To mark the start of the 2026/27 winter semester, the Institute for Ceramic and Glass Art (IKKG) at the University of Applied Sciences Koblenz will fire its historic salt-firing kiln for the 17th time since 1992. This traditional kiln, used for centuries to produce the world-famous salt-glazed, gray-blue stoneware of the Westerwald region, is the last remaining functional kiln of its kind. It is located on the grounds of the Westerwald Campus at Rheinstraße 80 in Höhr-Grenzhausen.
A Piece of Living History
The salt-firing kilns were once the heart of the pottery workshops in the Westerwald region. Until the closure of the last workshop in 1989, up to 30 firings were conducted weekly, often shrouding the town in an impressive cloud of smoke. In the 1930s alone, Höhr-Grenzhausen had 57 of these kilns. Today, this tradition is kept alive every two years at the IKKG. You are warmly invited to experience this intangible cultural heritage firsthand.
The salt-firing kiln event is a joint project of the University of Applied Sciences Koblenz, the Westerwald Ceramics Museum, and the municipal association and town of Höhr-Grenzhausen. As a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, Höhr-Grenzhausen embodies a vibrant ceramic tradition. The event preserves and passes on traditional knowledge and craft techniques as part of this intangible cultural heritage.
Program Highlights
Friday, September 25, from 6:00 PM: Start of the 24-hour livestream, available at https://www.youtube.com/@keramikmuseumwesterwald4912/streams
Saturday, September 26, 12:00–6:00 PM: Salting – the highlight of the firing process – at the Institute for Ceramic and Glass Art, Rheinstraße 80, 56203 Höhr-Grenzhausen.
LINKS
CONTACTS
info@europeanrouteofceramics.eu
stradaeuropeaceramica@pec.it (certified email address)
Associazione “Strada Europea della Ceramica” Head office: Piazza del Popolo 31, 48018, Faenza (RA), Italy C.F. 90036800390
