Blau Kurhaus (Blue Health Spa), Germany

Blau Kurhaus (Blue Health Spa) is an abandoned spa and leisure complex in Germany. The large complex is a maze of corridors, linking decaying old areas and relatively clean newer sections. The entire site covers around 15,000 square meters. It appears that the spa may have been abandoned some years before the entertainment/catering area at the font of the site. This is a judgement based on the difference in the decay between the two areas. The entertainment and arcade are closed in the early 2010s.

Investors filed plans in the mid-2010s to demolish the site and build a new 200 room hotel on the land. The local government overturned these plans, suggesting costing for renovation should be sort first. The investigation suggested 5 million euros would be needed for the successful renovation of Blau Kurhaus.

Half a decade later, and no progress has been made. The local government admit that the site will now cost much more to salvage. The plans to demolish everything and build a new hotel have reappeared recently, so the future of the building is uncertain.

We visited the Blau Kurhaus in days before we flew to Hungary for The Seeing Red Tour 2019.

The Blau Kurhaus old spa and bath house

Blau Kurhaus opened in the 1980s. The original spa bathhouse would have been surrounded by lavish English gardens. This area now lies to the back of the sprawling complex. The original spa area has the most prominent decay.

The old bathhouse area merges with a new, larger spa complex. There are salon-style rooms where customers would get treatments such as manicures and facials.

The multi-purpose conference and entertainment venue

The more modern area of Blau Kurhaus is the former conference and entertainment venue. The arcades have beautiful white marble floors. The main foyer and side entrance cover an area of around 100 square meters. Turquoise painted ironwork supports the tall arched glass ceiling. Bannisters on stairways and mezzanine levels are made of brass. The remains of dead plants littler marble planter, dried and brown husks. In contrast, several verdant green fake plastic plants are scattered around.

Interestingly, a plaster wall separates different areas of the arcade. This was likely one of the later modifications to the building. As the areas towards the back of the site fell into disuse, they were sealed off from the front-house area.

There are two halls in the newer area of Blau Kurhaus. The large hall features cinema-style seating on the upper level and a projection booth. There is also a small stage area to one side of the bigger hall. These rooms could be used in tandem to cater for large events. These rooms would have been used for banquets and conferences, as well as entertainment. Snooker tournaments, ballroom dancing, stage musicals and orchestral performances were once held here. Up 800 people could view stage performances (row seating). Alternatively, tables could be laid to feed up to 540 when the halls hosted a banquet.

There is also a small cafe/snack bar nearby to the halls, in the arcade. In addition to this, there is a larger bistro or restaurant area at one end of the building.