It's a strangely familiar image: a mighty wooden structure towers into the sky, saltwater trickles over densely layered blackthorn branches, and the air suddenly tastes of the sea – right inland. Anyone who stands before a graduation tower for the first time often feels a strange irritation: Is this art? Is this technology? Or is it simply very, very old?
The answer is: all of the above. Graduation towers are among those rare structures that combine industrial history, health culture, and regional identity. Originally built to enrich brine and extract salt, they have evolved into places of relaxation—open-air inhalers that magically attract people with respiratory illnesses as well as stressed-out city dwellers. But what exactly happens on these wooden walls? And what distinguishes a graduation tower from a saltworks?
The hidden logic behind salt water: What a graduation tower actually does
To understand how a graduation tower works, you have to imagine a time when salt was as precious as gold. Salt preserved food, salt was a commodity, salt represented wealth. But the salt wasn't just lying around—it was found in underground brine springs, dissolved in water. And this saline water had to be concentrated before it could be extracted into usable salt.
This is where the graduation towers come into play. The name is derived from the Latin "gradus" – step, degree, increase. Because that's exactly what these structures do: They gradually increase the salt content of the brine. The principle is simple and ingenious: Brine is pumped over a tall structure made of tightly bound bundles of twigs – usually blackthorn. As the water slowly trickles down the rough branches, some of it evaporates. The salt content increases. What arrives at the bottom is more concentrated than what was introduced at the top.
This pre-enrichment was crucial. Without graduation towers, enormous quantities of firewood would have been required to boil off the brine. Thus, the graduation towers were initially purely industrial facilities, efficient intermediate steps on the way to "white gold." In Bad Reichenhall, the first graduation towers were built as early as the 16th century. In Lüneburg, whose wealth was based on salt for centuries, they shaped the townscape. And in Bad Salzuflen, where one of Germany's longest graduation towers now stands, the brine was systematically processed.
The moment when industry became healing art
But at some point, people noticed something remarkable: those who worked near these facilities seemed to suffer less from respiratory illnesses. The air around the graduation towers was different—saltier, clearer, healing. What was initially just an observation gradually became a targeted therapy. Especially in the 19th century, when spa treatments flourished, the therapeutic potential of this saline air was recognized.
Production sites became spas. Graduation towers were transformed into open-air inhalation centers, places where people with asthma, bronchitis, or other respiratory problems sought relief. The fine salt particles created when the brine trickles down have expectorant, anti-inflammatory effects, and can clear the airways. What was once a side effect became the primary purpose.
Today, many graduation towers are no longer used for salt production. They are living monuments, tourist attractions, and wellness resorts. In Bad Dürkheim, the impressive graduation tower invites you to take healing walks; in Bad Salzuflen, hundreds of people stroll along Germany's longest graduation tower every day, enjoying the soothing atmosphere.
Saltworks, graduation tower – who actually does what here?
The terms "saltworks" and "graduation tower" are often used synonymously, even though they technically refer to different things. Knowing the differences not only helps you better understand their history—you also understand why both terms are experiencing a renaissance today.
What makes a saltworks
A saltworks, in the narrower sense, is a salt production facility. Here, solid salt is extracted from brine through evaporation or boiling. In the past, this was done in large boiling pans, into which the concentrated brine was poured and heated over a fire until the water evaporated, leaving only the salt.
The term "saltworks" thus refers to the production process and its goal: to extract salt. Graduation towers—if they were part of a saltworks—were merely a preliminary stage, a means of making the brine more efficient. But not every saltworks had a graduation tower, and not every graduation tower was part of an active saltworks.
Today, there are hardly any saltworks still in production in Germany. What remains are often museums and historical sites that bring this fascinating history to life – and the graduation towers, which have successfully transformed their function.
The graduation tower as an independent health instrument
While the saltworks were originally designed for production, the graduation tower is now primarily a therapeutic instrument. Its purpose is no longer to concentrate salt, but to generate saline air. The fine atomization of the brine as it trickles down the blackthorn branches creates a microclimate similar to that of the sea—only more concentrated and targeted.
A modern graduation tower is no longer a saltworks, even though both operate with brine. It's an open-air inhalation facility. People don't go there to buy salt, but to breathe healing air. This is the crucial difference—and makes graduation towers special places for health care.
The new meaning of "Saline" in the private sector
In recent years, an interesting shift in meaning has taken place. More and more people are talking about "mini saltworks" or "saltworks for the home" when they mean small devices that generate salty air. Strictly speaking, these aren't saltworks in the traditional sense, because they don't extract salt. But they do embrace the principle: They enrich the indoor air with salt.
This linguistic development shows that the principle of salt air as therapy is becoming popular again and people are looking for different ways to benefit from it.
The Graduation Tower Experience: More than just health
A visit to the graduation tower is more than just therapy. It's an experience for all the senses. The distinctive smell of salt and wood, the steady rippling of the water, the impressive architecture of these often centuries-old buildings – all of this adds up to its charm.
In Bad Reichenhall, you can experience the history of salt production firsthand. The Old Saltworks is now a museum that impressively conveys this tradition. In Bad Salzuflen, the graduation tower stretches over 300 meters – a walk along this impressive structure becomes a meditative experience. The salty air, combined with exercise and the special atmosphere, unfolds its beneficial effects.
Graduation towers as meeting places
What makes these historic sites so special is their social aspect. You meet other people, start conversations, and share experiences. For many, a visit to the graduation tower becomes a regular ritual, a moment of slowing down in their daily routine. The combination of nature, history, and health creates a unique atmosphere that is difficult to replicate.
In Bad Dürkheim, the graduation tower is nestled in a beautiful park landscape. Here, you can combine health care with a relaxing stroll. Smaller towns have also recognized the importance of these facilities and carefully maintain their graduation towers as important health and tourism facilities.
The renaissance of salty air in everyday life
In recent years, salt air has once again become more of a focus of attention. More and more people are interested in natural methods to support respiratory health. There are several reasons for this renaissance: the increase in respiratory diseases and allergies, growing awareness of prevention, and the desire for natural, low-side-effect therapies.
Different routes to salty air
In addition to the traditional graduation towers, salt caves and salt rooms have been created in many cities—man-made spaces lined with salt. These facilities offer the advantage of proximity, allowing even people who don't live near a spa to benefit from the salty air.
For those who want to regularly enjoy saline air, there are now compact solutions for the home. Small saline vaporizers bring the principle to the home in a reduced form – a practical addition to everyday life that, of course, cannot replace the special experience of a visit to a graduation tower, but supports daily respiratory health.
Your own responsibility for respiratory health
Respiratory diseases significantly impair quality of life. Chronic bronchitis, asthma, recurring infections – all benefit from regular inhalation of salty air. The salt particles can alleviate symptoms , soothe mucous membranes, and clear the airways. Not a miracle cure, but an effective, natural support.
Prevention is key. Taking care of your respiratory system early and regularly can often prevent major problems. Combining various options—the occasional visit to a graduation tower as a special experience, complemented by practical solutions for everyday use—allows for a holistic approach.
Between tradition and modern solutions: An outlook
The old graduation towers will remain. They are part of our cultural heritage, witnesses to a time when salt was still laboriously extracted. But they are also modern healthcare facilities that do good for people. A walk along the wooden walls in Bad Salzuflen, a visit to the historic saltworks in Bad Reichenhall, a relaxing afternoon at the graduation tower in Bad Dürkheim – these are experiences worth treating yourself to.
At the same time, the development of new, compact solutions demonstrates that the idea of salty air is evolving and adapting to modern living realities. Both have their justification: the large, historic facilities with their special atmosphere and social components on the one hand, and practical everyday solutions for continuous healthcare on the other.
What remains is the realization that salty air works. That it's good for you. And that there are different ways to benefit from it – depending on your life situation, needs, and possibilities. The tradition of the graduation towers teaches us that some insights are timeless. And the present shows us that these insights can be flexibly and creatively integrated into everyday life.
