INTERVIEW – General curator of heritage, this former resident of the Academy of Rome participated closely in the work of Unesco on spa towns.
LE FIGARO – Why have only eleven spas been selected by Unesco?
Bernard TOOULIER. – Applications had to meet criteria set by Unesco. In this case, it had to be those of a full-fledged, authentic spa town, with easy access, by rail for example, and there had to be a whole series of public spa buildings.
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The committee also wanted places to walk, because drinking water is accompanied by good digestion which is acquired by walking, so clearly identified walking circuits were needed. Unesco also wanted the city to have a maintained heritage and a clear management of the facilities. Little by little the round table was reduced and the final choice was imposed.
In view of this list, Eastern Europe seems to be more present than the West: how do you explain it?
It is true that there are a majority of spas in the Czech Republic, Germany and Austria. Maybe it’s a question…
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