Salzspeicher

Salzspeicher is a complex of six brick buildings lining the Trave River with large arched windows and multiple stories. The structures were specifically designed to store salt efficiently, with the riverside location enabling easy transport of goods.

The buildings were constructed between 1579 and 1745 when merchants stored and distributed salt from Luneburg mines. This activity established Lübeck as one of Northern Europe's most important trading centers during the medieval and early modern periods.

The six brick buildings embody the commercial strength of the Hanseatic League and define the riverbank with their red facades. They reveal how salt trade shaped Lübeck's prosperity and how merchants displayed their success through such grand structures.

The buildings are freely accessible from the outside and offer good views of the architecture from the street or riverside. Today they house shops and restaurants inside, which you can visit if you want to take a break.

The buildings served as a filming location for the 1922 horror film Nosferatu, where they portrayed the residence of Count Orlok. This film role made the complex known worldwide beyond its local historical importance.