Badende

Updated April 15, 2024

## Badende (The Bather) in Warnemünde, Rostock — a quiet Baltic Sea art stop you can actually find

If you’re walking the green paths behind the Kurhaus in the seaside district of Warnemünde (postal code 18119), you’ll come across a modest basin of red stone with a single bronze figure stepping toward the water. This is Badende—“The Bather”—a small but memorable sculpture that rewards anyone curious enough to explore the Kurhausgarten instead of heading straight to the lighthouse and beach.

### What it is (and who made it)

– Work: Badende (“The Bather”)
– Medium: Bronze figure at the edge of a shallow basin
– Artist: Thomas Jastram (b. 1959, Rostock), a German sculptor with multiple works in public spaces around Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
– Date: Designed 1998–1999; installed in the garden behind the Kurhaus.

The piece is intentionally human-scale: a nude woman, cap on, captured mid-movement, poised at the basin. The intimacy of the gesture feels at home in a spa-garden setting, a nod to Warnemünde’s long history as a Baltic Sea resort where water—therapeutic, recreational, and symbolic—frames local life. Photos and write-ups consistently place the figure at the small pool in the Kurhausgarten, steps from the Kurhaus itself.

### Where to find it (exactly)

– Location: Kurhausgarten, behind the Kurhaus Warnemünde, Seestraße 18, 18119 Rostock–Warnemünde. You’re looking for the garden area behind the Kurhaus (not the seaside frontage).
– Context: The Kurhaus and adjacent Kurhausgarten date to the early 20th century and still function as an event and dining complex, with the garden remaining a public green space immediately inland from the beach promenade.
– Nearby anchors for orientation:
– Warnemünde Lighthouse (Leuchtturm) at Am Leuchtturm 1 sits a short stroll away on the seafront.
– The Kurhaus itself is signed and mapped at Seestraße 18; use that as your GPS target, then walk into the rear garden.

> Tip: Many visitors stand on Seestraße facing the beach and miss the garden. Walk around the Kurhaus into the landscaped area; you’ll find Badende beside a small, low basin within the garden paths.

### Why this small sculpture is worth a stop

1. It’s a local artist in a local context. Jastram is Rostock-born; placing a bathing figure in a seaside resort’s Kurhausgarten makes the piece feel organically tied to Warnemünde’s identity.
2. Human-scale viewing. Unlike monumental seafront icons, Badende works at eye level. You can examine surface details and the way the figure’s posture “leans” into the water without barriers or platforms. (Multiple photo sets show the sculpture set directly at pool edge.) Commons
3. A calm detour off the main promenade. On busy days near the lighthouse and Teepott area, the Kurhausgarten provides a quieter loop where you can still hear the surf but step out of the foot traffic. (Use the Kurhaus address for bearings.)

### Practical visit notes

– Access & cost: It’s an outdoor public artwork in a garden area; there’s no ticket window for the sculpture itself. The Kurhaus complex is an events/restaurant property; paths in the garden are commonly used by pedestrians moving between the promenade and town streets. (General Kurhaus info and address documented here.) Always respect signage and event closures.
– Wayfinding: Navigate to Kurhaus Warnemünde, Seestraße 18; then enter the Kurhausgarten behind the building. Photographic captions from visitor sites and image archives consistently list “Seestraße 18 – behind the Kurhaus” for Badende.
– Mobility: Paths around the Kurhaus and garden are generally level, with hard surfaces; the Kurhaus states barrier-free access to its premises via an elevator on the side—useful to know if you’re approaching or moving through that area. (This pertains to the Kurhaus facilities themselves.)
– Seasonality: The sculpture is viewable year-round outdoors. Garden landscaping (foliage, lighting) changes with season and event use; always follow local notices around private functions at the Kurhaus.

### Reading the piece: details to notice

– Gesture and pause. The figure’s stance—weight forward, one foot close to the basin edge—implies anticipation more than action. You’re catching the second before immersion. Descriptions and images emphasize this “poised at water’s edge” composition.
– Material vs. setting. The bronze plays against red stone and water. In overcast Baltic light, the patina reads cool against the warm basin—a subtle contrast you’ll notice especially in winter. (Photos from archives show the material pairing clearly.) Commons
– Spa-garden dialogue. The work sits in a Kurhausgarten—literally the garden of the spa/kur house—so “bathing” is both literal (water) and cultural (balneological heritage). The setting choice is part of the artwork’s meaning.

### Pair it with a short walk: a compact Warnemünde loop

1. Kurhaus → Badende (behind the building). Start at Seestraße 18 and circle into the garden.
2. Promenade to the Lighthouse. From the garden, return to the boardwalk and continue to Warnemünde Lighthouse (address: Am Leuchtturm 1). If hours suit, a climb offers expansive views over the Unterwarnow and the Baltic shore. (Check on-site details; published info lists a small admission for climbing.)
3. Back via Seestraße cafés. Loop inland on Seestraße for coffee or a meal—the Kurhaus hosts restaurants and events if you want to stay on site.

### Address, map pins, and coordinates

– Official anchor: Kurhaus Warnemünde, Seestraße 18, 18119 Rostock (Warnemünde). Use this address; Badende is behind the Kurhaus in the Kurhausgarten.
– Common mapping references (third-party listings): “Seestraße 18 | behind the Kurhaus” and “Kurhausgarten” for Skulptur ‘Die Badende’. Singapore
– GPS for the district: Warnemünde sits in the 18119 area; the lighthouse is a reliable geolocated landmark if you’re triangulating on foot.

### Inclusivity & on-site etiquette

– The sculpture depicts an unclothed figure; it’s presented in an art-historical, non-sexualized context typical of European public sculpture. Be mindful when photographing if members of your group prefer to skip such subjects.
– As with all public art, don’t climb or sit on the sculpture or basin; surfaces can be slippery and the patina is part of the work’s protective finish.

### Accuracy notes & what can change

– Attribution and date (Thomas Jastram; 1998–1999) derive from specialist public-art cataloging and have remained stable.
– Placement (“behind the Kurhaus,” Seestraße 18, Kurhausgarten) is corroborated by multiple independent sources and geotagged photos. If the Kurhaus hosts private events or garden works, temporary access through certain paths may vary—follow on-site guidance.
– Lighthouse hours and admission can change seasonally; consult the operator or posted notices before planning an ascent.

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Bottom line: Badende is a small, easy “add-on” that grounds your Warnemünde visit in place-specific art. It’s minutes from the headline sights, sits in a historically relevant Kurhausgarten, and links the town’s water culture to a quiet moment of sculpture. If you’re already heading to the lighthouse or strolling Seestraße, detour through the garden and take a look.

Sources used in this guide include Rostock and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern destination pages, public-art references, and image archives documenting the sculpture’s authorship, dating, and exact placement.

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