Spa, Belgium

Spa
Municipality

The Casino in Spa

Coat of arms
Spa

Location in Belgium

Coordinates: 50°30′N 05°52′E / 50.500°N 5.867°ECoordinates: 50°30′N 05°52′E / 50.500°N 5.867°E
Country Belgium
Community French Community
Region Wallonia
Province Liège
Arrondissement Verviers
Government
 • Mayor Joseph Houssa (MR)
 • Governing party/ies MR – cdH-OC
Area
 • Total 39.85 km2 (15.39 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2013)[1]
 • Total 10,579
 • Density 270/km2 (690/sq mi)
Postal codes 4900
Area codes 087
Website www.spa-info.be

Spa (French pronunciation: ​[spa]) is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liège. It is situated in a valley in the Ardennes mountain chain, some 35 km (22 mi) southeast of Liège, and 45 km (28 mi) southwest of Aachen. As of 1 January 2006, Spa had a total population of 10,543. The total area is 39.85 km2 (15 sq mi), giving a population density of 265 inhabitants per km².

The town is close to the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, (located in Stavelot) which hosts the annual Formula One Belgian Grand Prix. It is also the location of mineral water producer Spa.

Spa hosted the finish of Stage 2 of the 2010 Tour de France on July 5.

History

Print of Spa, Belgium, 1895

As the famed site of healing cold springs, Spa has been frequented as a watering-place since as early as the 14th century. Though other sources of healing mineral springs have become famous throughout the world, it is the town of Spa which has become eponymous with any place having a natural water source that is believed to possess special health-giving properties, as a spa. Since the eighteenth century casinos have also been located in the town.

In 1918, the German Army established its principal Headquarters in Spa, and it was from here that the delegates set out for the French lines to meet Marshal Foch and sue for peace in the consultations leading up to the Armistice which ended the First World War. In July 1920 it hosted the Spa Conference, a meeting of the Supreme Council. German delegates were invited to this to discuss war reparations.

Climate

Climate data for Spa
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 4
(40)		 5
(41)		 8
(47)		 12
(53)		 17
(63)		 19
(66)		 21
(69)		 20
(68)		 18
(64)		 13
(56)		 7
(45)		 5
(41)		 12.4
(54.4)
Average low °C (°F) −1
(30)		 −2
(29)		 1
(33)		 3
(37)		 7
(44)		 9
(49)		 11
(52)		 11
(52)		 9
(48)		 6
(42)		 2
(35)		 −1
(31)		 4.6
(40.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 97
(3.8)		 84
(3.3)		 79
(3.1)		 81
(3.2)		 80
(3)		 99
(3.9)		 112
(4.4)		 99
(3.9)		 84
(3.3)		 94
(3.7)		 99
(3.9)		 109
(4.3)		 1,117
(43.8)
Source: Weatherbase [2]

Notable residents

Spa, the water city

References in popular culture

The 1975 film Barry Lyndon is partly set in Spa during the eighteenth century.

The 1975 film Belle is wholly set in contemporary Spa and its environs.

Agatha Christie's fictional detective Hercule Poirot was born in Spa.

International relations

Twin towns - Sister cities

Spa is twinned with:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Population per municipality on 1 January 2013 (XLS; 607.5 KB)
  2. ↑ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Spa, Belgium". Weatherbase. 2011. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Spa, Belgium.