Press releases

• The Wärm Komp will be in operation from Saturday, October 5, until December 31, 2024 and will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am to 10 pm. The official opening ceremony starts on Saturday with live music at 3 pm.

• The city would like to express its sincere thanks to the dedicated members of the civic initiative and the many other partners who made this extraordinary bathing project possible.

• In addition to the Bürgerstiftung Lebensraum, the Aachen University of Applied Sciences with its Department of Architecture and the district conference contributed to the success of the project.

It steams and bubbles like a spa. "Wärm Komp" is the name of the latest attraction in the finest Öcher language, which City Councillor Frauke Burgdorff presented on Wednesday (October 2) together with several representatives from the committed urban community. From this weekend, the pop-up thermal water fountain in Burtscheid, right next to the Rosenquelle spring at the Kurpark, invites everyone to bathe freely in natural thermal water - freely accessible, free of charge and in the middle of the city. "This is very fitting for Aachen with its long spa and bathing history," said Burgdorff, thanking the many stakeholders - first and foremost the Bürgerstiftung Lebensraum Aachen - for their extraordinary commitment. "You and your initiative have made it possible for us to stand here today and invite all citizens: Pack your swimming trunks and come to Burtscheid!" The project is supported by the city of Aachen, the FH Aachen, which built the comp, and Aachen's politicians.

A small building with a big impact

The temporary thermal bathing fountain is operated by the community foundation. The bathing fun right next to the Rosenquelle naturally takes place under hygienically perfect conditions.

"Our aim is to make the thermal water here in Burtscheid visible to the citizens again. We are very happy that this has been achieved with the pop-up thermal fountain," emphasized Ulrich Lieser from the Bürgerstiftung Lebensraum Aachen. He also praised the great commitment of the many people involved. 120 volunteers had worked on the project, around 200 citizens had donated via crowdfunding, as well as several companies. The cost of the thermal bathing fountain is around 58,000 euros, 8,000 euros of which came from district funds.

Prof. Dr. Anke Fissabre from FH Aachen emphasized the "fantastic collaboration between the various stakeholders" and thanked the sponsors. "We have created a small building here, which will hopefully have a big impact! FH Aachen is particularly pleased that it has been possible to implement a project with an interdisciplinary character from the initial planning to completion."

The hottest pool in the Wärm Komps is the top one, with a water temperature of around 40 degrees Celsius. This is followed by the middle pool with 37 to 38 degrees Celsius. The water temperature in the lower foot pool is 34 to 35 degrees Celsius. The water in the pools is completely rinsed every two hours to ensure hygiene. However, compliance with the bathing rules will be crucial for hygiene, as all those involved once again emphasized. These are clearly displayed directly at the entrance to the pools.

The thermal bathing fountain has been in planning since the beginning of 2023. The basic idea was and is to make the thermal water available to citizens free of charge. After the first planning rounds, the FH Aachen, the Bürgerstiftung Lebensraum Aachen, the City of Aachen and the district conference have gradually brought the project to fruition.

What are the opening hours?

The opening ceremony with live music will take place on Saturday, October 5, at 3 pm . The Wärm Komp will then be in operation until December 31, 2024 and will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am to 10 pm. The opening phase will be accompanied by a varied accompanying program, such as gymnastics in the spa park or a lecture on bathing and eating culture in Japan. "Through this program and public relations work, the thermal bathing fountain should become a place of well-being and encounter," explains Dr. Klaus-Peter Otto from the district conference.

What are the rules for use?

The Wärm Komp is not a cleansing bath. Therefore, the motto is: Please come clean and well-groomed and take a quick shower on site before getting into the pool. A changing room is available.

Those wearing swimwear may then plunge into the warm water. Nude bathing is not permitted. Please also bring a towel and slippers.

What infrastructure is there on site?

In addition to shower facilities, there is also a changing room on site for visitors to the Wärm Komps. A dry toilet is available as an "emergency toilet". The operators ask that this is only used in cases of urgency.

How is the Wärm Komp monitored?

During operation, a trained pool supervisor is present at all times and is provided by the Bürgerstiftung Lebensraum. Outside of opening hours, the Wärme Komp is covered and cannot be used. The water quality is also constantly monitored by the authorities.

How big is the Wärm Komp?

The pop-up thermal bathing fun consists of a total of three pools: a foot pool and two sitting pools. The pools offer space for a maximum of 18 people.

Further information on the project online: https://www.waermkomp.jetzt/.