Spa is a Belgian town located in Liège Province, and the town where the term spa originates. Spa is one of Belgium's most popular tourist destinations, being renowned for its natural mineral springs and production of 'Spa' mineral water, which is exported worldwide. In 2021, the town became part of the transnational UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name 'Great Spas of Europe'.
As the site of cold springs with alleged healing properties, Spa has been frequented as a watering-place since the 14th century. It is the town of Spa which has become eponymous with any place having a natural water source that is believed to possess special health-giving properties, known as a spa. The Spa town grew at that time, in the oldest iron and steel centre of Liège Province. The ban Spa was created around 1335 and included two urban concentrations, vilhe of Creppe and vilhe Spas, 2 kilometres away. Prior to the exploitation of mineral water, the steel industry developed communication lines, which made it possible to develop the spa town.
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Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.