The most famous thermal spring in Wiesbaden is the Kochbrunnen on Kranzplatz. Its name refers to the water temperature, which exceeds 66 degrees Celsius. This sodium-chloride thermal spring was the center of Wiesbaden’s drinking cure in the 19th century and remains a landmark of the city to this day. Now it is time for another cleaning.
The sinter deposits are clearly visible on the Kochbrunnen fountain, for which Wiesbaden was known in Roman times and which were used as “Mattiakische Kugeln” for dyeing hair. The reddish-yellow coating grows by seven centimeters annually. It must be removed frequently so that it does not overwhelm the shell-shaped fountain, and this will be done from Monday, May 11, through Wednesday, May 13. Anyone wishing to obtain a mineral deposit is welcome to pick one up on site until Tuesday, May 12, at 12 p.m.
The Kochbrunnen is one of Wiesbaden’s so-called primary springs. Only a small portion of the water feeds the drinking fountain in the Kochbrunnen pavilion and the “Kochbrunnenspringer.” The majority is fed into the treatment plant at the Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme, and from there it enters the city’s extensive thermal water network. Wiesbaden’s spring water is particularly valuable for alleviating rheumatic and orthopedic conditions.