Summertime is swimming pool time: Why not turn the classic swimming pool trip into a little journey back in time and visit one of Bavaria’s sixteen listed swimming pools? Eva Maier, senior conservator at the State Office for Monument Preservation, thinks this is a good idea: “Bavaria’s historic swimming pools are not just places to relax, they are also an essential part of our cultural heritage,” she says. The SZ has taken a closer look at some of the historic swimming pools.
Park lido Bad Schachen

It is a bit reminiscent of the film “The Great Gatsby”: the Bad Schachen lido in Lindau. The historic baths invite you to travel back in time to Lake Constance. The classicist complex was built in 1924 and is considered a highlight of the Bavarian Lake Constance. Swimmers can do laps in the heated pool with a view of the lake. Loungers and tables are lined up around the outside, surrounded by columns. Those looking for space can enter Lake Constance via a private entrance. The pool is open until mid-September. Guests of the neighboring hotel have free entry, day visitors pay 18 to 20 euros; children 10 to 11 euros.
Pottenstein rock pool

The Felsenbad in Pottenstein in Franconian Switzerland is impressive because of its location: rock walls and forest surround the natural pool of the swimming pool, which opened in 1926. Over time, the pool fell into disrepair. It was then closed in 1987. In the early 2000s, it was brought out of its deep sleep and renovated. The concrete pool was replaced by a natural pond. Since then, the water has been cleaned without chemicals by plants in a natural filter area. If you’ve had enough of swimming, you can find a place on the lake stage, in the beer garden or on the lawn. The outdoor pool is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from May to September, weather permitting. Children pay 2.50 euros entrance fee, adults 4 euros.
Terrace swimming pool Bad Kissingen

The terraced area of the outdoor pool in Bad Kissingen offers an unobstructed view of the Rhön. The lavish planting of the pool in particular has attracted attention in the past – as have some of the major swimming competitions that have taken place here. Today, the outdoor pool offers plenty of space for sunbathing on its 7500 square meters of lawn. The pool’s catering is housed in the so-called Café Pavilion, which has been a listed building since 1994. Due to renovation work, the pool can only be used to a limited extent this year. On weekends and during holidays the pool is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; during school term from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Admission costs 1.50 euros for students and 3.50 euros for adults.
Mud bath Oberstdorf

The swimming pool in the Oberstdorf Moorbad doesn’t look particularly inviting – but visitors shouldn’t let that put them off, because the brown liquid is something really special. Bathing in the moor water against the backdrop of the Alps has been a tradition here for almost 100 years. The water is said to have health-promoting properties. There is a moor nature trail around the historic baths, where you can learn a lot about plants, animals and, of course, the moor. When the weather is good, the pool is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Adults pay 6 euros entrance fee, children 3 euros.
Utting Beach

Jumping from the ten-meter tower is a part of swimming for many people. At the historic Utting lido on Lake Ammersee, jumping is a special experience because the tower is made of wood. You go up three floors before the diving board over the abyss awaits you. The changing area with its 47 cabins has been added to the Bavarian list of monuments because of its wooden paneling – the diving tower has not, because it has been completely renovated several times. If you don’t want to jump straight into the lake, you can go over the shallow shore area into the lake. This location also allows young families to splash around in the water with their children. The pool is open until 8 p.m. on September 15th and until 7 p.m. on September 23rd. Adults pay 3 euros entry, children 1.50 euros.
Beach Feldafing

The property on Lake Starnberg once belonged to the Wittelsbach family, but the municipality bought the land from the nobles and built a lido with 150 cabins. Even today, the facility is largely made of wood. A long wooden walkway leads to the slide and lake, and wide lawns offer enough space to enjoy the Alpine panorama. Around 50 years ago, the municipal bathing facility was listed as a historical monument. However, the municipality currently lacks the funds for a general renovation. The pool is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adults pay 4 euros entrance fee, children 2 euros.
Windsbach forest beach

In Windsbach in the district of Ansbach, competitive swimmers in particular get their money’s worth, as the pool boasts a 100-meter swimming pool. The forest beach pool exudes the spirit of the 1930s with its concrete architecture. In order to achieve this coherent appearance, it was listed as a historical monument in 2015; its extensive renovation began in 2016. As part of this modernization, the historic pool received a new slide, another diving platform and a play ship for children. Since then, a stage has been used as a lake stage for events. Another special feature is the lack of chemical water purification. This means that swimmers occasionally share the water with some animals or insects. The pool is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Adults pay 4.50 euros, children 3 euros admission.