Take some time out, take a deep breath, feel the beneficial effects of the minerals in the brine and relax at the Bad Sassendorf Gradierwerk!
For many centuries, salt production and trade shaped life in and around Bad Sassendorf. The first documented mention of salt production dates back to the 12th century. From the 19th century onwards, the brine was used for bathing and healing purposes.
Thorn grading in salt production has existed in Bad Sassendorf since 1800. A beam construction as a supporting element forms the basic framework of a Gradierwerk. Bundles of blackthorn are incorporated into this framework. Pumps are used to distribute the brine over the thorny walls of the Gradierwerk. As the brine trickles down, the blackthorn causes a considerable increase in surface area. This favors the evaporation of the water. Heat, dry wind and sunlight intensify this effect. What remained was a highly graded brine, from which salt could be boiled more quickly in the next step in the boiling pans, thus saving on fuel.
However, the salt workers soon recognized another effect: as the water evaporated, small particles of salt were released into the air. This is known as "graduation loss". In the immediate vicinity of the Gradierwerk, this enriched air creates ideal conditions for medical use as an open-air inhalation, which has a positive effect on the respiratory tract similar to sea air. A walk through or around the Gradierwerk is particularly recommended for asthmatics and pollen allergy sufferers.
We invite you to take a seat on one of the benches, take a deep breath of the healthy air and feel its beneficial effects. The Börde Therme Bad Sassendorf is located right next to the Gradierwerk. Here, too, the brine is used with its beneficial effects. In addition to the freely accessible, public part of the Gradierwerk, there is also a part that belongs to the neighboring Börde Therme - and therefore provides an unusual feature: a sauna and relaxation room in the Gradierwerk. From the sun terrace, sauna guests have a unique view over the bathing and sauna landscape and into the spa gardens.
Free admission. The Gradierwerk is open to the public.