View source for Wiesbaden

{{Short description|Capital of Hesse, Germany}}
{{For|the ship|SMS Wiesbaden{{!}}SMS ''Wiesbaden''}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox German location
|name               = Wiesbaden
|type               = City
| image_skyline     = {{multiple image
  | border = infobox
  | perrow = 2/2/2/1
  | total_width = 290
  | align = center
  | caption_align = center
  | image1             = Wiesbaden BW 2017-04-24 20-51-36.jpg
  | caption1           = [[Kurhaus Wiesbaden]]
  | image2             = MK7010 Russische Kapelle.jpg
  | caption2           = [[St. Elizabeth's Church, Wiesbaden|Russian Church]]
  | image3             = Biebricher Wasserturm, Wiesbaden, 170416, ako.jpg
  | caption3           = [[Biebrich (Wiesbaden)|Biebrich]] Water Tower
  | image4             = Wiesbaden Nerobergbahn 2010-05-01 17.08.21.jpg
  | caption4           = [[Nerobergbahn|Neroberg Funicular]]
  | image5             = Stadtschloss Wiesbaden.jpg
  | caption5           = [[Wiesbaden City Palace|City Palace]]
  | image6             = Wiesbaden Marktkirche BW 2017-04-24 17-38-32.jpg
  | caption6           = [[Marktkirche, Wiesbaden|Market Church]]
  | image7             = MK 36878-82 Wiesbaden vom Neroberg.jpg 
  | caption7           = View over Wiesbaden from [[Neroberg]]
  }}
|image_flag         = Flagge Wiesbaden.svg
|image_coa          = DEU Wiesbaden COA.svg
|image_blank_emblem = Wiesbaden 2022 logo.svg
|blank_emblem_type  = Logo
|coordinates        = {{coord|50|04|57|N|08|14|24|E|type:city_region:DE|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan         = Hessen WI.png
|state              = Hessen
|region             = Darmstadt
|district           = urban
|year               = 121
|elevation          = 115
|area               = 203.9
<!--
|population         = 290955 
|Stand              = 2020-06-30
|pop_ref            = <ref name="population"/>
filled via Gemeindeschlüssel -->
|postal_code        = 65183–65207<br />55246 (Mainz-Kostheim)<br />55252 (Mainz-Kastel)
|area_code          = 0611, 06122, 06127, 06134
|licence            = WI
|Gemeindeschlüssel  = 06 4 14 000
|divisions          = 26 boroughs
|website            = {{URL|https://www.wiesbaden.de/en/|wiesbaden.de}}
|mayor              = Gert-Uwe Mende<ref>{{cite web|url=https://statistik.hessen.de/sites/statistik.hessen.de/files/2022-10/direktwahlen_09_2022_10102022.xlsx|title=Ergebnisse der letzten Direktwahl aller hessischen Landkreise und Gemeinden|language=de|date=5 September 2022|publisher=[[Hessisches Statistisches Landesamt]]|format=XLS|access-date=11 November 2022|archive-date=13 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113102212/https://statistik.hessen.de/sites/statistik.hessen.de/files/2022-10/direktwahlen_09_2022_10102022.xlsx|url-status=live}}</ref>
|leader_term        = 2019&ndash;25
|Bürgermeistertitel = Oberbürgermeister
|party              = SPD
|ruling_party1      = CDU
|ruling_party2      = SPD
}}

'''Wiesbaden''' ({{IPA|de|ˈviːsˌbaːdn̩|-|Wiesbaden.ogg}}; {{lit|meadow baths}}) is the capital of the German state of [[Hesse]], and the second-largest Hessian city after [[Frankfurt am Main]]. With around 283,000 inhabitants, it is [[List of cities in Germany by population|Germany's 24th-largest city]]. Wiesbaden forms a conurbation with a population of around 500,000 with the neighbouring city of [[Mainz]]. This conurbation is in turn embedded in the [[Rhine-Main|Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region]]—Germany's second-largest metropolitan region after [[Rhine-Ruhr]]—which also includes the nearby cities of [[Frankfurt am Main]], [[Darmstadt]], [[Offenbach am Main]], and [[Hanau]], and has a combined population exceeding 5.8 million.

The city is located on the [[Rhine]] ([[Upper Rhine]]), at the foothills of the [[Taunus]], opposite the [[Rhineland-Palatine]] capital of [[Mainz]], and the city centre is located in the wide valley of the small [[Salzbach (Wiesbaden)|Salzbach]] stream. Wiesbaden lies in the [[Rheingau (wine region)|Rheingau wine-growing region]], one of Germany's [[List of German wine regions|13 wine regions]]. Three of Wiesbaden's boroughs were part of the city of [[Mainz]] until 1945, and still bear the designation "Mainz" in their names—the so-called AKK-boroughs of [[Mainz-Amöneburg]], [[Mainz-Kastel]], and [[Mainz-Kostheim]]. This so-called AKK-Konflikt ([[:de:AKK-Konflikt]]) is the main cause for the rivalry between Mainz and Wiesbaden. [[Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof|Wiesbaden Main Station]] is connected to [[Frankfurt am Main]] by the [[Rhine-Main S-Bahn]] rapid transit system.

Historically, Wiesbaden was a [[Nassau (region)|Nassauian]] city. From 1170 to 1629, it lay in the [[County of Nassau]], and from 1629 to 1721, it was in the county and later principality of Nassau-Idstein, all of which were territories within the [[Holy Roman Empire]] ruled by branches of the [[House of Nassau]]. In 1728, the city found itself in the principality of [[Nassau-Usingen]], and in 1744, [[Biebrich Palace]] became the main residence of the House of Nassau-Usingen. In 1806, the city became the capital of the [[Duchy of Nassau]]. Since 1841, the newly built [[Wiesbaden City Palace]] was the principal Nassauian residence. From 1868 to 1944, the city lay in the [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussian]] [[Province of Hesse-Nassau]], and from 1944 to 1945, it was the capital of the [[Province of Nassau]]. In 1945, it became the capital of [[Greater Hesse]] and subsequently, in 1946, of [[Hesse]].

Wiesbaden is one of the oldest [[spa town]]s in Europe. Its name translates to "meadow baths", and there are 15 [[mineral springs]]—14 of which are [[hot springs]]—in the city centre.<ref>''Wiesbadener Tagblatt''. 18 September 2008</ref> With a yield of around 2 million liters daily, Wiesbaden is the second-most productive German spa after [[Aachen]]. Its location in a mountain basin at the southern foot of the [[Taunus]], protected by the mountains in the north and west, gives Wiesbaden a mild climate. It has been called the "[[Nice]] of the North" because of its climate and architecture.<ref>{{cite book |title= Wiesbaden: For Old Friends and New|last= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|year= 2011|publisher= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|isbn= 978-3-89889-167-7|page= 4}}</ref> The city of Wiesbaden is one of the wealthiest cities in Germany and one of those with above-average purchasing power.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ihk-wiesbaden.de/blob/wiihk24/standort/downloads/3673134/a84f4bcc1fe3be9ec5f85c8a5dfa7b96/Kaufkraft-2016-IHK-Wiesbaden-data.pdf |title=Kaufkraft 2017 |website=IHK Wiesbaden |access-date=24 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825021228/https://www.ihk-wiesbaden.de/blob/wiihk24/standort/downloads/3673134/a84f4bcc1fe3be9ec5f85c8a5dfa7b96/Kaufkraft-2016-IHK-Wiesbaden-data.pdf |archive-date=25 August 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[United States Army Europe and Africa]] headquarters are located in [[Wiesbaden-Erbenheim]].
==Geography==

Wiesbaden is situated on the right (northern) bank of the [[Rhine]], above the confluence of the [[Main (river)|Main]], where the Rhine's main direction changes from north to west. The city is across the Rhine from Mainz, the capital of the state of [[Rhineland-Palatinate]]. Frankfurt am Main is located about {{convert|38|km|mi|1}} east. To the north of the city are the [[Taunus]] Mountains, which trend in a northeasterly direction.

The city center, the ''Stadtmitte'', is located in the north-easternmost part of the [[Upper Rhine Valley]] at the spurs of the Taunus mountains, about {{convert|5|km|mi|1}} from the Rhine. The landscape is formed by a wide lowland between the Taunus heights in the north, the Bierstadter Höhe and the Hainerberg in the east, the Mosbacher Mountain in the south, and the Schiersteiner Mountain in the west, an offshoot of the Taunus range.

The downtown is drained only by the narrow valley of the Salzbach, a tributary of the Rhine, on the eastern flanks of the Mosbacher Mountain. The city's main railway line and the Mainz road (''Mainzer Straße'') follow this valley. Several other streams drain into the Salzbach within the city center: the Wellritzbach, the Kesselbach, the Schwarzbach, the Dambach, and the Tennelbach, as well as the outflow of many thermal and mineral springs in the ''Kurhaus'' (spa) district. Above the city center, the Salzbach is better known as the Rambach.

The highest point of the Wiesbaden municipality is located northwest of the city center near the summit of the Hohe Wurzel, with an elevation of {{convert|608|m|ft|0}} [[above mean sea level|above sea level]]. The lowest point is the harbour entrance of Schierstein at {{convert|83|m|ft|0}} above sea level. The central square (the ''Schlossplatz'', or palace square) is at an elevation of {{convert|115|m|ft|0}}.

Wiesbaden covers an area of {{convert|204|km2|0|abbr=on}}. It is {{convert|17.6|km|mi|1}} from north to south and {{convert|19.7|km|mi|1}} from west to east. In the north are vast forest areas, which cover 27.4% of the urban area. In the west and east are [[vineyards]] and agricultural land, which cover 31.1% of the area. Of the municipality's {{convert|79|km|mi|1|adj=mid|-long}} border, the Rhine makes up {{convert|10.3|km|mi|1}}.

===Climate===
Wiesbaden has a [[temperate climate|temperate]]-[[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfb''; [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]]: ''Dobk'') with relatively cold winters and warm summers. Its average annual temperature is {{convert|9.8|°C|1}}, with monthly mean temperatures ranging from {{convert|1.2|°C|1}} in January to {{convert|18.9|°C|1}} in July.

The Wiesbaden weather station has recorded the following extreme values:<ref name=sklima/>
* Highest Temperature {{convert|38.9|C|F}} on [[2019_European_heatwaves#Germany|25 July 2019]].
* Lowest Temperature {{convert|-18.7|C|F}} on 19 December 2009.
* Wettest Year {{convert|1067.3|mm|in|abbr=on}} in 1965.
* Driest Year {{convert|473.3|mm|in|abbr=on}} in 1976.
* Highest Daily Precipitation: {{convert|71.0|mm|in|abbr=on}} on 7 October 1982.
* Earliest Snowfall: 5 November 1966.
* Latest Snowfall: 15 April 2001.

{{Weather box
|location = Wiesbaden, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1960–present{{efn|The meteorological station observed from 1960 to 1986 is Wiesbaden-Dotzheim, and the meteorological station observed from 1987 to present is Wiesbaden-Auringen.}}
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 14.4
|Feb record high C = 17.3
|Mar record high C = 24.0
|Apr record high C = 28.6
|May record high C = 30.8
|Jun record high C = 37.7
|Jul record high C = 38.9
|Aug record high C = 38.3
|Sep record high C = 32.6
|Oct record high C = 25.5
|Nov record high C = 20.5
|Dec record high C = 15.0
|year record high C = 38.9
|Jan avg record high C = 10.6
|Feb avg record high C = 12.0
|Mar avg record high C = 17.5
|Apr avg record high C = 23.3
|May avg record high C = 27.2
|Jun avg record high C = 30.5
|Jul avg record high C = 32.6
|Aug avg record high C = 31.9
|Sep avg record high C = 26.3
|Oct avg record high C = 20.4
|Nov avg record high C = 14.5
|Dec avg record high C = 10.9
|year avg record high C = 33.8
|Jan high C = 3.7
|Feb high C = 5.2
|Mar high C = 10.0
|Apr high C = 15.0
|May high C = 19.0
|Jun high C = 22.5
|Jul high C = 24.8
|Aug high C = 24.5
|Sep high C = 19.6
|Oct high C = 13.5
|Nov high C = 7.7
|Dec high C = 4.3
|year high C = 14.1
|Jan mean C = 1.2
|Feb mean C = 2.0
|Mar mean C = 5.7
|Apr mean C = 9.9
|May mean C = 13.7
|Jun mean C = 16.9
|Jul mean C = 18.9
|Aug mean C = 18.6
|Sep mean C = 14.3
|Oct mean C = 9.6
|Nov mean C = 5.1
|Dec mean C = 2.0
|year mean C = 9.8
|Jan low C = -1.2
|Feb low C = -1.0
|Mar low C = 1.8
|Apr low C = 4.9
|May low C = 8.4
|Jun low C = 11.4
|Jul low C = 13.5
|Aug low C = 13.3
|Sep low C = 9.9
|Oct low C = 6.2
|Nov low C = 2.5
|Dec low C = -0.3
|year low C = 5.8
|Jan avg record low C = -8.9
|Feb avg record low C = -7.4
|Mar avg record low C = -4.2
|Apr avg record low C = -1.6
|May avg record low C = 1.6
|Jun avg record low C = 5.9
|Jul avg record low C = 8.3
|Aug avg record low C = 7.7
|Sep avg record low C = 4.8
|Oct avg record low C = 0.4
|Nov avg record low C = -3.2
|Dec avg record low C = -7.6
|year avg record low C = -11.1
|Jan record low C = -18.6
|Feb record low C = -16.5
|Mar record low C = -12.7
|Apr record low C = -5.2
|May record low C = -2.3
|Jun record low C = 1.4
|Jul record low C = 4.8
|Aug record low C = 4.5
|Sep record low C = 1.4
|Oct record low C = -4.9
|Nov record low C = -9.8
|Dec record low C = -18.7
|year record low C = -18.7
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 66.6
|Feb precipitation mm = 54.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 51.5
|Apr precipitation mm = 42.3
|May precipitation mm = 62.8
|Jun precipitation mm = 61.2
|Jul precipitation mm = 76.2
|Aug precipitation mm = 55.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 56.2
|Oct precipitation mm = 60.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 62.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 77.9
|year precipitation mm = 726.9
|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 16.9
|Feb precipitation days = 15.3
|Mar precipitation days = 14.6
|Apr precipitation days = 12.5
|May precipitation days = 13.8
|Jun precipitation days = 12.5
|Jul precipitation days = 14.0
|Aug precipitation days = 13.3
|Sep precipitation days = 12.2
|Oct precipitation days = 14.7
|Nov precipitation days = 16.7
|Dec precipitation days = 18.8
|year precipitation days = 175.3
|Jan snow depth cm = 6.3
|Feb snow depth cm = 5.8
|Mar snow depth cm = 2.8
|Apr snow depth cm = 0.2
|May snow depth cm = 0
|Jun snow depth cm = 0
|Jul snow depth cm = 0
|Aug snow depth cm = 0
|Sep snow depth cm = 0
|Oct snow depth cm = 0
|Nov snow depth cm = 2.3
|Dec snow depth cm = 7.7
|year snow depth cm = 12.8
|humidity colour = green
|Jan humidity = 84.5
|Feb humidity = 80.5
|Mar humidity = 73.6
|Apr humidity = 66.6
|May humidity = 68.9
|Jun humidity = 68.9
|Jul humidity = 67.8
|Aug humidity = 69.7
|Sep humidity = 76.0
|Oct humidity = 83.7
|Nov humidity = 87.3
|Dec humidity = 87.4
|year humidity = 76.2
|source 1 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]]/SKlima.de<ref name=sklima>{{cite web 
|url = http://sklima.de/datenbank_auswertung.php?tab=2
|title = Monatsauswertung 
|website = sklima.de 
|publisher = SKlima 
|language = de 
|access-date = 23 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.sonnenlaender.de/deutschland/klima-deutschland/klimatabellen-Wiesbaden/
|title = Weather Information for Wiesbaden
|access-date = 8 April 2012
|archive-date = 26 April 2012
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120426204116/http://www.sonnenlaender.de/deutschland/klima-deutschland/klimatabellen-Wiesbaden/
|url-status = live
}}</ref>
}}

==History==
[[File:Heidenmauer in Wiesbaden.jpg|thumb|The ''Heidenmauer'' ("Heathen Wall") of ''Aquae Mattiacorum''<ref>The hypothesis of the Heidenmauer being a remainder of an aquaeduct now has been definitely proven wrong. Further reading see: Klee, Margot: Sperrmauer oder Aquädukt? Zur Deutung der Heidenmauer in Wiesbaden. (Blocking wall or aquaeduct. Re. Interpretation of the Heidenmauer in Wiesbaden). In: NA (Nassauische Annalen) 2014. Eck Werner: Ein praefectus Aquen(sium), kein praefectus aqu(a)e. Zur Inschrift CIL XIII 7279 aus Mainz Kastel (A praefectus Aquen(sium), not a praefectus aqu(a)e. Re. Inscription CIL XIII 7279 from Mainz Kastel). In: NA (Nassauische Annalen) 2014.</ref>|175px]]

===Classical antiquity===
While evidence of settlement at present-day Wiesbaden dates back to the [[Neolithic]] era, historical records document continuous occupancy after the erection of a [[Roman Empire|Roman]] fort in 6&nbsp;AD which housed an auxiliary cavalry unit. The [[hot spring|thermal springs]] of Wiesbaden are first mentioned in [[Pliny the Elder]]'s ''[[Naturalis Historia]]''. They were famous for their recreation pools for Roman army horses and possibly as the source of a mineral used for red hair dye (which was very fashionable around the turn of BC/AD among women in Rome).<ref>Csysz, Walter: Wiesbaden in der Römerzeit. Aalen: Theiss editors, 2000; mentioned by Roman poet [[Martial]]: Epigrammata 14, 27.</ref>

The Roman settlement is first mentioned using the name ''Aquae Mattiacorum'' ([[Latin]] for "Waters of the Mattiaci") in 121.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pazos |first=Diana |date=2019-08-08 |title=Wiesbaden, la ciudad termal y cultural a orillas del Rin |url=https://www.clarin.com/viajes/wiesbaden-ciudad-termal-cultural-orillas-rin_0_n3Dy4EEAq.html |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=Clarín |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Wiesbaden, place name |url=https://www.wiesbaden.de/en/microsite/stadtlexikon/import/a-z/wiesbaden-ortsname |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=State capital Wiesbaden |language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Mattiaci]] were a [[Germanic peoples|Germanic tribe]], possibly a branch of the neighboring [[Chatti]], who lived in the vicinity at that time. The town also appears as Mattiacum in [[Ptolemy]]'s [[Geographia]] (2.10). The Roman Empire built the [[Limes Germanicus]], which was a line of Roman frontier fortifications in the [[Taunus]]. Wiesbaden is just south of the Taunus.

The capital of the province of [[Germania Superior]], [[Roman Mogontiacum|Mogontiacum]] (present-day [[Mainz]]), base of 2 (at times 3) Roman legions, was just over the Rhine and connected by a bridge at the present-day borough of [[Mainz-Kastel]] (Roman "''castellum''"), a strongly fortified bridgehead.

The [[Alamanni]], a coalition of Germanic tribes from beyond the ''Limes'', captured the fort around 260. Later, in the 370s, when the Romans and Alamanni were allied, the Alemanni gained control of the Wiesbaden area and were in charge of its defense against other Germanic tribes.

===Middle Ages===
After the [[Franks]] under [[Clovis I]] defeated the Alamanni in the [[Battle of Tolbiac]] in 496, the Franks eventually displaced the Alamanni in the Wiesbaden area over the course of the 6th century. In the 8th century, Wiesbaden became the site of a royal [[palace]] of the Frankish kingdom. The first documented use of the name Wiesbaden is by [[Einhard]], the biographer of [[Charlemagne]], whose writings mention "Wisabada" sometime between 828 and 830.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DEUTSCHE STAEDTE - Geschichte in Wiesbaden |url=https://www.deutsche-staedte.de/wiesbaden/geschichte.php?start=65183Wiesbaden |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=www.deutsche-staedte.de}}</ref>

When the Frankish [[Carolingian Empire]] broke up in 888, Wiesbaden was in the eastern half, called [[East Francia]] (which would evolve into the [[Holy Roman Empire]]). The town was part of [[Franconia]], the heartland of East Francia. In the 1170s, the [[Count]] of [[Nassau (state)|Nassau]], Walram I, received the area around Wiesbaden as a [[fiefdom]]. When Franconia fragmented in the early 13th century, Nassau emerged as an independent state as part of the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1232 Wiesbaden became a [[Reichsstadt]], an imperial city, of the Holy Roman Empire. However, in 1242, during the war of Emperor [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] against the Pope, the [[Archbishopric of Mainz|Archbishop of Mainz]], [[Siegfried III (Archbishop of Mainz)|Siegfried III]], ordered the city's destruction.

Wiesbaden returned to the control of the [[House of Nassau]] in 1270 under Count [[Walram II, Count of Nassau]]. However, Wiesbaden and the castle at [[Wiesbaden-Sonnenberg|Sonnenberg]] were again destroyed in 1283 in conflict with [[Eppstein]].

Walram's son and successor [[Adolf, King of the Romans|Adolf]] would later become king of [[Kingdom of Germany|Germany]] from 1292 until 1298. In 1329, under Adolf's son [[Gerlach I of Nassau-Wiesbaden|Gerlach I of Nassau-Weilburg]] the House of Nassau and thereby, Wiesbaden, received the right of [[currency|coinage]] from Holy Roman Emperor [[Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor|Louis the Bavarian]].

In 1355, the County of Nassau-Weilburg was divided among the sons of Gerlach. The County of Nassau's holdings would be subdivided many times among heirs, with the parts being brought together again whenever a line died out. Wiesbaden became the seat of the County of Nassau-Wiesbaden under Count Adolf I (1307–1370), eldest son of Gerlach. It would eventually fall back to Nassau-Weilburg in 1605.

===Modern era===
[[File:Wiesbaden De Merian Hassiae.jpg|thumb|A view of Wiesbaden from the ''Topographia Hassiae'' by [[Matthäus Merian]] in 1655|295px]]
Due to its participation in the uprisings of the [[German Peasants' War]] of 1525, Wiesbaden lost all its privileges for over 40 years. During this time, Wiesbaden became [[Protestant]] with the nomination of Wolf Denthener as first [[Lutheran]] pastor on 1 January 1543. The same day, the first Latin school was opened, preparing pupils for the [[gymnasium (school)|gymnasium]] in [[Idstein]]. In 1566, the privileges of the city were restored.

The oldest remaining building of Wiesbaden, the old city hall, was built in 1609 and 1610. No older buildings are preserved due to two fires in 1547 and 1561. In 1648, at the end of the devastating [[Thirty Years' War]], chronicles tell that Wiesbaden had barely 40 residents left. In 1659, the County of Nassau-Weilburg was divided again. Wiesbaden became part of the County of Nassau-Usingen. In 1744, the seat of Nassau-Usingen was moved to [[Biebrich (Wiesbaden)|Biebrich]]. In 1771, the Count of Nassau-Usingen granted a concession for gambling in Wiesbaden. In 1810, the Wiesbaden Casino (German: ''Spielbank'') was opened in the old Kurhaus. Gambling was later outlawed by [[Prussia]]n authorities in 1872.

As a result of [[Napoleon]]'s victory over Austria in the [[Battle of Austerlitz]], the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1805. On 12 July 1806, 16 states in present-day Germany, including the remaining counties of Nassau-Usingen and Nassau-Weilburg, formally left the Holy Roman Empire and joined in the [[Confederation of the Rhine]]. Napoleon was its "protector". Under pressure from Napoleon, both counties merged to form the [[Duchy of Nassau]] on 30 August 1806.

[[File:Wiesbaden Waterloo Memorian.jpg|thumb|right|Memorial for [[Duchy of Nassau|Nassauers]] fallen at the [[Battle of Waterloo]]]]At the 1815 [[Congress of Vienna]], the Duchy of Nassau joined the [[German Confederation]]. The capital of Nassau was moved from Weilburg to Wiesbaden, and the city became the ducal residence. Building activity started to give the city a magnificent appearance. Most of the historical center of Wiesbaden dates back to this time.

[[File:Wiesbaden Innenstadt.jpg|thumb|The [[Marktkirche, Wiesbaden|Marktkirche]], designed by [[Carl Boos]]: Its neo-Gothic steeple dominates the [[Pentagon (Wiesbaden)|Historical Pentagon]].]]
In the [[Revolutions of 1848]], 30,000 citizens of Nassau assembled in Wiesbaden on 4 March. They demanded a constitution from the Duke, which they received.

In the [[Austro-Prussian War]] of 1866, Nassau took Austria's side. This decision led to the end of the duchy. After the Austrian defeat, Nassau was annexed by [[Prussia]] and became part of the Prussian [[province of Hesse-Nassau]]. The deposed duke [[Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg|Adolph of Nassau]] in 1890 became the [[Grand Duke of Luxembourg]] (see [[House of Nassau]]). This turned out to be a fortunate change for the city, as it then became an international spa town. A rise in construction commenced after the aristocracy followed the lead of the Hohenzollern emperors, who began annual trips to Wiesbaden.<ref>{{cite book |title= Wiesbaden: For Old Friends and New|last= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|year= 2011|publisher= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|isbn= 978-3-89889-167-7|pages= 11}}</ref>

The period around the turn of the 20th century is regarded as the heyday of the city. [[Kaiser Wilhelm II]] visited the city regularly in summer, such that it became an unofficial "summer residence". The city was also popular among the Russian nobility. In the wake of the imperial court, numerous nobles, artists, and wealthy businessmen increasingly settled in the city. Many wealthy persons chose Wiesbaden as their retirement seat, as it offered leisure and medical treatment alike. In the latter part of the 19th century, Wiesbaden became the German city with the most millionaires.<ref>{{cite book |title= Wiesbaden: For Old Friends and New|last= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|year= 2011|publisher= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|isbn= 978-3-89889-167-7|pages= 12}}</ref>

In 1894, the present Hessian State Theater, designed by the Vienna architects Fellner and Helmer, was built on behalf of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

===Weimar Republic and Third Reich (1919 to 1945)===
After World War I, Wiesbaden fell under the Allied occupation of the Rhineland and was occupied by the French army in 1918. In 1921, the Wiesbaden Agreement on German reparations to France was signed in the city. In 1925, Wiesbaden became the headquarters of the [[British Army of the Rhine]] until the withdrawal of occupying forces from the Rhineland in 1930.

In 1929, an airport was constructed in Erbenheim on the site of a horse-racing track. In 1936, [[Jagdgeschwader 53|Fighter Squadron 53]] of the [[Luftwaffe]] was stationed here.

In the [[Kristallnacht]] pogrom on 10 November 1938, Wiesbaden's large synagogue on Michelsberg was destroyed. The synagogue had been designed by Phillip Hoffmann and built in 1869. Another synagogue in [[Wiesbaden-Bierstadt]] was also destroyed. When the Nazis came to power in Germany, there were 2,700 Jews living in Wiesbaden. By June 1942 nearly all of them had been deported to the [[extermination camps]] in [[Occupation of Poland (1939–1945)|German-occupied Poland]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wiesbaden &#124; The Valley of the Communities|url=https://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/valley/wiesbaden/index.asp?WT.mc_id=wiki|access-date=8 January 2023|website=www.yadvashem.org|archive-date=30 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130114528/https://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/valley/wiesbaden/index.asp?WT.mc_id=wiki|url-status=live}}</ref>

General [[Ludwig Beck]] from Wiesbaden was one of the planners of the [[20 July plot|20 July 1944 assassination attempt]] of [[Adolf Hitler]]. Beck was designated by his fellow conspirators to be future Head of State (Regent) after the elimination of Hitler. The plot failed, however, and Beck was executed after attempting suicide. Today, the city annually awards the Ludwig Beck prize for civil courage in his honor.

Lutheran pastor and theologian [[Martin Niemöller]], founder of the [[Confessing Church]] resistance movement against the Nazis, was an Honorary Citizen of Wiesbaden. He presented his last sermon before his arrest in Wiesbaden's Market Church.

===World War II===
In World War II, Wiesbaden was the headquarters for Germany's [[Wehrkreis XII]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tessin |first=Georg |title=Verzeichnis der Friedensgarnisonen 1932–1939 und Stationierungen im Kriege 1939–1945. Wehrkreise VII–XIII |publisher=Biblio Verlag |year=1996 |isbn=3764809418 |editor-last=Zweng |editor-first=Christian |series=Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945 |volume=17 |location=Osnabrück |pages=276 |language=de |chapter=}}</ref> This military district included the [[Eifel]], part of [[Hesse]], the [[Palatinate (region)|Palatinate]], and the [[Saarland]]. After the [[Battle of France]], this ''Wehrkreis'' was extended to include [[Lorraine (region)|Lorraine]], including [[Nancy, France|Nancy]], and the Grand Duchy of [[Luxembourg]]. The commander was ''General der Infanterie'' [[Walther Schroth]].

''Wehrkreis'' XII was made up of three subordinate regions: ''Bereich Hauptsitze'' [[Koblenz]], [[Mannheim]] and [[Metz]].

*''Bereich Hauptsitz'' Koblenz was the headquarters for 12 ''Unterregion-Hauptsitze'', namely [[Trier]] I, Trier II, [[Koblenz]], [[Neuwied]], [[Kreuznach]], Wiesbaden, [[Limburg an der Lahn]], [[Lahn]], [[Mainz]], [[Worms, Germany|Worms]], [[Darmstadt]], and [[Luxembourg]].
*''Bereich Hauptsitz'' Mannheim was the headquarters for 10 ''Unterregion-Hauptsitze'', namely [[Saarlautern]], [[Saarbrücken]], [[St. Wendel]], [[Zweibrücken]], [[Kaiserslautern]], [[Neustadt an der Weinstraße]], [[Ludwigshafen]] (Rhein), [[Mannheim]] I, Mannheim II, and [[Heidelberg]].
*''Bereich Hauptsitz'' Metz was the headquarters for ''Unterregion-Hauptsitze'' [[Metz]], [[Diedenhofen]] (Thionville), and [[Saint-Avold]].

During the war, Wiesbaden was, between August 1940 and the end of 1942, bombed by the [[Royal Air Force]] and from 1943 through to March 1945, was attacked by both RAF and [[United States Army Air Force]] bombers on 66 days. In the attacks, about 18% of the city's homes were destroyed. During the war, more than 25% of the city's buildings were damaged or worse and 1,700 people were killed.<ref name="Heinrich-Verlag GmBH-2011">{{cite book |title= Wiesbaden: For Old Friends and New|last= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|year= 2011|publisher= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|isbn= 978-3-89889-167-7|pages= 80}}</ref>

Wiesbaden was the location of a camp for [[Sinti]] and [[Romani people]] (see ''[[Romani Holocaust]]''),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=100001028|title=Lager für Sinti und Roma Wiesbaden|website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=9 January 2024|language=de}}</ref> and two subcamps of the [[Hinzert concentration camp]], mostly for Luxembourgish prisoners.<ref>{{cite book|last=Megargee|first=Geoffrey P.|year=2009|title=The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume I|publisher=Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum|page=842|isbn=978-0-253-35328-3}}</ref>

Wiesbaden was captured by U.S. Army forces on 28 March 1945. The U.S. 317th Infantry Regiment attacked in assault boats across the Rhine from Mainz while the 319th Infantry attacked across the river Main near [[Hochheim am Main]]. The attack started at 01:00 and by early afternoon the two forces of the [[80th Division (United States)|80th U.S. Infantry Division]] had linked up with the loss of only three dead and three missing. The Americans captured 900 German soldiers and a warehouse full of 4,000 cases of champagne.<ref>The Last Offensive by Charles B. MacDonald, Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 71-183070</ref>

===Cold War and contemporary history===
After World War II, the state of Hesse was established (see [[Greater Hesse]]), and Wiesbaden became its capital, though nearby [[Frankfurt|Frankfurt am Main]] is much larger and works as Hesse's economic and financial centre. Wiesbaden however suffered much less than Frankfurt from air bombing. There is a persistent rumour that the U.S. Army Air Force spared the town with the intention of turning it into a postwar HQ, but USAAF sources claim this to be a myth, arguing that Wiesbaden's economic and strategic importance simply did not justify more bombing.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} Wiesbaden was host to the Headquarters, U.S. Air Forces, Europe based at the former [[Europaviertel (Wiesbaden)|Lindsey Air Station]] from 1953 to 1973.

[[American armed forces]] have been present in Wiesbaden since World War II. The [[U.S. 1st Armored Division]] was headquartered at the [[Wiesbaden Army Airfield]], just off the [[autobahn]] toward Frankfurt, until the Division completed relocation to Fort Bliss, Texas, in 2011. Wiesbaden is now home to the [[U.S. Army Europe]] Headquarters and the General [[John Shalikashvili]] Mission Command Center.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eur.army.mil/news/2012/06112014_Wiesbaden_ceremonies.html |title=Wiesbaden ceremonies mark key milestones in U.S. Army Europe transition |publisher=Eur.army.mil |date=14 June 2012 |access-date=13 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130317120017/http://www.eur.army.mil/news/2012/06112014_Wiesbaden_ceremonies.html |archive-date=17 March 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

During his military service between 1958-1960 American rock artist [[Elvis Presley]] was stationed in Friedberg and often visited Wiesbaden.<ref name="Heinrich-Verlag GmBH-2011"/>

In 1962, the American artists [[George Maciunas]], [[Dick Higgins]] and [[Alison Knowles]] traveled to Europe to promote a planned "[[Fluxus]]" publication with concerts of antique musical instruments, the “Fluxus Internationale Festspiele Neuester Music” (Fluxus International Festival of Newest Music) at the [[Museum Wiesbaden]]. Fourteen concerts were performed on four weekends between 1 and 23 September which marked the beginning of the Fluxus movement. Work by musicians such as [[John Cage]], [[György Ligeti]], [[Krzysztof Penderecki]], [[Terry Riley]], [[Brion Gysin]] and others were performed alongside new performance pieces written by Higgins, Knowles, [[George Brecht]], [[Nam June Paik]], [[Ben Patterson]], [[Robert Filliou]], [[Emmett Williams]], and others. One performance in particular, "Piano Activities" by [[Philip Corner]], became notorious by challenging the important status of the piano in post-war German homes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.schirn.de/en/magazine/context/2019/big_orchestra/fluxus_in_wiesbaden_big_orchestra/ |title="Fluxus is a big ship on which to take a great excursion" |author=Elke Gruhn |publisher=Schirn Mag |date=9 June 2019 |access-date=29 September 2024}}</ref>

==Bathing and gambling==
Wiesbaden has long been famous for its thermal springs and spa. Use of the thermal springs was first documented by the Romans. The business of spring bathing became important for Wiesbaden near the end of the [[Middle Ages]]. By 1370, 16 bath houses were in operation. By 1800, the city had 2,239 inhabitants and 23 bath houses.

By 1900, Wiesbaden, with a population of 86,100, hosted 126,000 visitors annually. Famous visitors to the springs included [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]], [[Fyodor Dostoevsky]], [[Richard Wagner]], [[Johannes Brahms]], and [[Henrik Pontoppidan]]. In those years, more millionaires were living in Wiesbaden than in any other city in Germany.

Gambling followed bathing ''en suite'', and in the 19th century, Wiesbaden was famous for both. Its casino (''Spielbank'') rivalled those of [[Bad Homburg]], [[Baden-Baden]], and [[Monaco]]. In 1872, the Prussian-dominated imperial government closed down all German gambling houses. The Wiesbaden casino was reopened in 1949.

==Main sights==
{{Wide image|MK 36878-82 Wiesbaden vom Neroberg.jpg|1280px|A panorama of Wiesbaden from the [[Neroberg]]}}

===The Palace Square===
[[File:Stadtschloss Wiesbaden.jpg|thumb|right|The former Ducal Palace|225px]]The ''[[Schloßplatz (Wiesbaden)|Schloßplatz]]'' ("palace square") is situated in the center of the city, surrounded by several outstanding buildings. The [[Stadtschloss, Wiesbaden|ducal palace]] was begun under [[William, Duke of Nassau]]. Its foundations were laid in 1837 and it was completed in November 1841 (two years after William's death). For the twenty-six remaining years of ducal authority it was the residence of the ruling family. It later served as a secondary residence for the King of [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]] 1866 to 1918. It was later used as a headquarters for French and British occupying forces after World War I, then as a museum.

Since 1945, the building has served as [[Hessian Landtag|Landtag]] (parliamentary building) for the state of Hesse. The site of the palace had been that of a castle, probably from the early Middle Ages, around which the city had developed. While nothing is known of the former castle, remains of it were uncovered during excavations after World War II.
[[File:Altes Rathaus - Wiesbaden, 1893.tif|thumb|New Town Hall, picture taken 1893]]
[[File:MK10960 Marktstraße 16 Altes Rathaus.jpg|thumb|Old Town Hall]]
The new town hall was built in 1887.  A tile mosaic in front of the town hall shows the [[heraldic beast|heraldic eagle]] of the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] (of which Wiesbaden was a part at the time), the [[coat of arms]] of the Prussian [[Province of Hesse-Nassau]], and the [[fleur-de-lis]] of Wiesbaden. The old town hall, built in 1610, is the oldest preserved building in the city center and now is used as a civil registry office.

The [[Protestant]] ''[[Marktkirche, Wiesbaden|Marktkirche]]'' ("market church") was built from 1852 to 1862 in a [[Gothic Revival architecture|neo-Gothic]] style. Its western steeple is {{convert|92|m|abbr=off}} in height, making the church the highest building in the city.

===Kurhaus and Theater===
{{Main|Kurhaus, Wiesbaden|Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden|Bowling Green, Wiesbaden}}
[[File:Kurhaus Wiesbaden blaue Stunde 290-L4.jpg|thumb|Kurhaus with Fountain on the Bowling Green]]
The monumental [[Neoclassical architecture|Neo-Classical]] ''[[Kurhaus, Wiesbaden|Kurhaus]]'' ("spa house") was built at the request of Kaiser [[Wilhelm II of Germany|Wilhelm II]] between 1904 and 1907. Its famous ''Spielbank'' (casino) is again in operation.

In front of the Kurhaus is a lawn known as the Bowling Green. To one side of the Bowling Green is the Kurhaus Kolonnade. Built in 1827, the 129 meter structure is the longest hall in Europe supported by pillars. To the other side is the Theater Kolonnade, built in 1839. It is adjacent to the [[Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden]], built between 1892 and 1894.

===St. Bonifatius===
{{Main|St. Bonifatius, Wiesbaden}}
St. Bonifatius, the first church for the Catholic community after the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]], was built from 1845 until 1849 by Philipp Hoffmann in [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival style]] and dedicated to [[Saint Boniface]].

===St. Elizabeth's Church===
The Russian Orthodox [[St. Elizabeth's Church, Wiesbaden|Church of Saint Elizabeth]], called ''Griechische Kapelle'' (Greek chapel) locally, was built on the [[Neroberg]] from 1847 to 1855 by Duke Adolf of Nassau on the occasion of the early death of his wife [[Elizabeth Mikhailovna]], who died in childbirth. The architect was again Philipp Hoffmann.

===Museum Wiesbaden===
[[File:Friedrich Wilhelm Theodor Heyser - Ophelia.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ophelia (Heyser)|''Ophelia'']] was painted circa 1900 by the German artist [[Friedrich Heyser]]. The painting was sold at auction in 2017 and acquired by Museum Wiesbaden.]]
One of the several [[Hesse|Hessian state museums]], the [[Museum Wiesbaden]] is located in Wiesbaden.

===Warmer Damm park===
The Warmer Damm park is a 4.5 hectare park on the east side of Wilhelmstrasse and south of the State theater and Kurhaus which features a lake, a fountain, various statues, and large grassy areas. The park was created in 1859-1860 and is named after the medieval fortifications around a pond into which the warm waters of the town's 26 warm springs flowed.<ref>{{cite book |title= Wiesbaden: For Old Friends and New|last= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|year= 2011|publisher= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|isbn= 978-3-89889-167-7|pages= 14-15}}</ref>

===Other sights===
Another building from the regency of Duke Wilhelm is the Luisenplatz, a square named for the Duke's first wife. It is surrounded by [[Neoclassicism|Neoclassicist]] buildings, and in the middle of the square is the [[Waterloo Battle|Waterloo]] [[Obelisk]], commemorating the 683 Nassauers who died on 18 June 1815 near [[Hougoumont]] Farm in the respective battle against [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]].<ref>The Duchy of Nassau participated with two regiments of total 6180 men infantry, about half came under fire and mainly 2nd rgt. 1st battalion in the defense of the fortified [[Hougoumont Farm]]. The duke issued a medal to all surviving participants in 1816. https://www.nmm.nl/zoeken-in-de-collectie/detail/231159/{{Dead link|date=March 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Apart from the palace in the center, the ducal family had a large palace on the banks of the Rhine, known as [[Schloss Biebrich]]. This [[baroque architecture|baroque building]] was erected in the first half of the 18th century.

North of the city is the [[Neroberg]]. From the top of this hill it is possible to view a panorama of the city. The [[Nerobergbahn]] [[funicular|funicular railway]] connects the city with the hill. South of it, the [[Nerotalanlagen]] are a park along a creek, created in 1897/98 as an [[English landscape garden]].

Other churches are the [[Bergkirche, Wiesbaden|Bergkirche]], completed in 1879 in Gothic Revival style, and the [[Lutherkirche, Wiesbaden|Lutherkirche]], finished in 1910 in [[Jugendstil]]. The church [[Mariä Heimsuchung, Wiesbaden|Mariä Heimsuchung]] is a tall concrete landmark in the Kohlheck suburb.

Oriental Christianity is also represented with the St. Isaiah [[Syriac Orthodox Church]] on the Willi-Juppe-Straße in Dotzheim, built in 2016 by [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]]. Although the majority of Assyrians in Wiesbaden are Syriac Orthodox,<ref>{{Cite news |last=VRM GmbH & Co. KG |title=Syrisch-orthodoxe Jasaja-Kirche in Dotzheim festlich eingeweiht - Wiesbadener Kurier |url=https://www.wiesbadener-kurier.de/lokales/wiesbaden/nachrichten-wiesbaden/syrisch-orthodoxe-jasaja-kirche-in-dotzheim-festlich-eingeweiht_17049347 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705210432/https://www.wiesbadener-kurier.de/lokales/wiesbaden/nachrichten-wiesbaden/syrisch-orthodoxe-jasaja-kirche-in-dotzheim-festlich-eingeweiht_17049347 |archive-date=2019-07-05 |access-date=2025-06-18 |language=de}}</ref> the [[Assyrian Church of the East]] also has a congregation located in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-12 |title=Assyrische Kirche des Ostens |url=https://www.ack-wiesbaden.de/assyrische-kirche |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=Arbeitsgemeinschaft Christlicher Kirchen in Wiesbaden |language=de-DE}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
 Wiesbaden-biebrich-schloss.jpg|Biebrich Palace
 Hessischer Landtag Stadtschloss Wiesbaden.jpg|City Palace
 Wiesbaden Nerobergbahn 2010-05-01 17.08.21.jpg|Nerobergbahn funicular
 Russ Orth Kirche Wiesbaden 865-h.jpg|''Griechische Kapelle''
 Nerotalanlagen, south.jpg|Nerotalanlagen
 Wiesbad1.jpg|Marktkirche
 Marktkirche seen from the Warmer Damm, Wiesbaden, Germany.JPG|Warmer Damm
 Warmer Damm Pond and Fountain.JPG|Warmer Damm
 St. Bonifatius Church, Wiesbaden, Germany.jpg|St. Bonifatius
</gallery>

==Boroughs of Wiesbaden==
The city of Wiesbaden is divided into 26 boroughs: five in the central city and 21 suburban districts. The 21 suburban districts were incorporated in four phases from 1926 to 1977. The former Mainz suburbs on the right bank of river Rhine viz. Amöneburg, Kastel and Kostheim have belonged to Wiesbaden since 1945.

[[File:Wiesbaden subdivisions (colored scheme).svg|thumb|Boroughs of Wiesbaden|400px]]

===Inner boroughs===
{| class="wikitable sortable zebra"
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! Borough !! Area !! Population !! Density !! Purchasing power <br /> per inhabitant !! Map
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Mitte|Mitte]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_01Mitte.pdf Ortsbezirk Mitte] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814034558/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_01Mitte.pdf |date=14 August 2011 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1.53&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}20,797
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}13,593
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€19,707 
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Mitte.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Nordost|Nordost]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_02Nordost.pdf Ortsbezirk Nordost] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816001002/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_02Nordost.pdf |date=16 August 2012 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}19.44&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}22,621
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1,163
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€21,709 
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Nordost.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Rheingauviertel|Rheingauviertel]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_06Rheingauviertel.pdf Ortsbezirk Rheingauviertel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814074602/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_06Rheingauviertel.pdf |date=14 August 2011 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}2.47&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}19,802
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}8,017
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€17,461 
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Rheingauviertel.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Südost|Südost]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_03Suedost.pdf Ortsbezirk Südost] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619123823/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_03Suedost.pdf |date=19 June 2012 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}6.62&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}18,835
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}2,845
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€24,370 
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Südost.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Westend|Westend]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_08Westend.pdf Ortsbezirk Westend]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}0.67&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}16,528
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}24,669
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€19,047 
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Westend.PNG|40px]]
|}

===Suburban boroughs===
{| class="wikitable sortable zebra"
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! Borough !! Area !! Population !! Density !! Purchasing power <br /> per inh. !! Incorporated since !! Map
|-
| Wiesbaden-Auringen|Auringen<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_32Auringen.pdf Ortsbezirk Auringen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814003435/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_32Auringen.pdf |date=14 August 2011 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}3.12&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}3,399
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1,079
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€22,114 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 January 1977
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Auringen.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Biebrich|Biebrich]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_14Biebrich.pdf Ortsbezirk Biebrich] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816212522/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_14Biebrich.pdf |date=16 August 2012 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}12.99&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}36,896
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}2,840
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€18,779 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}28 October 1926
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Biebrich.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Bierstadt|Bierstadt]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_12Bierstadt.pdf Ortsbezirk Bierstadt] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619124224/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_12Bierstadt.pdf |date=19 June 2012 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}9.22&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}12,109
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1,313
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€22,807 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 April 1928
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Bierstadt.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Breckenheim|Breckenheim]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_34Breckenheim.pdf Ortsbezirk Breckenheim] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605111004/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_34Breckenheim.pdf |date=5 June 2012 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}6.53&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}3,375
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}517
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€22,074 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 January 1977
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Breckenheim.PNG|40px]]
|-
| Wiesbaden-Delkenheim|Delkenheim<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_26Delkenheim.pdf Ortsbezirk Delkenheim] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814112841/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_26Delkenheim.pdf |date=14 August 2011 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}7.43&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}4,938
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}665
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€20,908 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 January 1977
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Delkenheim.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Dotzheim|Dotzheim]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_16Dotzheim.pdf Ortsbezirk Dotzheim] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813220509/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_16Dotzheim.pdf |date=13 August 2011 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}18.27&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}26,234
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1,436
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€18,793 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 April 1928
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Dotzheim.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Erbenheim|Erbenheim]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_13Erbenheim.pdf Ortsbezirk Erbenheim] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814005812/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_13Erbenheim.pdf |date=14 August 2011 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}11.27&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}9,258
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}821
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€19,357 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 April 1928
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Erbenheim.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Frauenstein|Frauenstein]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_28Frauenstein.pdf Ortsbezirk Frauenstein] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815212824/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_28Frauenstein.pdf |date=15 August 2012 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}10.65&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}2,359
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}222
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€19,365 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 April 1928
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Frauenstein.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Heßloch|Heßloch]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_22Hessloch.pdf Ortsbezirk Heßloch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814100209/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_22Hessloch.pdf |date=14 August 2011 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1.54&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}695
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}451
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€24,525 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 April 1928
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Heßloch.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Igstadt|Igstadt]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_24Igstadt.pdf Ortsbezirk Igstadt] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816012333/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_24Igstadt.pdf |date=16 August 2012 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}7.26&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}2,090
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}288
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€21,869 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 April 1928
| style="text-align:center;" is| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Igstadt.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Klarenthal|Klarenthal]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_07Klarenthal.pdf Ortsbezirk Klarenthal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813221656/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_07Klarenthal.pdf |date=13 August 2011 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}6.13&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}10,280
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1,677
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€18,103 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 September 1964
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Klarenthal.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Kloppenheim|Kloppenheim]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_23Kloppenheim.pdf Ortsbezirk Kloppenheim] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815215836/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_23Kloppenheim.pdf |date=15 August 2012 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}5.39&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}2,301
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}427
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€21,592 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 April 1928
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Kloppenheim.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Mainz-Amöneburg]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_51Amoeneburg.pdf Ortsbezirk Mainz-Amöneburg] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814043605/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_51Amoeneburg.pdf |date=14 August 2011 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}3.71&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1,444
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}389
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€17,267 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}25 July 1945
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Amöneburg.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Mainz-Kastel]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_52Kastel.pdf Ortsbezirk Mainz-Kastel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818003458/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_52Kastel.pdf |date=18 August 2012 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}9.51&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}12,021
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1,264
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€19,874 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}25 July 1945
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Kastel.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Mainz-Kostheim]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_53Kostheim.pdf Ortsbezirk Mainz-Kostheim] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818000604/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_53Kostheim.pdf |date=18 August 2012 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}9.53&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}13,935
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1,462
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€18,623 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}25 July 1945
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Kostheim.PNG|40px]]
|-
| Wiesbaden-Medenbach|Medenbach<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_33Medenbach.pdf Ortsbezirk Medenbach] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613063938/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_33Medenbach.pdf |date=13 June 2010 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}4.74&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}2,501
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}560
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€21,170 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 January 1977
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Medenbach.PNG|40px]]
|-
| Wiesbaden-Naurod|Naurod<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_31Naurod.pdf Ortsbezirk Naurod] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814025302/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_31Naurod.pdf |date=14 August 2011 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}10.99&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}4,414
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}402
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€21,865 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 January 1977
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Naurod.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Nordenstadt|Nordenstadt]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_25Nordenstadt.pdf Ortsbezirk Nordenstadt] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111232141/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_25Nordenstadt.pdf |date=11 November 2011 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}7.73&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}7,896
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1,021
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€21,503 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 January 1977
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Nordenstadt.PNG|40px]]
|-
| Wiesbaden-Rambach|Rambach<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_21Rambach.pdf Ortsbezirk Rambach] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814023359/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_21Rambach.pdf |date=14 August 2011 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}9.92&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}2,175
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}219
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€24,902 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1 April 1928
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Rambach.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Schierstein|Schierstein]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_27Schierstein.pdf Ortsbezirk Schierstein] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817232247/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_27Schierstein.pdf |date=17 August 2012 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}9.43&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}10,129
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}1,074
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€19,938 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}28 October 1926
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Schierstein.PNG|40px]]
|-
| [[Wiesbaden-Sonnenberg|Sonnenberg]]<ref>''Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden'' – [http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_11Sonnenberg.pdf Ortsbezirk Sonnenberg] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816093731/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/leben/stadtportrait/1202_11Sonnenberg.pdf |date=16 August 2012 }}, September 2009</ref>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}8.34&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}7,972
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}956
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}€27,701 
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}28 October 1926
| style="text-align:center;"| [[File:Wiesbaden Karte Sonnenberg.PNG|40px]]
|}

==Population==
[[File:Einwohnerentwicklung von Wiesbaden.svg|thumb|Population development since 1524]]
{{Historical populations|1521|192|1699|730|1722|1329|1800|2239|1840|11648
|1861|20800|1871|35500|1880|50238|1890|64670|1900|86111|1905|100953|1910|109002|1917|86555|1925|102737|1933|159755|1939|170354|1946|188370|1950|220741|1956|244994|1961|253280|1965|260331
|1970|250122|1980|274464|1987|251871|1990|260301|2001|271076|2011|269121|2022|284260|footnote=Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions.}}

Wiesbaden has a population of about 280,000. In 1946, when Wiesbaden became the capital of [[Hesse]] state, it had a population of about 188,000. At that time, Wiesbaden was a part of [[American-occupied zone of Germany|American occupied zone]] and parts of the city of [[Mainz]], which was the right side on the [[Rhine]] river, became a part of Wiesbaden. In 1950s many Americans came to Wiesbaden due to its jobs by military bases. Many people who work in [[Frankfurt]] live in Wiesbaden due to its high rent of the city. Wiesbaden is one of the most international cities in Germany with people from over 180 countries. 

List of largest groups of foreign residents of Wiesbaden:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wiesbaden.de/medien-zentral/dok/leben/stadtportrait/02_Bevoelkerung_Auszug_Statistisches_Jahrbuch.pdf#page=1&zoom=auto,-274,848 |title=Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden: Statistisches Jahrbuch 2016 – Bevölkerung |publisher=wiesbaden.de |date=26 March 2017 |access-date=27 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625132517/https://www.wiesbaden.de/medien-zentral/dok/leben/stadtportrait/02_Bevoelkerung_Auszug_Statistisches_Jahrbuch.pdf#page=1&zoom=auto,-274,848 |archive-date=25 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Rank
! Nationality
! Population (2022)
|-
|1||{{flag|Turkey}}|| 9,351
|-
|2||{{flag|Poland}}|| 4,648
|-
|3||{{flag|Italy}}|| 4,089
|-
|4||{{flag|Ukraine}}|| 3,678
|-
|5||{{flag|Romania}}|| 3,265
|-
|6||{{flag|Bulgaria}}|| 2,843
|-
|7||{{flag|Greece}}|| 2,774
|-
|8||{{flag|Syria}}|| 2,495
|-
|9||{{flag|Croatia}}|| 1,947
|-
|10||{{flag|Serbia}}|| 1,815
|-
|11||{{flag|Morocco}}|| 1,801
|-
|12||{{flag|Spain}}|| 1,523
|-
|13||{{flag|USA}}|| 1,333
|-
|14||{{flag|Afghanistan}}|| 1,245
|-
|15||{{flag|Portugal}}|| 1,240
|-
|16||{{flag|Russia}}|| 1,143
|-
|17||{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}|| 1,138
|-
|18||{{flag|Iran}}|| 820
|-
|19||{{flag|France}}|| 774
|-
|20||{{flag|Austria}}|| 713
|-
|}

==Politics==
===Mayor===
[[File:2019 Wiesbaden mayoral election (2nd round).svg|thumb|250px|Results of the second round of the 2019 mayoral election]]
The current mayor of Wiesbaden is Gert-Uwe Mende of the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD), who was elected in 2019.

The most recent mayoral election was held on 26 May 2019, with a runoff held on 16 June, and the results were as follows:

{{election table}}
! rowspan=2 colspan=2| Candidate
! rowspan=2| Party
! colspan=2| First round
! colspan=2| Second round
|-
! Votes
! %
! Votes
! %
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| Gert-Uwe Mende
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]]
| 29,940
| 27.1
| 41,000
| 62.0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| Eberhard Seidensticker
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]]
| 26,997
| 24.5
| 25,104
| 38.0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| 
| align=left| Christiane Hinninger
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]]
| 25,849
| 23.4
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| Sebastian Rutten
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]]
| 11,590
| 10.5
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| Eckhard Müller
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]]
| 6,859
| 6.2
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| Ingo von Seemen
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]]
| 5,336
| 4.8
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Voters}}| 
| align=left| Christian Bachmann
| align=left| [[Free Voters]]
| 3,812
| 3.5
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 110,383
! 98.9
! 66,104
! 98.6
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid votes
! 1,202
! 1.1
! 937
! 1.4
|-
! colspan=3| Total
! 111,585
! 100.0
! 67,041
! 100.0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 208,686
! 53.5
! 208,821
! 32.1
|-
| colspan=7| Source: City of Wiesbaden ([https://web.archive.org/web/20200929142851/https://wahlergebnisse.wiesbaden.de/a-web/_wahl/ob2019-obz/index.html 1st round], [https://web.archive.org/web/20200929143225/https://wahlergebnisse.wiesbaden.de/a-web/_wahl/ob2019s-obz/index.html 2nd round])
|}

The following is a list of mayors since 1849:{{efn|The information up to 2007 was retrieved from ''Die Wiesbadener Oberbürgermeister seit dem Bau des neuen Rathauses (1886)'' (The Wiesbaden Mayors since the construction of the new town mayor hall (1886).)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wiesbaden.de/rathaus/stadtpolitik/oberbuergermeister/amtsvorgaenger.php|title=Amtsvorgänger|access-date=13 December 2009|archive-date=25 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225153349/http://wiesbaden.de/rathaus/stadtpolitik/oberbuergermeister/amtsvorgaenger.php|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

*1849–1868: Heinrich Fischer
*1868–1882: Wilhelm Lanz
*1882–1883: Christian Schlichter
*1883–1913: Carl Bernhard von Ibell
*1913–1919: Karl Glässing
*1919–1929: Fritz Travers
*1930–1933: Georg Krücke
*1933–1937: Alfred Schulte
*1937–1945: [[Erich Mix]]
*1945–1946: Georg Krücke
*1946–1953: Hans Heinrich Redlhammer
*1951–1954: Georg Kluge
*1954–1960: [[Erich Mix]]
*1960–1968: Georg Buch
*1968–1980: Rudi Schmitt
*1980–1982: Georg-Berndt Oschatz
*1982–1985: Hans-Joachim Jentsch
*1985–1997: Achim Exner
*1997–2007: Hildebrand Diehl
*2007–2013: Helmut Müller
*2013–2019: [[Sven Gerich]]
*2019– : Gert-Uwe Mende<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.wiesbaden.de/rathaus/stadtpolitik/oberbuergermeister/portraet-gert-uwe-mende.php | title=Porträt Gert-Uwe Mende &#124; Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden | access-date=27 August 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827142846/https://www.wiesbaden.de/rathaus/stadtpolitik/oberbuergermeister/portraet-gert-uwe-mende.php | archive-date=27 August 2019 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

===City council===
[[File:2021 Wiesbaden City Council election.svg|thumb|250px|Results of 2021 city council election]]
The administrative structure of Wiesbaden is based on the Hessian municipal code, as last amended in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Headquarters of the Wiesbaden Regional Government |url=http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/rathaus/stadtrecht/1_-_1.1_Hauptsatzung_1_.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525040225/http://www.wiesbaden.de/medien/dokumente/rathaus/stadtrecht/1_-_1.1_Hauptsatzung_1_.pdf |archive-date=2011-05-25 |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=www.wiesbaden.de}}</ref> The Wiesbaden City Council (''Stadtverordnetenversammlung'') governs the city alongside the Mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 14 March 2021. Following the election, the coalition negotiations resulted in an agreement between Alliance 90/The Greens (Grüne), the Social Democratic Party (SPD), The Left, and Volt Germany.<ref name="f482">{{cite web |last=Reckmann |first=Madeleine |title=Christiane Hinninger will Wiesbadener Stadträtin werden |website=FR.de |date=2022-07-19 |url=https://www.fr.de/rhein-main/wiesbaden/christiane-hinninger-will-wiesbadener-stadtraetin-werden-91676823.html |language=de |access-date=2024-12-16}}</ref> These 42 votes allowed the Greens, who came second in the popular vote, to keep the CDU, who had come in first, out of the governing majority. The full results of the election were as follows:

{{election table}}
! colspan=2| Party
! Lead candidate
! Votes
! %
! +/−
! Seats
! +/−
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Christian Democratic Union of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|Christian Democratic Union]] (CDU)
| align=left| Daniela Georgi
| 1,526,381
| 23.5
| {{decrease}} 1.2
| 19
| {{decrease}} 1
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alliance 90/The Greens}}| 
| align=left| [[Alliance 90/The Greens]] (Grüne)
| align=left| Christiane Hinninger
| 1,390,605
| 21.4
| {{increase}} 7.3
| 17
| {{increase}} 6
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Social Democratic Party of Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]] (SPD)
| align=left| Hendrik Schmehl
| 1,320,299
| 20.3
| {{decrease}} 5.6
| 17
| {{decrease}} 4
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Democratic Party (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]] (FDP)
| align=left| Christian Diers
| 675,021
| 10.4
| {{increase}} 0.6
| 8
| ±0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Alternative for Germany}}| 
| align=left| [[Alternative for Germany]] (AfD)
| align=left| Eckhard Müller
| 423,519
| 6.5
| {{decrease}} 6.3
| 5
| {{decrease}} 6
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|The Left (Germany)}}| 
| align=left| [[The Left (Germany)|The Left]] (Die Linke)
| align=left| Ingo von Seemen
| 402,735
| 6.2
| {{steady}} 0.0
| 5
| ±0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Volt Europa}}| 
| align=left| [[Volt Europa#Germany|Volt Germany]] (Volt)
| align=left| Daniel Weber
| 246,454
| 3.8
| New
| 3
| New
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Free Voters}}| 
| align=left| [[Free Voters]] (FW)
| align=left| Christian Bachmann
| 163,942
| 2.5
| {{increase}} 1.1
| 2
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| 
| align=left| Initiative Pro Auto Wiesbaden (Pro Auto)
| align=left| Christian Hill
| 105,047
| 1.6
| New
| 1
| New
|-
| 
| align=left| Citizens' List Wiesbaden (BLW)
| align=left| Monika Becht
| 73,255
| 1.1
| {{decrease}} 0.6
| 1
| ±0
|-
| bgcolor={{party color|Die PARTEI}}| 
| align=left| [[Die PARTEI]] (PARTEI)
| align=left| Lukas Haker
| 51,343
| 0.8
| New
| 1
| New
|-
| 
| align=left| Independent List Wiesbaden (ULW)
| align=left| Veit Wilhelmy
| 50,920
| 0.8
| {{decrease}} 0.2
| 1
| ±0
|-
| 
| align=left| Alliance for Innovation and Justice (BIG)
| align=left| Faissal Wardak
| 44,344
| 0.7
| {{increase}} 0.4
| 1
| {{increase}} 1
|-
| 
| align=left| [[Liberal Conservative Reformers]] (LKR)
| align=left| Thomas Preinl
| 25,988
| 0.4
| New
| 0
| New
|-
! colspan=3| Valid votes
! 83,885
! 95.9
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=3| Invalid votes
! 3,597
! 4.1
! 
! 
! 
|-
! colspan=3| Total
! 87,482
! 100.0
! 
! 81
! ±0
|-
! colspan=3| Electorate/voter turnout
! 209,347
! 41.8
! {{decrease}} 1.6
! 
! 
|-
| colspan=8| Source: [https://votemanager-wi.ekom21cdn.de/2021-03-14/06414000/html5/Gemeindewahl_Hessen_26_Gemeinde_Landeshauptstadt_Wiesbaden.html City Council Vote, Wiesbaden]
|}

==Transport==
[[File:Roadmap Wiesbaden.png|thumbnail|A map of Wiesbaden with Autobahns, federal roads and main streets]]

===Roads===
Wiesbaden is well connected to the German motorway (''[[Autobahn]]'') system. The [[Wiesbadener Kreuz]] is an Autobahn interchange east of the city where the [[Bundesautobahn 3]] (A 3), [[Cologne]] to [[Würzburg]], and the [[Bundesautobahn 66]] (A 66), [[Rheingau]] to [[Fulda]], meet. With approximately 210,000 cars daily it is one of the most heavily used interchange in Germany. The [[Bundesautobahn 66]] (A 66) connects Wiesbaden with [[Frankfurt]].

The [[Bundesautobahn 643]] (A 643) is mainly a commuter motorway which starts in the south of the city centre, runs through the southern part of Wiesbaden crosses the Rhine via the [[Schierstein Bridge]] and connect in the northwestern part of [[Mainz]] to the A60. The [[Bundesautobahn 671]] (A 671) is a very short motorway in the southeastern part of Wiesbaden which primarily serves as a fast connection between the city centre and the [[Bundesautobahn 60]] to serve the cities like [[Rüsselsheim]], Darmstadt and the [[Rhine-Neckar|Rhine-Neckar region]] (Mannheim, Ludwigshafen and Heidelberg).

The downtown area is bordered on the north side by Taunusstrasse, which has once featured many antique stores.<ref>{{cite book |title= Wiesbaden: For Old Friends and New|last= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|year= 2011|publisher= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|isbn= 978-3-89889-167-7|pages= 10}}</ref> The east side is constrained by Wilhelmstrasse, created by Christian Zais. This 1,000 meter-long street is named after Duke William of Nassau (German Wilhelm), not Emperor Wilhelm II, as many mistakenly believe.<ref>It features a wide variety of businesses from restaurants to hotels to banks.{{cite book |title= Wiesbaden: For Old Friends and New|last= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|year= 2011|publisher= Heinrich-Verlag GmBH|isbn= 978-3-89889-167-7|pages= 11}}</ref>

The streets of central Wiesbaden are regularly congested with cars during rush hour. Besides some areas, especially the [[Ringstraße (Wiesbaden)|Ringroad]] and not directly in the centre, and the southern arterial roads like the [[Mainzer Straße]], [[Biebricher Allee]] and [[Schiersteiner Straße]].

===Rail===
[[File:BD-HauptbahnhofWiesbaden-20130507-IMG 1754.jpg|thumb|[[Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof|Wiesbaden main station]], built between 1904 and 1906]]

[[Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof|Wiesbaden's main railway station]] and several minor railway stops connect the town with [[Frankfurt Central Station|Frankfurt]], [[Darmstadt Central Station|Darmstadt]], [[Mainz Central Station|Mainz]], [[Limburg (Lahn) station|Limburg]], and [[Koblenz Central Station|Koblenz]] via [[Rüdesheim (Rhein) station|Rüdesheim]]. Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof is connected to the [[Cologne-Frankfurt high-speed rail line]] by a 13-kilometer [[Breckenheim–Wiesbaden railway|branch line]]. [[Hamburg Central Station|Hamburg]], [[München Hauptbahnhof|München]], [[Leipzig Central Station|Leipzig]], [[Dresden Central Station|Dresden]], [[Stuttgart Central Station|Stuttgart]], [[Mannheim Central Station|Mannheim]], and [[Hanover Central Station|Hanover]] are connected directly to Wiesbaden via long-distance service of the [[Deutsche Bahn]]. More services to locations outside the immediate area connect through Mainz or [[Frankfurt Airport long-distance station|Frankfurt Airport]] or Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof. Regional trains and bus services are coordinated by the [[Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund]].

===Public transport===
[[File:Citaro G II ESWE.jpg|thumb|A bus at Schierstein harbor]]
*'''S-Bahn'''
Wiesbaden is connected to the Frankfurt [[S-Bahn Rhein-Main|S-Bahn]] network and served by three lines ({{ric|Rhine-Main S-Bahn|S1}} {{ric|Rhine-Main S-Bahn|S8}} {{ric|Rhine-Main S-Bahn|S9}}) which connect Wiesbaden with the densely populated [[Frankfurt Rhein-Main Region|Rhine Main Region]]. All routes have an at least 30 minute service during the day, in the rush hour partially every 15 minutes schedule. It provides access to nearby cities such as [[Mainz]], [[Rüsselsheim]], Frankfurt, [[Hanau]], and [[Offenbach am Main]], and smaller towns that are on the way.

*'''Bus'''
The city's public transportation service [[ESWE Verkehr]] connects all city districts to downtown by 45 bus lines in the daytime and 9 bus lines in the night. Five more bus lines, operated by the public transportation service of the city of Mainz, connects Wiesbaden's districts [[Mainz-Kastel|Kastel]] and [[Mainz-Kostheim|Kostheim]] to Mainz downtown.

===Airports===
[[File:AirportFrankfurt fromair 2010-09-19.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Frankfurt Airport]]
*'''[[Frankfurt Airport]]'''
The city can be accessed from around the world via [[Frankfurt Airport]] (''Flughafen Frankfurt am Main'') which is located {{convert|15|km|abbr=on}} east of Wiesbaden.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sur |first=Romina Bevilacqua / Ladera |date=2019-08-30 |title=Wiesbaden: las termas, los chocolates y la vida cerro arriba |url=https://www.latercera.com/tendencias/noticia/wiesbaden-las-termas-los-chocolates-la-vida-cerro/803316/ |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=La Tercera |language=es}}</ref> The airport has four [[runway]]s and serves 265 non-stop destinations. Run by transport company [[Fraport]] it ranks among the [[world's busiest airports by passenger traffic|world's 10 busiest airports by passenger traffic]] and is the [[World's busiest airports by cargo traffic|second busiest airport by cargo traffic]] in Europe. The airport also serves as a hub for [[Condor Flugdienst|Condor]] and as the main hub for German [[flag carrier]] [[Lufthansa]]. Depending on whether total passengers or flights are used, it ranks second or third busiest in Europe alongside [[London Heathrow Airport]] and [[Charles de Gaulle Airport|Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport]]. Passenger traffic at Frankfurt Airport in 2011 was 56.5&nbsp;million.

The airport can be reached by car or train and has two railway stations, one for regional and one for long-distance traffic. The [[S-Bahn]] lines S8 and S9 (direction ''Offenbach Ost'' or ''Hanau Hbf'') departing at the [[Frankfurt Airport Regional Train Station|regional train station]] take 30 minutes from the airport to Wiesbaden Central Station, the [[Intercity-Express|ICE]] trains departing at the [[Frankfurt Airport long-distance station|long-distance railway station]] take also 30 minutes to the central station.

*'''[[Frankfurt Hahn Airport]]'''
Despite the name, Frankfurt Hahn Airport (''Flughafen Frankfurt-Hahn'') is not located anywhere near Frankfurt but is instead situated approximately {{convert|100|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} from the city in [[Lautzenhausen]] ([[Rhineland-Palatinate]]). Hahn Airport was a major base for [[low-cost carrier]] [[Ryanair]]. This airport can be reached by car or bus. The nearest train station is in [[Traben-Trarbach]], it is ca. {{convert|17|km|0|abbr=on}} from the airport, on foot. The roads are not lit.

===Port===
There are small container port operations nearby on the rivers [[Rhine]] and [[Main (river)|Main]].

==Military==
[[Lucius D. Clay Kaserne]] (formerly Wiesbaden Army Airfield or WAAF) is located adjacent to Wiesbaden-Erbenheim and is home to the [[US Army Europe|US Army in Europe]] (USAREUR) headquarters, the 2nd Signal Brigade and the 66th Military Intelligence Brigade. The airfield was one of the points of origin for flights to Berlin in support of Operation Vittles (the Berlin airlift) during the [[Berlin Blockade|Soviet blockade of Berlin]]. General [[Lucius D. Clay]], the commander of the US occupation zone in Germany, was the architect of the airlift.

The United States Army runs a garrison in Wiesbaden. The facilities for US soldiers and families are spread across various locations including: Aukamn, Hainerberg, Mainz-Kastel and the Wiesbaden Army-Airfield, where the names of the streets are named after servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives during the Berlin Airlift.<ref>Fish, Todd J. "About". U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden. Accessed 11 September 2016. http://www.wiesbaden.army.mil/about/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919104334/http://www.wiesbaden.army.mil/about/ |date=19 September 2016 }}.</ref>

==Economy==
Wiesbaden hosts a number of international companies, which have their German or European headquarters there including [[Abbott Laboratories]], [[DXC Technology]], [[Ferrari]], [[Federal-Mogul]], [[Melbourne IT]], [[Norwegian Cruise Line]], and [[Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget|SCA]]. Several German companies also have their headquarters in Wiesbaden, including [[SGL Carbon]], Dyckerhoff, [[KION Group]], DBV-Winterthur, and R + V Versicherung. Wiesbaden is also home to the "Industriepark Kalle-Albert", an [[industrial park]] in the southern quarter of [[Biebrich (Wiesbaden)|Biebrich]]. It is one of the largest in Germany with over 80 companies from the [[pharmaceutical industry|pharmaceutical]] and [[chemical industry|chemical]] industries, including [[Agfa-Gevaert]], [[Clariant]], [[Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation]], and [[Shin-Etsu Chemical]]. The park was founded by chemical company [[Hoechst AG]] in 1997.

The [[Federal Criminal Police Office (Germany)|Federal Criminal Police Office]] and the [[Federal Statistical Office of Germany]] are both based in Wiesbaden, along with many Hessian ministries such as the Hessian [[Landeskriminalamt|State Criminal Police Office]].

At approximately €77,500, Wiesbaden has the second largest gross domestic product per inhabitant in Hesse, after Frankfurt, making it one of the richest cities in Germany. The purchasing power per inhabitant is €22,500.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

==Culture==
Wiesbaden's most important stage is the [[Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden]]. Concert halls include the Friedrich-von-Thiersch-Saal of the Kurhaus. Wiesbaden has a State Library and a conservatory, where [[Max Reger]] studied and taught as a young man. Choirs such as the [[Wiesbadener Knabenchor]], [[Schiersteiner Kantorei]] and [[Chor von St. Bonifatius]] are known in the region and even internationally.

===International May Festival===
{{Main|Internationale Maifestspiele Wiesbaden}}
The International May Festival is an annual arts festival presented by the [[Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden]] every May. Established in 1896, it is one of the most distinguished international theatre and music festivals in the world. The festival features performances of plays, musicals, operas, and ballets. Concerts from a wide array of music are featured, as are artistic circus acts and modern dance presentations. Lectures, recitals, cabaret performances, and readings are also featured.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staatstheater-wiesbaden.de/?page=theater&subpage=1&language=en_EN|title=International May Festival|work=staatstheater-wiesbaden.de|access-date=5 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719085100/http://staatstheater-wiesbaden.de/?page=theater&subpage=1&language=en_EN|archive-date=19 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Rheingau Wine Festival===
The wines and sparkling wines of the close [[Rheingau]] are presented annually at the ten-day festival in August, ''Rheingauer Weinwoche'' (Rheingau Wine Week) around the Wiesbaden City Hall, on the Schlossplatz (Palace Square), the square ''Dern'sches Gelände'' and in the pedestrian area. At 118 booths, Rheingau and Wiesbaden vintners offer their wine and sparkling wine and invite to discover the already well known and favored, but also new vintages. Every year thousands of visitors use this opportunity to get acquainted with Rheingau Riesling wines and all their various facets and flavors. Regional specialities compatible with the wines are offered as well. A diversified musical program entertains the wine festival guests. Initiated more than 30 years ago by the Rheingau vintners, this wine festival has a long tradition.

===Shooting Star Market===
Wiesbaden's Sternschnuppenmarkt is located at the central [[#Main sights|Schlossplatz]] and the neighbouring streets of the [[#Main sights|parliamentary building]], [[#Main sights|old town hall]], and [[#Main sights|market church]]. The Sternschnuppenmarkt takes place from the end of November until 23 December every year and is open from Monday until Thursday 10:30 – 9:00&nbsp;pm, Friday and Saturday 10:30 – 9:30&nbsp;pm, and Sunday 12:00 – 9:00&nbsp;pm.

The market is related to the city arms of Wiesbaden: the colours blue and gold and the three lilies are characteristic. Four gates and an illuminated floral roof symbolizing [[Fleur-de-lis]], consisting of twelve over ten metre high and twelve metre wide luminous lilies, emboss the Sternschnuppenmarkt.

Over 110 booths are decorated in oriental style, coloured blue and gold, offering Christmas style goods, arts and crafts as well as nostalgic carousels and a toy train. A Christmas tree more than {{convert|28|m|abbr=off}} tall is decorated with 1000 blue and golden ties, 2500 electric bulbs and 30 flash bulbs. The nativity scene displays life-sized wooden figures.

===Rheingau Musik Festival===
[[File:Wiesbaden Pedestrian.jpg|thumb|right|Wiesbaden pedestrian zone 2005|225px]]
From the beginning in 1988 the [[Rheingau Musik Festival]] has staged summer concerts in the [[Marktkirche, Wiesbaden|Marktkirche]] and in the concert hall of the [[Kurhaus, Wiesbaden|Kurhaus]] now named Friedrich-von-Thiersch-Saal.

==Sport==
Since 2007, Wiesbaden has been home to [[SV Wehen Wiesbaden]], an [[association football]] team that plays in the [[3. Liga]]. They play their home games at the [[Brita-Arena]].

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}
[[File:202206 Wiesiek Partnerski Wrocaw dwarf.jpg|thumb|A [[Wrocław Dwarf]] celebrating the 25th anniversary of the partnership between Wiesbaden and Wrocław]]
Town twinning between Wiesbaden and other cities began with [[Klagenfurt]] in 1930, one of the first town-twinnings in Germany. Wiesbaden is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web|title=Partnerstädte|url=https://www.wiesbaden.de/leben-in-wiesbaden/stadtportrait/partnerstaedte/index.php|website=wiesbaden.de|publisher=Wiesbaden|language=de|access-date=17 February 2021|archive-date=27 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727134825/https://www.wiesbaden.de/leben-in-wiesbaden/stadtportrait/partnerstaedte/index.php|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|AUT}} [[Klagenfurt]], Austria (1930)
*{{flagicon|SUI}} [[Montreux]], Switzerland (1953)
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg|Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg (Berlin)]], Germany (1964)
*{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Ghent]], Belgium (1969)
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Fondettes]], France (1975)
*{{flagicon|SVN}} [[Ljubljana]], Slovenia (1977)
*{{flagicon|ISR}} [[Kfar Saba]], Israel (1981)
*{{flagicon|ESP}} [[San Sebastián]], Spain (1981)
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Wrocław]], Poland (1987)
*{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Royal Tunbridge Wells]], England, United Kingdom (1989)
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Görlitz]], Germany (1990)
*{{flagicon|NIC}} [[Ocotal]], Nicaragua (1990)
*{{flagicon|TUR}} [[Fatih]], Turkey (2012)
*{{flagicon|UKR}} [[Kamianets-Podilskyi]], Ukraine (2023)
{{div col end}}

==Coat of arms==
Wiesbaden's [[coat of arms]] features three [[fleur-de-lis|fleurs-de-lys]], stylized representations of the city's heraldic symbol, the lily. The [[blazon]] is: "Azure, two and one fleurs-de-lys Or".

==Notable people==
[[File:פרופ' שלמה אקשטיין (24519769611) (cropped).jpg|thumb|180px|[[Shlomo Eckstein]]]]
[[File:MoritzKoernerMEP (cropped).jpg|thumb|180px|[[Moritz Körner]]]]
[[File:John McEnroe 005.png|thumb|180px|[[John McEnroe]]]]
[[File:Simone Signoret (Harcourt).jpg|thumb|180px|[[Simone Signoret]]]]
*[[Kathrin Ackermann]] (born 1938), actress
*[[Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg]] (1817–1905), Grand Duke of Luxembourg
*[[Norbert Becker (agroscientist)|Norbert J. Becker]] (1937–2012), agricultural scientist and specialist in the area of vine breeding and viticulture
*[[Adolphus Busch]] (1839–1913), founder of [[Anheuser-Busch]]
*[[Sarah Colonna]] (born 1974), American stand-up comedian
*[[Shlomo Eckstein]] (1929–2020), Israeli economist and President of [[Bar-Ilan University]]
*[[Gisela Ehrensperger]] (born 1943), Swiss operatic soprano
*[[Erwin Finlay-Freundlich]] (1885–1964), astronomer
*[[Petra Fuhrmann]] (1955–2019), member of the [[Hessian Landtag]]
*[[Biruté Galdikas]] (1946–2026), Lithuanian-Canadian primatologist
*[[Jürgen Grabowski]] (1944–2022), footballer
*[[Berthold Guthmann]] (1893–1944), lawyer and First World War veteran
*[[Peter Hanenberger]] (born 1942), automotive specialist for [[General Motors]], previously chairman of [[Holden]]
*[[Frank-Christian Hansel]] (born 1964), politician
*[[Karl Herxheimer]] (1861–1942), dermatologist 
*[[Renée Riese Hubert]] (1916–2005), German-born American writer and academic
*[[Christer Jöns]] (born 1987), racing driver
*[[Franz Kaiser]] (1891–1962), astronomer, discoverer of asteroid [[717 Wisibada]] and asteroid [[765 Mattiaca]], both named in honour of the city of Wiesbaden
*[[Wilhelm Kempf (bishop)|Wilhelm Kempf]] (1906–1982), Catholic theologian, Bishop of Limburg 1949–1981
*[[Julia Kerr]] (1898–1965), composer and pianist
*[[Michael Kessler]] (born 1967), actor and comedian
*[[Alfred Koerppen]] (1926–2022), organist, music pedagogue, composer and academic teacher
* [[Moritz Körner]] (born 1990), German politician of the [[Free Democratic Party (Germany)|Free Democratic Party]], [[Member of the European Parliament]] 
*[[Otto Krebs]] (1873–1941), industrialist and art collector
*[[Günther Lütjens]] (1889–1941), admiral and commander of the World War II naval [[Operation Rheinübung]], aboard the battleship {{ship|German battleship|Bismarck||2}}
*[[Bruce Maxwell]] (born 1990), American baseball player (born on a U.S. military base)
*[[John McEnroe]] (born 1959), American tennis player (born on a U.S. military base)
*[[August Momberger]] (1905–1969), racing driver and engineer
*[[Melody Perkins]] (born 1974), American actress
*[[Emil Pfeiffer]] (1846–1921), physician
*[[Bud Pierce]] (born 1956), American politician
*[[Dieter Rams]] (born 1932), industrial designer, former head of design for [[Braun (company)|Braun]]
*[[Rudolf von Ribbentrop]] (1921–2019), captain in the [[Waffen-SS]], recipient of the [[Knights Cross of the Iron Cross]] for bravery
*[[Leona Riemann]] (born 1952) German writer, author, and publisher
*[[Nico Rosberg]] (born 1985), Finnish-German racing driver, [[2016 Formula One season|2016 Formula One World Champion]]
*[[Heinrich Rubens]] (1865–1922), physicist
*[[Volker Schlöndorff]] (born 1939), film director
*[[Ernst Scholz (politician, born 1874)|Ernst Scholz]] (1874–1932), politician
*[[Kristina Schröder]] (born 1977), politician (CDU)
*[[Henry Schwarzschild]] (1925–1996), American activist for civil rights and human rights
*[[Simone Signoret]] (1921–1985), French actress
*[[Kiki VanDeWeghe]] (born 1958), American basketball player, coach and executive
*[[Valerie Weigmann]] (born 1989), Filipino-German actress, host and [[Miss World Philippines 2014]] titleholder
*[[Silvia Weiss]], soprano
*[[Susan Wild]] (born 1957), American lawyer and former member of the US House of Representatives (born on a U.S. military base)
*[[Arnold Walfisz]] (1892–1962), Polish mathematician
*[[William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg]] (born 1852, [[Biebrich Palace]]), reign 17 November 1905 – 25 February 1912
*[[Maria Yakunchikova]] (1870–1902), Russian painter and graphic artist
*[[Schoolboy Q]] (born 1986), American rapper (born on a U.S. military base)

===Notable residents===

*[[Eno (rapper)|Eno]], rapper, lives in Wiesbaden
*[[Peter Carl Fabergé]], fled Russia to Germany, settled first in Bad Homburg and then in Wiesbaden
*[[Mayte Garcia]], American belly dancer, actress, author, singer and choreographer, lived in Wiesbaden with her parents. It was here that she met her future husband, the singer Prince, backstage at one of his concert
*[[Alexej von Jawlensky]], Russian Expressionist painter, lived there in 1922–1941 and died there
*[[Hava Lazarus-Yafeh]] (1930–1998), [[Orientalism|Orientalist]], scholar, editor, and educator; born in Wiesbaden.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Strauss |first=Herbert A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fNKJDwAAQBAJ |title=The Arts, Sciences, and Literature |last2=Röder |first2=Werner |last3=Caplan |first3=Hannah |last4=Radvany |first4=Egon |last5=Möller |first5=Horst |last6=Schneider |first6=Dieter Marc |date=7 February 2014 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG |isbn=978-3-11-097027-2 |pages=699 |language=en |chapter=Lazarus-Yafeh, Hava |access-date=2 June 2022 |archive-date=18 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918200512/https://books.google.com/books?id=fNKJDwAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Béla Kéler]], Hungarian composer, he lived in Wiesbaden from 1863 until his death in 1882. He led the orchestra of the Second Regiment of the Duke of Nassau (1863–1866), and later also the spa orchestra (1870–1872). 
*[[Vladimir Nabokov]], Russian novelist, poet, translator and entomologist, writes in his autobiography about his memories of his childhood in Wiesbaden
*[[Priscilla Presley]], lived in Wiesbaden with her parents. It was here that she met [[Elvis Presley]].
*[[Max Reger]], studied in Wiesbaden
*[[Mickey Rourke]], resides in Wiesbaden at least part-time with his Russian-born girlfriend Anastassija Makarenko
*[[Debby Ryan]], American actress, lived in Wiesbaden for three years
*[[Richard Wagner]], settled in [[Wiesbaden-Biebrich|Biebrich]] (now part of Wiesbaden) in 1861, after the political ban against him in Germany was lifted. It was there that he began work on [[Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg]].
*[[Reese Witherspoon]], lived in Wiesbaden with her parents

===Notable visitors===
*In the 19th century, visitors to the Wiesbaden's famous hot springs included [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]] and [[Johannes Brahms]]. Brahms' [[Symphony No. 3 (Brahms)|Symphony No. 3]] (Op. 90) was composed in Wiesbaden in the summer of 1883.
*[[Washington Roebling]], chief engineer of the [[Brooklyn Bridge]], came to Wiesbaden—along with his wife, [[Emily Warren Roebling]]—in 1873, hoping that the warm springs would ameliorate the effects of the decompression sickness he suffered as a result of working in caissons of the bridge.<ref>Wagner, Erica, ''Chief Engineer: Washington Roebling, The Man Who Built the Brooklyn Bridge'', New York, Bloomsbury, 2017, p.191ff</ref>
*Russian author [[Fyodor Dostoevsky]], who suffered from an acute gambling compulsion, allegedly lost his travelling money in Wiesbaden's ''Spielbank'' casino in 1865. The experience became the inspiration of his 1866 novel [[The Gambler (novel)|The Gambler]] (Russian Игрок), set in the fictitious place "Roulettenburg". Some historians have disputed this account, saying that [[Bad Homburg]] was the location for Dostoevsky's real-life misfortune.
*Wiesbaden's Bowling Green has been very popular in recent years since various open-air concerts have been held there by artists like [[Elton John]] (2009, 2011 & 2019), [[Rod Stewart]] (2009), [[Eric Clapton]] (2008), [[R.E.M.]] (2003), [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] (2001), [[Bryan Adams]] (2000), [[Simply Red]] (1999), [[José Carreras]] (1992), and [[Luciano Pavarotti]] (1993). [[Lionel Richie]] and [[Plácido Domingo]] (2nd time in Wiesbaden) have also performed there.

==Rivalry with Mainz==
[[Mainz]], on the opposite side of the [[Rhine]], is Wiesbaden's archrival – the two cities are the capitals of their respective Bundesländer, and citizens of both cities [[joke|jokingly]] refer to those on the other one as "living on the wrong side of the river".{{citation needed|date = June 2025}}

==Fictional references==
*In his short story "[[The Horror of the Heights]]" (1913), [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]] refers to an aerial region over Wiesbaden and [[Bad Homburg vor der Höhe|Homburg]] in which aircraft mysteriously vanish.
*In the 1983 American television movie ''[[The Day After]]'', Wiesbaden was the first city to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon during the escalating war between [[NATO]] and [[Warsaw Pact]] forces that eventually leads to a full-scale nuclear exchange between the United States and the [[Soviet Union]].
*The historical novel series ''Romanike'' (2006–2014) by Codex Regius features Wiesbaden in the Roman age, or Aquae Mattiacorum, as one of its main locations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.corpus-sacrum.de|title=Romanike (by Codex Regius)|author=Codex Regius|access-date=8 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806015742/http://corpus-sacrum.de/|archive-date=6 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==External links==
{{Commons|Wiesbaden}}
{{Wikivoyage|Wiesbaden}}
*[https://www.wiesbaden.de/en/ Official website]
*[https://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/valley/wiesbaden/index.asp?WT.mc_id=wiki The Jewish Community of Wiesbaden] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130114528/https://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/exhibitions/valley/wiesbaden/index.asp?WT.mc_id=wiki |date=30 January 2023 }} on the [[Yad Vashem]] website
*[http://www.stadtpanoramen.de/en/wiesbaden/wiesbaden.html Wiesbaden City Panoramas] – Panoramic Views and virtual Tours
*[http://www.wiesbaden-photos.com/ Photos of Wiesbaden]
*[http://www.wiesbadenunddrumherum.de/ More Photos of Wiesbaden] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722163036/http://www.wiesbadenunddrumherum.de/ |date=22 July 2012 }}
*[https://wiesbadendailyphoto.blogspot.com/ Wiesbaden Daily Photos]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061031071325/http://www.wiesbaden-cam.de/ Webcam to Wiesbaden (Remote-Control Pan-Tilt)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071023044158/http://wp1088285.wp123.webpack.hosteurope.de/webcamwbn.htm 23 live webcams to Wiesbaden]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070312050955/http://www.witcom.de/index.php?option=com_witcam&Itemid=71%2F Webcam to Railway-Station Wiesbaden]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20180928124640/http://www.wiesbaden.army.mil/ Wiesbaden U.S. Army Garrison]
*{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Wiesbaden}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Wiesbaden
|North     = [[Limburg an der Lahn]]
|Northeast = [[Bad Homburg]]
|East      = [[Frankfurt am Main]]
|Southeast = [[Darmstadt]]
|South     = [[Mainz]]
|Southwest = [[Saarbrücken]]
|West      = [[Rüdesheim am Rhein]]
|Northwest = [[Koblenz]]
}}
{{Capitals of the states of the Federal Republic of Germany}}
{{List of European capitals by region}}
{{Germany districts Hesse}}
{{Royal Tunbridge Wells}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Wiesbaden| ]]
[[Category:120s establishments in the Roman Empire]]
[[Category:German state capitals]]
[[Category:Holocaust locations in Germany]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 2nd century]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Rhine]]
[[Category:Roman towns and cities in Germany]]
[[Category:Spa towns in Germany]]
[[Category:Urban districts of Hesse]]
[[Category:Darmstadt (region)]]