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Amsterdam School for Regional, Transnational and European Studies ARTES

Cultural Heritage and Climate Change: the case of the European Spa

The group aims to review the impact of climate change on cultural heritage through the prism of Europe’s unique spa heritage, represented by eleven ‘Great Spa Towns of Europe’, receiving a serial recognition as UNESCO Spa heritage in 2021.

The approach is trifold:

  1. Taking the eleven spa towns across Europe as case studies, we map the impact of climate change on the natural and cultural heritage, with a focus on the impact on air and water quality, floodings and draughts on the preservation of sources and greens.
  2. Together with partners from the spa towns, we monitor current instruments of preservation and prevention, with a focus on both natural resources like air and water quality, and the built-up cultural heritage.
  3. Finally, we are jointly exploring the spa resorts’ tangible and intangible heritage for solutions of the past to can be re-invigorated and transferred for the development of sustainable and liveable urban spaces more generally.

Founding members

Dr Christian Noack (UvA / ARTES)
Dr Oliver Sukrow (Austrian Academy of Sciences)
Dr Johanna Conterio (UiO)
Dr Henrike Schmidt (FU Berlin)
Prof. Astrid Kohler (QMUL)