Alte Saline Bad Reichenhall

About the museum

In Bad Reichenhall, salt has been extracted from brine for millennia; a Bronze Age ax from the spring area points to early use. The evaporation pans are first documented in writing in 696, when the Bavarian duke donated part of them to Bishop Rupert of Salzburg. For centuries, ecclesiastical and secular lords fought over springs, pans and tolls, until the Bavarian dukes took over all the salt-boiling sites between 1483 and 1532 and modernized the technology.

In the 18th century, Elector Karl Theodor had production streamlined in order to reduce the enormous demand for firewood. From 1816, the brine pipeline from Berchtesgaden to Reichenhall was built under Georg von Reichenbach, its pumps overcoming the differences in elevation – a milestone of engineering.

After the great town fire of 1834, King Ludwig I had the saltworks rebuilt as a representative brick building in the Neo-Romanesque style, with the Brunnhaus chapel at its center. By 1846 it was already considered a particularly beautiful saltworks. Salt production has since moved to the modern saltworks; the complex is now one of the most important industrial monuments in Bavaria.

Operated by Südwestdeutsche Salzwerke AG, the Old Saltworks can be visited as part of a guided tour: it begins in the machine hall with the large water wheels and leads through the tunnel system to the historic brine springs. Afterward, visitors can explore the Salt Museum and the Brand Museum on Bad Reichenhall salt on their own.

Highlights

• Two huge water wheels that have run without interruption for over 170 years
• Tunnel system with a historic salt grotto and the Karl Theodor pump
• King Ludwig I's Neo-Romanesque saltworks building with the Brunnhaus chapel
• Salt museum with five exhibition rooms on salt extraction
• Brand museum on Bad Reichenhall salt

Permanent exhibitions

• Führung durch Maschinenhalle und Quellenbau – The tour starts at the large water wheels and leads down through tunnels to the salt grotto, pumps and historic brine springs.
• Salzmuseum – Five rooms in the Brunnhaus explain the importance, extraction and trade of salt as well as the development of brine production up to the present.
• Bad Reichenhaller Markenmuseum – The exhibition presents the history of the salt brand and answers questions about table salt, iodine and folic acid.

Operated by

Südwestdeutsche Salzwerke AG

Admission & discounts

Admission includes the tour and the salt and brand museums. Online tickets are binding and non-refundable. On site, payment by cash or EC/credit card (except Diners Club and American Express), online by credit card or PayPal.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Not accessible: the tour is about 400 m long and includes roughly 270 steps through narrow, winding tunnels; not possible with a wheelchair. People with limited mobility can only take part after consulting the supervisor, and their companion must be able to help in an emergency – advance clarification by phone is recommended. Not suitable for people with claustrophobia.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Stroller-friendly: not available

Visits possible at any age; children under 13 only with an accompanying person. Strollers and back carriers cannot be taken along or left behind – a baby wrap is recommended. Family ticket for two adults with a child.

Getting there & parking

By car, follow the signs for "Kulturzentrum Alte Saline"; navigation address Alte Saline 9, 83435 Bad Reichenhall. To continue to the Berchtesgaden Salt Mine, take regional bus 841 from Tiroler Tor to Berchtesgaden Hbf, then line 840 to the Salzbergwerk stop.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

Bad Reichenhall salt shop next to the ticket desk, also accessible without a tour. Lockers (€1 or €2 coin) at the cloakroom. The restaurant Salín is located on the saltworks grounds.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 80 guests.

Weddings in the saltworks chapel in the main Brunnhaus: 44 seats or up to 80 people seated and standing; rental in 2026 €800 for two hours. First arrange a date with the Catholic parish office of St. Nikolaus. Celebrations in the neighboring restaurant Salín or in Magazin 3.

Plan your visit