Stone chronicles, mythical creatures and healthy mine air

Healing sounds in the spa town of Saalfeld

The “town of gables, gates and towers” by the Saale river attracts visitors with its medieval atmosphere and an underground natural work of art featuring an absolutely unique blaze of colour – the Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes. And in the “Emanatorium” natural healing tunnel, you can embark on a healing journey with the sounds of Nepalese singing bowls.

Surrounded by rolling hills and the green foothills of the Thuringian Forest, the spa town of Saalfeld is located in the centre of a bend in the Saale. Even Martin Luther was amazed by the town: “Saalfeld lies there like a boiled crab in parsley broth.” You can find out more about the town’s 1,100 years of history in interactive exhibitions at the three accessible town gates. And a little outside the city is “Thuringia’s miracle deep in the mountains”. The Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes provide adventure and active recreation.

Fairies and a blaze of colour in the Fairy Kingdom

After a hearty “Glück auf!” (the traditional German greating between miners), you will descend into an absolutely unique realm of colour and fairies in the former “Jeremias Glück” (Jeremiah’s Luck) slate mine. The more than 100 colours of the stalactites and stalagmites are reflected particularly impressively in the pool in the Fairy Kingdom, in the centre of which you will see the majestic “Castle of the Holy Grail”. The fascinating cave was discovered in 1913 when an unknown gallery was excavated. While one of the miners was having a bite to eat, his lamp fell over, and the feeble light revealed the magnificent room. The stunned miner even claimed that he had seen a fairy.
So let yourself by enchanted by the illuminated play of light in glistening colours on the untouched stalactites and cascades. And if you look closely, you might even see a fairy.

Singing bowl relaxation in the natural caves

Another treasure that you will find in the show mine is the “Emanatorium” inhalation healing gallery. The healthy effect of the pure air with a cool temperature of just 10°C is now more popular than ever with health-conscious visitors – especially when combined with the spherical sounds of Nepalese singing bowls. Snuggled into your sleeping bag (blankets are available on site), you will go on a guided journey of relaxation (mention Lotus yoga studio?). After a brief period of meditation, you will sense the extraordinary symbiosis of the silence in the gallery and the harmonising sounds of the singing bowls. The fine vibrations and tones will affect your body, spirit and soul in equal measure. Energy will flow in your body, blockages will dissipate and a deep sense of security and inner peace will emerge. The unique climate will also boost your immune system. After one and a half hours, a cup of hot herbal tea will bring you back to the earthly world.

Town museum in a former Franciscan monastery

The Saalfeld town museum is perfect for people with an interest in history and art, and not just in bad weather. The former Franciscan monastery, founded by the Count of Schwarzburg in 1250, houses one of the most important museums of cultural history in Thuringia. It contains a permanent exhibition on the history of the town and the region, an art gallery of medieval works by Saalfeld artists, Thuringian traditional costumes, and temporary special exhibitions.

Cultural tip

three accessible town gates housing interactive exhibitions

At the three accessible historic town gates – the Upper Gate, the Darr Gate and the Saal Gate – you can experience an interactive journey through time. You will encounter traders, rogues, executioners, herb women... and find out a lot about life in Saalfeld in around 1600. You will make the acquaintance of the respected merchant Georg Pelzer from Nuremberg, who liked to stop in the town on the Saal when travelling to Leipzig via the old trading route. In the multimedia exhibition “Lass uns Türmen” (Let’s Skedaddle), you will find out why that was probably not such a good idea and why the merchant stumbled from one misfortune to the next.

In 1547, Emperor Charles V. dined in the Güldene Gans restaurant within the historic walls of Hotel Anker on the market square. There are no surviving records of precisely what he ate. On the other hand, it is well known that today’s gourmet chefs prefer to create menus based on fresh regional products as well as herbs and spices ranging from the local to the exotic. Tip: the home-made chutneys are a delight.

A forest walk to the Kneipp pool in the spa and recreation forest

It will do you good to walk barefoot through the 16 to 17°C warm water of the Kneipp pool in the natural stream in the spa and recreation forest. It is not only the Fairy Grotto guide Yvonne Wagner who appreciates the recuperative ritual. Try it out: the walk begins at the Quellenhaus at the Fairy Grottoes. After just a few hundred metres, you will reach the barefoot path and the pleasantly cool