39.85 km2 (15.39 sq mi)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total10,378
 • Density260/km2 (670/sq mi)
Postal codes
4900
NIS code
63072
Area codes087
Websitewww.villedespa.be
Part ofThe Great Spa Towns of Europe
CriteriaCultural: (ii)(iii)
Reference1613
Inscription2021 (44th Session)

Spa (French pronunciation: [spa] ; Walloon: Spå) is a city and municipality of Wallonia in the province of Liège, Belgium, whose name became an eponym for mineral baths with supposed curative properties. It is in a valley in the Ardennes mountains 35 km (22 mi) south-east of Liège and 45 km (28 mi) south-west of Aachen. In 2006, Spa had a population of 10,543 and an area of 39.85 km2 (15.39 sq mi), giving a population density of 265/km2 (690/sq mi).

Spa is one of Belgium's most popular tourist destinations, being renowned for its natural mineral springs,[2] and production of "Spa" mineral water, which is exported worldwide. The motor-racing Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, just south of the nearby village of Francorchamps, also hosts the annual Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and various endurance races such as the 24 Hours of Spa. The world's first beauty pageant, the Concours de Beauté, was held in Spa on 19 September 1888. The town also hosted the Tour de France on 5 July 2010, when stage 2 of the race ended there.

In 2021, Spa became part of the transnational UNESCO World Heritage Site the Great Spa Towns of Europe, for its famous mineral springs and architectural testimony to the rise of European bathing culture in the 18th and 19th centuries.[3][4]

  1. ^ "Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018". Statbel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  2. ^ Lezaak 1864.
  3. ^ Landwehr, Andreas (24 July 2021). "'Great Spas of Europe' awarded UNESCO World Heritage status". Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  4. ^ "The Great Spa Towns of Europe". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 21 August 2021.