Spa (stad)

Geschiedenis

Spa is a Belgian town, located in the Province of Liège, and is the town where the word spa comes from. The town of Spa is situated in a valley in the Ardennes mountains 35km southeast of Liège and 45km southwest of Aachen. In 2006, Spa had a population of 10,543 and an area of 39.85km², giving a population density of 265 inhabitants per km².Spa is one of Belgium's main tourist cities. The town of Spa is famous for its several natural mineral springs, and is also the location of mineral water producer Spa, whose mineral water is exported worldwide. Nearby Spa, in the village of Francorchamps, the renowned Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is situated, which hosts the annual Belgian Grand Prix.The first beauty pageant in the world was the Concours de Beauté, held in Spa on 19 September 1888. Spa hosted the finish of Stage 2 of the 2010 Tour de France on July 5.HistoryAs 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. The Spa town grew at that time, in the oldest iron and steel centre of the province of Liege. The ban Spa, was created around 1335 and included two urban concentrations, "vilhe of Creppe" and "vilhe" Spas, 2km away. citation needed The steel industry prior to the exploitation of mineral water developed communication lines, which made it possible to develop the spa town.