The Town of Schönebeck (Elbe)

The chequered history of the town of Schönebeck is documented in numerous monuments and interesting historical sites.

Places worth seeing in Schönebeck (Elbe) include the St. Jakobikirche (St. James?s Church), the marketplace ensemble consisting of the town hall, marketplace fountain and Salt Tower, as well as the Schalomhaus and the former salt sheds of the Schönebeck salt mines on the bank of the River Elbe.

Bad Salzelmen is the part of the town where the lanes are narrow and winding and where the houses of the salters once stood; the brine was boiled in open pans called ?Koten? to produce the precious salt.

The wealth of the Pfänner (?panners?, i.e. the owners or leaseholders of the brine springs) of Groß Salze is still evident in imposing structures such as the St. Johanniskirche (St. John?s Church), the district museum (formerly the town hall of Groß Salze) and St. Gertrude?s cemetery where the salt panners were buried.

The history of the town as a curative spa began in 1802.
That was when Dr. Johann W. Tolberg, physician to the salt panners? guild, opened Germany?s first brine bathing facility.

The spa gardens, which were laid out in 1920 on the model of historical precedents, featuring classicist style spa architecture, still exudes the special atmosphere of the former ?Royal Brine Bath at Elmen?.

The Salzland Museum
 
The Salzland Museum (called "district museum" in the past), the former town hall of Groß Salze, is an eye-catching building on the marketplace at Bad Salzelmen. 

The core of the building is a Late Gothic profane structure dating from the period before 1407, to which the northern extension was added in 1536. 

During alterations in the 18^thcentury, the building was given a gabled roof with an octagonal half-timbered tower, in the lantern of which the same bell strikes the hours as was the case in 1428. 

This bell was used by the council as a signal to begin or cease boiling salt in the pans and as the two-hourly signal to the workers at the brine pumps of salt the panners? guild to change the horses in their horse gins.

The portal is decorated with a gilt salt pan ? the coat of arms of the salt-making town of Groß Salze.

Since 1954 the building has housed the district museum with its extensive collections of objects relating to prehistory, ancient history and the history of salt, as well as the history of shipping and of the town.
Regular special exhibitions show curiosities and rarities that are otherwise preserved in the museum?s richly endowed storerooms.

A highlight of the year is the Pfännerfest (Panners? festival) in May, which is organised by the Society of Friends of the Museum. 

Address:
Salzland Museum (district museum)
Pfännerstr. 42
39218 Schönebeck (Elbe)
tel.: +49(0)3928/ 6 94 17
fax: +49(0)3928/ 84 58 14
http://www.vhs.salzlandkreis.de/
(external link)
http://www.salzlandmuseum.de/
(external link of the friends of the district museum)

Opening hours:
Tues, Thurs, Sun       1 - 5 p.m.
last opening time:          4.30 p.m.
Guided tours for groups (also outside the opening hours) available upon request

Events:  
Museum nights, Film nights, Lectures, ?Tag des offenen Denkmals? (Day of the Open Monument)

For events schedule see: "events"
                          
Weddings are also possible! 
Booking via Civil Registry Office of the city of Schönebeck (Elbe)
Tel.: +49(0)3928/ 710 313
Emailcontact

The Stadtapotheke 
 
The Stadtapotheke, the oldest pharmacy in Groß Salze, was first mentioned in 1582.
  
It was also the place of work of the chemist and discoverer of cadmium, Carl Samuel Leberecht Hermann, who worked here from 1792 until 1802.

He succeeded in manufacturing chemical products from waste materials resulting from salt production in Schönebeck.
In 1797 he founded Germany?s first chemical works, called "Hermania", which is still in operation today.

When the building was restored, the current owner set great store by the preservation of the historic elements.

The St. John´s Church (St. Johannis Kirche)
 
At the beginning of the 15th century, the Pfänner (brine spring owners) of Groß Salze decided to build a church that could also serve as a place of refuge in the event of wars or disasters. 

Construction work went on for nearly 120 years until in 1550 the tops of the towers were positioned upon the Gothic substructure.

The three-aisled Late Gothic hall church is richly decorated in Renaissance and Baroque style. 

Interesting features that are of particular value in terms of cultural history are the stalls constructed for the noble brine spring owners (the ?Pfänner?), the ornate Baroque pulpit and the choir; the two confessional boxes next to the altar are considered especially notable.

Fortunately, it has been possible to conduct extensive restoration work on both the exterior and interior of the church over the past few years, with the result that its original beauty is now again fully in evidence.

Opening hours for visiting the church:
May - October
Tues, Thurs: 4 - 6 p.m.
Sat:             2 - 4 p.m.

Opening hours for climbing the church steeple:
May - October
Sat:             2 - 4 p.m.

St. John?s parish office (Gemeindebüro St. Johannis)
Kirchstraße 15
39218 Schönebeck (Elbe)
Tel.: +49(0)3928/ 69340
Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. and 12 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.

Further information on events and services is available at:            
http://www.kirchenkreis-egeln.de/ 
(external link)

Rosmarinstraße 

Rosmarinstraße in the historic centre of Bad Salzelmen is one of the narrow winding lanes where the houses of the salters were formerly located.

The half-timbered house at No. 9 is a town house dating from 1550, which has been lovingly restored.

Next to it is the narrowest house in the town.

If you have any questions and/or remarks with regard to the above-mentioned information you can send them by email to:
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