Bad Frankenhausen – SALTY. SKEWED. LEGENDARY.
Between the Kyffhäuser Mountains, the Diamond Aue and the Harz lies Bad Frankenhausen. The town is surrounded by gentle hills and wide landscapes. If you are looking for peace and quiet, you will find space here to breathe deeply and relax.
The brine springs have been the heart of the town for centuries. Their high concentration and healing power once made Bad Frankenhausen wealthy. In 1818, Dr Manniske introduced brine baths and thus established spa activities. In 1927, the town received the name addition “Bad”, and in 2007 the title “Sole-Heilbad”. Today, you can enjoy the beneficial brine in the Kyffhäuser Therme or in the Solewasser-Vitalpark.
The Solewasser-Vitalpark is considered the world’s first and so far only public outdoor brine pool with completely biological water treatment. Next to the pools you will find an inhalation pavilion, a Kneipp pool, a foot reflexology path and the fitness trail Parcours Santé. Bicycles, e-bikes as well as equipment for crossminton and mini golf can also be rented. In the nearby Salt Boiling House, demonstrations in historical costumes show how salt used to be boiled.
After a break in the water, it is worth climbing up to the Kyffhäuser Monument, the second largest national monument in Germany. A bit further, the Panorama Museum in Bad Frankenhausen shows Werner Tübke’s monumental painting from 1983 to 1987 on 1,722 square metres. In addition, there are regularly changing special exhibitions of contemporary figurative art of international standing.
A real eye-catcher in the town is the more than 600-year-old church tower. With a tilt of 4.60 metres out of the vertical, it is considered the tallest and most leaning tower in the world – even more leaning than the Tower of Pisa.
If you are interested in nature and geology, visit the Barbarossa Cave or follow the hiking trails around the town, such as the Kyffhäuser Quality Trail. While hiking or cycling in the Kyffhäuser Nature Park, you can observe rare salt and orchid plants as well as a wide variety of animal species.
