Since 1986, Saffron Walden has been twinned with Bad Wildungen in Germany.
Bad Wildungen lies in the eastern foothills of the Kellerwald range in the Waldeck holiday region, 11 km west of Fritzlar, and 35 km southwest of Kassel. The town, which spreads out east of the Homberg, is crossed by the river Wilde. The constituent communities of Wega and Mandern lie on the Eder, on which also lies the Edersee, a reservoir lying only about 10 km northwest of the main town of Bad Wildungen.
The nearest large towns are Kassel (about 35 km, northeast), Marburg (about 60 km, southwest) and Korbach (about 28 km, northwest).
Bad Wildungen is a therapeutic spa town with springs that bring forth water containing iron, magnesium and carbonic acid. The town’s main field of economic activity is the spa and tourism.
Above Bad Wildungen stands a Baroque stately home, Schloss Friedrichstein, which was planned by Count Josias II in 1660 and completed between 1707 and 1714 by Prince Friedrich Anton Ulrich zu Waldeck.
In the town centre stands a late Gothic Evangelical church from the 14th century. Inside is a winged altarpiece by Konrad von Soest (with Germany’s oldest depiction of eyeglasses).
Standing in the town centre and along the Brunnenallee are many villas from the founders’ times. The Fürstenhof, an Art Nouveau building like a stately home, once a hotel (the biggest Art Nouveau building in Europe) is today a clinic.
Further information on: www.bad-wildungen.de
