Black Forest High Road: Derelict dream places and their gloomy future!

Black Forest High Road: Derelict dream places and their gloomy future!

In the picturesque surroundings of the Black Forest Hochstrasse, which was once considered a popular travel destination, many buildings no longer shine in their former glory. Old spa houses and hotels, which attracted tourists and celebrities such as Empress Sissi and Nelson Mandela until the 1990s, have now fallen into disrepair and stand as impressive “lost places” in the region. According to reports, how daily news Reportedly, only a few facilities are still in acceptable condition. The Mummelsee and the Edelfuchs Lodge are positive exceptions, while most of the other buildings suffer enormously from the negative image.

A particularly sad example is the ruins of the former Kurhaus Hundseck, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Lothar in 1999. Several changes of ownership later and poor maintenance by the current owners led to partial demolitions being ordered. Local authorities, concerned about public safety, are even calling for the building to be completely demolished. However, before this can happen, the bats nesting there must be relocated by the end of March 2025.

The decay of an icon

Another prominent “lost place” is the Kurhaus Sand, which has been closed for around 30 years. The building has private owners who are seeking to reopen. However, there is currently no investor in sight who could put the ambitious project into practice. Leonie Maderstein, presenter of “SWR Aktuell 360 Grad”, shows in her contribution how the administrator of the Kurhaus Sand is fighting to preserve the building, but progress is made difficult by numerous bureaucratic hurdles. SWR Current 360 degrees highlights the challenges he faces.

The Kurhaus Sand has an eventful history behind it. Originally founded in 1845 as a simple hut for forest workers, it flourished after the construction of the Baden railway line and became a popular destination for travelers. After the First World War it changed hands several times and in 1932 it was operated by hoteliers as a winter sports resort. Regular hotel operations ceased in 1994 and the Kurhaus was closed completely in 2005. Since then, the building has been in danger of falling into further disrepair, especially since it is a listed building and is owned by Kurhaus Sand GmbH and the “Paradiesbau auf Erden” foundation, which is committed to preserving it bw24.de is to be read.

The future of the Black Forest High Road

Before you forget that the Black Forest High Road was once considered a beautiful travel destination, the failed spa houses could bring completely new impetus to the tourism sector. There is hope that creativity and investment will finally bring a breath of fresh air to this region. While the Mummelsee and the Edelfuchs Lodge continue to act as attractions, it remains to be seen whether the legacy of the former tourist magnets such as the Kurhaus Sand and the Schlosshotel Bühlerhöhe, which has been closed for 15 years and is privately owned, will ever shine again.

The future is currently uncertain, but the descriptions of artistic discoveries in the “Lost Places” and the beauty of the Black Forest could perhaps provide the impetus for a renaissance of these forgotten places.