The Salt Storehouses on the upper Trave river next to the
Holsten gate were built in the brick building styles of the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
Historical Importance and Former Use
The Salt Storehouses were built between 1579 and 1745. The storehouse which is closest to
the Holsten gate was the property of the
Oldesloe salt mine until 1839. This information is presented on a brick plaque located
on the storefront.
Originally, the storehouses were used to store salt that was shipped on the Trave
river or the "saltstreet". Later, the salt was transported along the Stecknitz-Canal
all the way from the Oldesloe salt mine with barges via the Trave river. Later,
clothes, wood and grain were also stored there.
From Luebeck, the salt was exported to Skandinavia and was the base for Luebeck's
wealth and influence. The salt was mainly used to preserve fish caught off the
coasts of Norway and Schonen, Sweden. This technique enabled the trading of herring
with the midland.
Use after Time as Storehouses
After being used as storehouses, the Salt Storehouses
were used as the setting of the film "Nosferatu - a Symphony of Horror" by Friedrich
Wilhelm Murnau. They were the houses which gave Nosferatu shelter. Nowadays, the
storehouses are used by a textile store.