Stadtbad in Koblenz

The Stadtbad was a public indoor swimming pool in Koblenz’s Altstadt, standing beside the Balduinbrücke. It opened in 1966 after two years of building work, replacing the earlier Residenzbad which had been destroyed in the Second World War. The architect Ludwig Schweitzer designed the Residenzbad in 1900–1901, creating a Jugendstil hall with a 14-metre pool. The new Stadtbad cost about 6.5 million DM and served schools and the swimming club SC Poseidon Koblenz for decades. By 2008 experts had warned that the building’s fabric was failing, and the pool closed for good in summer 2012. Demolition followed in early 2015, clearing the site for the residential complex called Weisser Höfe. A replacement called Moselbad now stands on a site beside the Moselbogen in the Rauental quarter. The new building opened at the end of 2024 after long delays in financing and planning. It offers a large sauna area alongside indoor pools, continuing the tradition of public bathing in Koblenz. The old Stadtbad’s 25-metre sport pool, learner pool and diving facilities have been replaced by modern equivalents. Two other pools, the Beatusbad and the Schulbad, had to carry the load while the new centre was built. The Rauental site sits on a bend of the Mosel, giving views across the river and the surrounding hills. Visitors to the Moselbad find a spacious hall with a main pool lined with lanes for lane swimming. A smaller teaching pool sits beside it, while a gallery of windows lets daylight into the space. Outside, the Moselbogen curves past the building, and the Rauental district’s streets lead uphill to quiet residential areas. The new sauna wing opens onto a terrace overlooking the water, offering a place to rest after swimming. The building’s clean lines and large glazed walls sit well in the riverside landscape, marking a fresh start for public bathing in Koblenz.