Wiesbaden, Germany

Wiesbaden is the capital of Hesse, sitting on the Rhine River opposite Mainz and home to about 285,000 residents. Twenty-six hot springs reaching 46°C drew Roman settlers to the area, and 15°C spring water still flows through the 1907 Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme today. The city's literary claim to fame comes from the 1842 Kurhaus Wiesbaden casino, where Fyodor Dostoevsky lost $20 million in 1865, an event that inspired his 1866 novel The Gambler. Above the streets, the 1869 Marktkirche rises 74 meters as the tallest brick building in Germany, while the 1907 Nerobergbahn funicular climbs the 245 m Neroberg hill past the golden-domed 1855 Saint Elizabeth Church. A newer attraction, the 1991 Spielbank Wiesbaden, now ranks as Germany's most prestigious casino, keeping the city's gaming legacy alive.