Spa, Belgium
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Spa is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. It is situated in a romantic valley amid hills which form part of the Ardennes chain, 27 miles southeast of Liège, and 22 miles southwest of Aix-la-Chapelle. As of January 1st, 2004, Spa had a total population of 10,491 (5,006 males and 5,485 females). The total area is 39.85 km² which gives a population density of 263.27 inhabitants per km². The town is best known as home to the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, which hosts the annual Formula One Belgian Grand Prix.
The German Great Headquarters were established here in 1918, where consultations were held concerning the armistice and from whence the German delegates set out for the French lines to meet Marshal Foch and sue for peace.
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Though other sources of healing hot mineral springs have been known throughout the world, Spa is the eponymous "spa," an extended use from these famed hot springs—the town was frequented as a watering place as early as the 14th century.
In its generic use, the term "spa" is used to mean a place where water that is believed to have special health-giving properties occurs. This is usually a mineral or hot spring. It can also refer to a luxurious resort or resort hotel, usually one located near a special water source and/or offers hot tub or similar warm-water hydromassage facilities.