Wieliczka Salt Mine is in the town of Wieliczka, southern Poland, which lies inside the Krakow metropolitan area. From your Neolithic times, table salt was produced here from your upwelling brine.
Nowadays, the mine never extracts salt by mining because extraction stopped in 1996. Salt remains to be manufactured from underground brine, it’s then pumped on the surface and transformed into pure evaporated salt.
The mines have become the state Polish Historical Monument along with a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its attraction includes four chapels, an underground lake, historic salt-mining and labyrinthine technology displays.
Find out more on Wieliczka Salt Mine during these top fascinating facts.
1. Wieliczka Salt Mine is finished 700 Years
A history of the Wieliczka Salt mine goes to the thirteenth century. Brine following up to the surface ended up collected and processed because of its sodium chloride content.
King Casimir II the fantastic contributed greatly to the continuing development of the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This granted the mines many privileges and the man took the miners under his protection.
Over the duration of the mine’s running, many chambers were dug and other technologies were added, including the Hungarian horse treadmill. During World War II, the Germans used the mine as an underground facility for war-related manufacturing.
2. A lot of the Mine Interior is made from Salt
This can be a salt mill, in the end. Most tunnels have walls, floors, roofs, and in many cases crystal decorations and statues carved in salt. After you visit the mines, you are able to touch everything to feel.
You can find wooden beams from the tunnels, and are also the many sculptures and reliefs round the mine. The wood was utilized to shield the ceilings and walls manufactured from salt, which is why there wasn’t any forest near Wieliczka in the 15th century.
There are most stunning crystals hanging from numerous chandeliers from the mine. They are like glass however are actually giant salt crystals from rock salt which have been dissolved and reconstructed.
3. Wieliczka is Part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site
In 1978, the Wieliczka Salt Mines in Poland was indexed by the UNESCO World Heritage list plus the historic city centre of Krakow. It’s among the oldest mines on the planet.
The oldest document confirms its existence dates back to 1044. The mine site also includes the Wieliczka Saltworks Castle and also the nearby Bochnia Salt Mine.
4. The Mine Has for Chapels
The physical conditions within the mines weren’t the best. So, the miners created four chapels to wish in. The mine could be the only one by having an underground church in Europe.
One of many chapels was the Chapel of St. Kinga, probably the most impressive area of the salt mines. It took over many years for 3 men to complete the chapel removing approximately 20,000 tonnes of salt.
Holy masses are carried out even today on the occasion of the name day’s St. Kinga and Christmas. Additionally there is a large salt statue in honour of St. Kinga, to also see several of the chandeliers making use of their rock salt crystal.
5. In the centre Age, Wieliczka Salt Mining Generated one third of Poland’s Income
The wages from salt mining included a third with the income of the royal treasury in Poland. Salt was considered a noble metal and was called “White gold”.
In that time, many transactions were paid using salt and work, which explains why nowadays, the word “salary” is employed to describe earnings.
Due to salt income, tenement houses and royal residences were built. This developed a fortune for families with names growing beyond salt.
6. The Mines have several Unique Machinery and Structure
You’ll find the world’s largest mining machines made of wood, a horse treadmill in the 17th century and also the horn of miners from your miner’s brotherhood from 1534. Within the 17th century, the very first horse was brought to the salt mine.
The few things from the mine that weren’t made of salt were buckets, winches, mining tools and a few sculptures made of wood. Salt is an excellent preservative and lots of tools and apparatus remain in excellent.
7. Hot Air Ballooning and Sailing Have Occurred inside the Mine
A warm air balloon was lifted 65 feet up for four minutes in 2014. However, there is absolutely no evidence that online outside the website.
Also, activities occured inside the mines, including soccer games and windsurfing on Subterrain Lake. Some areas could be hired out for formal dinners, weddings, and even concerts.
8. The Mine is Deep
The cheapest the main mine is 1073 feet below ground and the total entire mine tunnel is 178 miles.
The best option to the mines may be the tourist route, which allows you to begin to see the appeal of the mine as well as the most crucial aspects of it. The space is 3.5 kilometres along with the depth you’ll reach is 135 meters.
Most rocks from the mine use a dull grey look; however, in certain batches, the salts look fluffy white. The miners nicknamed this cauliflower.
9. The Mines Have already been Featured in Culture
In 1995, Preisner’s Music, a selection of film music by Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner was recorded by Sinfonia Varsovia within the Wieliczka mines chapel. Also, in 1999 in america, the Wieliczka Salt Mine was featured within a Modern Marvels episode on salt mines.
From the Australian television series Spellbinder: Land with the Dragon Lord, the mines were featured since the Land from the Moloch. The mines also have appeared on multiple editions of the reality show; The astonishing Race, The spectacular Race Australia 1 and more.
10. Breath Healthy Air During Your Visit
Air in the Wieliczka salt mine costs nothing from bacteria, viruses and pollutants. Visiting them can relieve people being affected by respiratory diseases and allergies looked after helps cure a hangover.
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