Sälzerviertel on Kohlbrink

Salt springs shaped the development of Soest over the centuries. As early as 973, an Arab traveler reported on salt production; street names such as Salzbrink, Solgasse, and Salzgasse serve as a reminder of this. During excavations at Kohlbrink in 1981–82, more than 100 salt-boiling sites were uncovered across an area of 230 square meters. Evidence was found of clay furnaces up to 3.5 meters deep, complete with furnace channels, working pits, lead boiling pans, and structures for windbreaks and roofing. Dendrochronological analyses confirm the existence of the Soest saltworks as early as 600 A.D. It is not clear from the archaeological record when salt production ceased; documentary evidence is lacking from the 13th century onward.