Breathtaking views between the Black Forest and the spa gardens
Sometimes a single breath is enough to sense that the air is different: heavier, more mineral, almost like a hint of the sea inland. In Baden-Württemberg, it's the graduation towers that make this moment possible – mighty walls of blackthorn over which brine trickles, creating a fine mist that enriches the air with salt.
From Bad Rappenau and Bad Dürrheim to Baden-Baden and St. Blasien-Menzenschwand, they shape the region's important spa towns. They are part of a centuries-old salt history and, at the same time, vibrant places of relaxation. Those who linger here notice how their breathing and mood change. But salt air is not just a natural phenomenon—it is also a cultural heritage that continues to draw people to the spa gardens today.
Those who visit more often, however, also experience limitations: travel, entrance fees, time commitment. A regular salt air treatment quickly adds up to a surprising sum – similar to visits to Grugapark Essen or other municipal graduation towers. It's precisely at this point that many people begin to consider whether there might not be an easier option: a piece of the graduation tower in their own home, accessible daily and often more cost-effective in the long run.
But before we look there, it is worth taking a trip to the four existing graduation towers in Baden-Württemberg – places that demonstrate how diverse and powerful salt air can be in the southwest.
Bad Rappenau - Salt air in the healing spring center
Bad Rappenau in the Kraichgau region is one of Baden-Württemberg's most famous spa towns. The graduation tower in the Salinenpark rises like a dark wooden gate amidst green spaces and walking paths. At approximately 30 meters long and almost eight meters high, it is the only open-air inhalation facility in the region. Salty water from the local brine springs trickles over blackthorn trees, creating a microclimate reminiscent of a North Sea vacation.
From the very first breath, you feel the freshness on your lips and skin, while your chest involuntarily expands. The facility was built about 17 years ago and is now freely accessible to everyone. Around 5,500 bunches of blackthorn twigs were needed for the so-called thorning process—the coating of the facility with the characteristic blackthorn. What doesn't evaporate is collected in a drip tray and pumped back up to the surface, where it then trickles down over the twigs again.
Many visitors combine their stay at the graduation tower with a stroll through the expansive saltwater park or a visit to the neighboring RappSoDie thermal baths – a combination of nature, exercise, and conscious breathing that makes the place a popular destination for day visitors and spa guests. People with respiratory problems especially appreciate the saline, healthy air available here daily. There are numerous seating areas where you can relax and breathe in the salty sea air in peace or walk around the structure, taking deep breaths.
Depending on the intensity of the brine, the blackthorn bushes must be renewed approximately every 15 to 25 years. Salt crusts form on the walls to varying degrees—a natural process that underscores the effectiveness of the facility. For allergy and asthma sufferers, the Bad Rappenau graduation tower has become an important destination, promising relief and relaxation.
Bad Dürrheim - Black Forest air meets salt air
Bad Dürrheim in the Black Forest-Baar district is a traditional spa town known for its highly concentrated brine springs. The graduation tower at the Solemar saltworks combines this tradition with the clear, wooded surroundings of the Black Forest. The most highly concentrated brine, with a salt content of 27 percent, was once extracted here—a record in Germany.
The Solemar Wellness and Health Center at Huberstraße 8 houses the modern graduation tower, which immerses visitors in a unique atmosphere. The combination of traditional brine therapy and modern wellness architecture makes Bad Dürrheim a truly unique place. Visitors experience a unique blend here: the fresh Black Forest air and the salty mist of the brine blend to create a climate that is both invigorating and calming.
Those who arrive early in the morning, when the mist still hangs between the trees, describe their stay as almost mystical. The brine from the regional springs evaporates into a fine aerosol that gently settles on the skin and respiratory tract. The steady trickle of the saline water over the blackthorn walls creates a calming rhythm that invites meditation and relaxation.
Many combine their visit with a stroll through the expansive spa gardens or a visit to the thermal baths—a combination that makes Bad Dürrheim a center of health culture. Its location on the edge of the Black Forest lends the town an additional special quality: the clear mountain air blends with the mineral-rich brine, creating a microclimate that allows body and mind to relax.
The combination of mountain air and salt aerosol is particularly beneficial for people suffering from respiratory illnesses or skin problems. The spa town has earned a reputation as a health resort over the decades, and the graduation tower is a central component of this reputation.
St. Blasien-Menzenschwand - Salt air in the Black Forest
High above the Black Forest, in St. Blasien-Menzenschwand, stands a graduation tower that impresses with its unique location. Located at the Radon Revital Bath at Friedrichsruhe 13, the facility is not located in the traditional spa gardens, but rather is part of a modern health and wellness landscape that blends harmoniously into the alpine surroundings.
The combination of Black Forest mountain air and saline brine is particularly intense here. Visitors report a feeling of clarity and freshness they otherwise only experience in high mountain regions or by the sea. The salty moisture settles like a cool film on the skin, while the thin mountain air is particularly demanding on the lungs and simultaneously cleansing.
The graduation tower is part of the sauna garden of the Radon Revital Bath and fits into an overall concept focused on holistic regeneration. However, the graduation tower is not in operation during the winter months, as the extreme temperatures in the Black Forest region make it difficult to operate. However, the facility reaches its full potential during the warmer months.
The location at over 900 meters above sea level makes a visit a special experience. As the brine trickles over the blackthorn walls, the view sweeps over the wooded mountain slopes of the Black Forest. This combination of vertical and horizontal expanse—the height of the mountains and the depth of the breath—creates an atmosphere that many describe as spiritual and healing.
For spa guests already visiting the Radon Revital Bath, the graduation tower is a valuable complement to radon therapy. The combination of various natural healing agents—radon, brine, and pure mountain air—makes St. Blasien-Menzenschwand one of the most versatile health resorts in Baden-Württemberg.
Access is tied to the Radon Revital Bath's opening hours and prices, so a visit is usually planned as part of a more comprehensive wellness experience. However, it is precisely this integration into a larger concept that makes the facility attractive to people who want to address multiple health aspects simultaneously.
Baden-Baden - Salt air in the Caracalla Therme
Baden-Baden is known worldwide as a spa town with centuries of tradition. The Caracalla Thermal Baths at Römerplatz 1 are one of the most modern and elegant thermal baths in Germany – and inside lies a graduation tower that combines wellness and salt air in a unique way.
Unlike the large open-air graduation towers in Bad Rappenau or Bad Dürrheim, the facility at the Caracalla Thermal Baths is an indoor graduation tower. It fits seamlessly into the overall architectural design of the thermal baths and creates a space where salty air can be experienced in concentrated form. The combination of warm thermal water and salty inhalation air is particularly beneficial and is perceived by many visitors as more intense than spending time at open-air facilities.
The graduation tower in Baden-Baden symbolizes the transformation of spa culture: While salt production once dominated, today it's all about health, relaxation, and the conscious experience of natural healing remedies. The Caracalla Thermal Baths combine Roman bathing culture with modern wellness philosophy, and the graduation tower is a central component of this concept.
Visitors particularly appreciate the opportunity to move directly to the graduation tower after a bath in the warm thermal water. Pores are opened, circulation is stimulated, and the saline air can take full effect. Many describe this transition as one of the most intense moments of their spa visit.
Baden-Baden's history as a spa town dates back to Roman times. Even then, the hot springs were used for therapeutic purposes. The graduation tower at the Caracalla Thermal Baths continues this tradition, combining it with the findings of modern balneology. For international guests, it is often their first encounter with German graduation tower culture—an introduction made particularly inviting by the elegant surroundings and professional service.
Access to the graduation tower is tied to admission to the Caracalla Thermal Baths. Prices vary depending on the length of stay and the selected area, but are in the upper range of German thermal baths. For visitors who value exclusivity and comfort, the Caracalla Thermal Baths, with their integrated graduation tower, are a first-class choice.
Conclusion: Salt air between tradition and everyday life
The four graduation towers in Baden-Württemberg demonstrate the diversity of salt air experiences in the southwest. Bad Rappenau, with its freely accessible open-air graduation tower in the Salinenpark, offers low-threshold access to salt air therapy – perfect for day visitors and those who want to visit regularly but spontaneously. Its proximity to Heilbronn and excellent transport links make it a popular destination for the entire region.
Bad Dürrheim combines the tradition of highly concentrated brine with the healing environment of the Black Forest. The graduation tower at the Solemar saltworks is part of a comprehensive health concept that combines thermal water, wellness, and naturopathy. Those who come here often seek more than just a quick breath of salt air—they're looking for a full day of regeneration.
St. Blasien-Menzenschwand surprises with its high altitude and the combination of Black Forest air and brine. The graduation tower at the Radon Revital Bath is unique in Baden-Württemberg, combining alpine freshness with the healing power of salt. However, access is more limited than at the other locations, and the winter break limits availability.
Baden-Baden, finally, stands for luxury and tradition. The indoor graduation tower at the Caracalla Thermal Baths on Römerplatz appeals to an international audience and demonstrates how salt air can also work in a modern, urban wellness context. The combination of Roman bathing culture and contemporary architecture makes a visit an experience that goes beyond mere health care.
Together, these four locations form a network of breathing spaces that keep Baden-Württemberg's salt tradition alive. Those who visit them experience more than just a stroll in the spa gardens: they are moments of conscious breathing, short trips to the coast without actually going to the sea.
Keeping an eye on costs: When salt air becomes a habit
But regularity comes at a price. While a visit to the Bad Rappenau Salinenpark is free, the journey from Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, or Heidelberg costs time and gas. Those from further afield who want to drive once a week can quickly rack up several hundred kilometers per month.
At the Caracalla Thermal Baths in Baden-Baden, admission fees are additional, ranging from €15 to €40 depending on the length of stay. The Radon Revital Baths in St. Blasien-Menzenschwand and the Saltworks in Bad Dürrheim also charge admission. Those who plan to visit these places regularly—about two to three times a week, as is often recommended for chronic respiratory diseases—can quickly add up to monthly expenses of between €100 and €200, plus travel expenses.
This is precisely where many people begin to consider whether salt air might be easier to integrate into their daily lives. A mini-saltworks offers this possibility: It brings the principle of a graduation tower into your home in a compact form. The saline microclimate is created where you need it—in the bedroom for better sleep, in the living room for relaxing evenings, or in the study for clearer airways while working from home.
The initial investment for such a mini-saltworks often pays for itself in just a few months, compared to the ongoing expenses for regular visits to the graduation tower. The goal isn't to replace the experience of a visit to Bad Rappenau or Baden-Baden—these places have their own unique charm. Rather, it's to make the health benefits of salt air available even on days when a trip isn't possible.
So the decision ultimately remains a matter of personal lifestyle: the conscious ritual of a trip to Baden-Württemberg's graduation towers or daily availability at home. Salt air, whether in the spa gardens or in the living room, remains a silent ally for the respiratory system, skin, and well-being—and a piece of nature that can reach us even far from the sea.
The graduation towers in Bad Rappenau, Bad Dürrheim, St. Blasien-Menzenschwand, and Baden-Baden will continue to attract visitors. They are historical monuments, architectural gems, and places of encounter. However, for everyday life, for daily respiratory care, and for integrating salt air into a holistic health concept, a home-based solution can be the ideal complement—without diminishing the experience of the large-scale facilities, but rather extending it into everyday life.
(Image sources: Adobe Stock)
