My first visit to Bad Salzungen was on my way back to Siegritz. It was already late but I still had time to collect some impressions.
The town dates back over 1200 years. Hot salt water springs and the extraction of salt were the reason for these early settlements. Salt was big business and made the town wealthy in medieval times.

I gladly make use of the permission to use the images from Dr. Uwe Herzog because they show Bad Salzungen much nicer than it was on an overcast late afternoon.

A "Gradierwerk" was used in the past for the production of salt. The salt content of the brine was increased by running it through cut brushwood which was contained in a wooden fixture which was exposed to the sun and the wind. This helped to reduce the heating costs for extracting the salt. This method also removed not wanted substances, such as calcium and dirt.
Today, a "Gradierwerk" is used for wellness. Experience in the past showed that the people working here and breathing the air with its high salt content stayed healthier then those who did not.
At the beginning of the 19 th century this knowledge was used for commercial purposes. and the first spa was built. Soon other facilities were added and in 1923 the title "Bad" which does not mean bad was granted to Salzungen. The title "Bad" indicates that the respective town or village is an approved and recognized place for wellness.

Naturally, I came back to Salzungen also with Elizabeth, my wife. I went on a little tour to explore a part of the "Pummpälzweg" a hiking, biking path while Elizabeth relaxed in this local spa. I joined a few hours later and we both loved it.
Have a brief peek in our web site to see what you can expect.