Selters facts for kids
Selters is a famous German brand of natural mineral water. It comes from special wells near the Taunus mountains in a place called Selters, in Hesse, Germany. People have known about this water since the Bronze Age, which was thousands of years ago!
Selters water is famous because it's naturally fizzy, like soda water. This is due to a lot of a natural chemical called sodium bicarbonate, also known as "soda." The water also has other good minerals like calcium, chloride, magnesium, sulfate, and potassium. It's naturally carbonated (bubbly), but you can buy it in both sparkling (bubbly) and still (flat) versions.
The name "Selters" is so well-known that in the United States, the word "seltzer" became a general term for any kind of soda water.
Contents
The History of Selters Water
Ancient Roots and Roman Connections
People have been using the Selters wells for a very long time. Even the ancient Romans used them! The name "Selters" might have come from Latin words like aqua saltare (meaning "water jump") or saltrissa (meaning "salt rising"). These names describe how the water might have looked or tasted.
The wells were first mentioned in old documents from nearby monasteries in 772. This shows how important the water was even back then. In the 1500s, under the rule of Johann von der Leyen, Selters water became famous all over the world.
Selters as a Health Drink
Selters was not just a drink; it was also popular as a spa resort. People would visit to use the water for their health, believing it had special benefits. They also loved its unique taste. For many centuries, huge amounts of Selters water were sent to other countries. In 1787, a report said that over a million Selters bottles were exported around the world!
The old Selters bottles were often made of stoneware, not glass. These were different from the modern "seltzer bottle," which is a special siphon that squirts out fizzy water.
Copycat Waters and Lasting Fame
Because Selters water was so popular, some people tried to make their own "selters waters" by adding minerals to regular water. This competition actually helped make the original Selters water even more famous. It became a worldwide standard for soda water. For example, a scientist named Torbern Bergman studied mineral waters and, in 1775, showed how to make carbonated water to copy real mineral waters.
Where Selters Water Comes From Today
The main well in Niederselters, which was very famous, stopped producing water in 1999. However, Selters water is still produced today! It comes from a well in a nearby village called Selters-Löhnberg, which has been used for almost 200 years. There's also another competing well in Oberselters. If you want to learn more, there's a Selters water museum in Niederselters!
In some parts of northern and eastern Germany, words like "Selters," "Selterwasser," or "Selter" have become common terms for any kind of mineral water.
See also
In Spanish: Selters para niños
