Bad Mergentheim owes the "Bad" in its name to the mineral springs discovered in 1826 when a shepherd named Franz Gehring found the waters bubbling up in a field. The springs proved to contain some of the strongest sodium-sulphate water in Europe and quickly established the town as a health resort. The Kurpark surrounding the springs is a formal garden space with the requisite 19th-century elegance — promenades, pavilions, and a concert terrace.
The spa tradition is still active, and the town draws a steady stream of German visitors taking the waters. For travellers on the Romantic Road, the Kurpark makes a pleasant stop: it's green, quiet, and gives a different angle on the town than the Teutonic Order history that dominates most visitor itineraries.