Wieliczka Salt Mine is incorporated in the capital of scotland- Wieliczka, southern Poland, which lies inside Krakow metropolitan area. Through the Neolithic times, table salt was produced here from the upwelling brine.

Nowadays, the mine never extracts salt by mining because extraction stopped in 1996. Salt is still manufactured from underground brine, then it is pumped for the surface and turned into pure evaporated salt.

The mines are now the official 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.

Learn more about Wieliczka Salt Mine in these top 10 fascinating facts.

1. Wieliczka Salt Mine is Over 700 Years
The history with the Wieliczka Salt mine goes back on the thirteenth century. Brine following up to the surface have been collected and processed for its sodium chloride content.

King Casimir II the truly amazing contributed greatly on the progression of the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This granted the mines many privileges and the man took the miners under his protection.

On the use of the mine’s running, many chambers were dug as well as technologies were added, like the Hungarian horse treadmill. During World War II, the Germans used the mine as a possible underground facility for war-related manufacturing.

2. A lot of the Mine Interior consists of Salt

It is a salt mill, in the end. Most tunnels have walls, floors, roofs, and also crystal decorations and statues carved in salt. Once you look at the mines, you are able to touch everything to feel.

You can find wooden beams in the tunnels, and are generally the a large number of sculptures and reliefs around the mine. The wood was applied to shield the ceilings and walls made from salt, and that’s why there wasn’t any forest near Wieliczka from the 15th century.

You’ll find most stunning crystals hanging from numerous chandeliers from the mine. They search like glass but you are actually giant salt crystals from rock salt which were dissolved and reconstructed.

3. Wieliczka is Part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site
In 1978, the Wieliczka Salt Mines in Poland was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage list plus the historic city centre of Krakow. It really is one of many oldest mines on the planet.

The oldest document confirms its existence dates back to 1044. The mine site includes the Wieliczka Saltworks Castle as well as the nearby Bochnia Salt Mine.

4. The Mine Has for Chapels
The circumstances from the mines weren’t the top. So, the miners created four chapels to wish in. The mine may be the merely one having an underground church in Europe.

Among the chapels was the Chapel of St. Kinga, essentially the most impressive part of the salt mines. It took over 30 years for several men to accomplish the chapel removing approximately 20,000 tonnes of salt.

Holy masses are performed even today for the occasion from the name day of St. Kinga and Christmas. Additionally there is a large salt statue in honour of St. Kinga, where you can also see several of the chandeliers with their rock salt crystal.

5. In the centre Age, Wieliczka Salt Mining Generated a Third of Poland’s Income
The wages from salt mining taken into account another from the income of the royal treasury in Poland. Salt was considered a noble metal and was called “White gold”.

During that time, many transactions were paid using salt and work, and that’s why nowadays, the definition of “salary” is utilized to explain earnings.

Due to salt income, tenement houses and royal residences were built. This made a fortune for families with names growing beyond salt.

6. The Mines have Many Unique Machinery and Structure
There are the world’s largest mining machines made of wood, a horse treadmill through the 17th century as well as the horn of miners from the miner’s brotherhood from 1534. From the 17th century, the first horse was brought to the salt mine.

The few things within the mine that weren’t created from salt were buckets, winches, mining tools and a few sculptures manufactured from wood. Salt is a wonderful preservative and a lot of tools and apparatus remain in good shape.

7. Hot Air Ballooning and Horseriding Have Occurred in the Mine
A fashionable air balloon was lifted 65 feet up and running for four minutes in 2014. However, there isn’t any proof of that online outside their internet site.

Also, sports activities happened within the mines, for example soccer games and windsurfing on Subterrain Lake. Some areas can be hired out for formal dinners, weddings, and even concerts.

8. The Mine is Deep
The best part of the mine is 1073 feet underground and the total entire mine tunnel is 178 miles.

The best option to the mines may be the tourist route, which lets you understand the attractiveness of the mine along with the most crucial areas of it. The space is 3.5 kilometres and the depth you may reach is 135 meters.

Most rocks from the mine have a very dull grey look; however, in some batches, the salts look fluffy white. The miners nicknamed this cauliflower.

9. The Mines Happen to be Featured in Culture
In 1995, Preisner’s Music, a selection of film music by Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner was recorded by Sinfonia Varsovia in the Wieliczka mines chapel. Also, in 1999 in america, the Wieliczka Salt Mine was featured in the Modern Marvels episode on salt mines.

In the Australian television series Spellbinder: Land with the Dragon Lord, the mines were featured as the Land with the Moloch. The mines have appeared on multiple editions of the reality show; The astounding Race, The Amazing Race Australia 1 and more.

10. Breath Healthy Air Within your Visit
The air inside the Wieliczka salt mine is free from bacteria, viruses and pollutants. Visiting them can relieve people suffering from respiratory diseases and allergies and in addition it helps cure a hangover.

To get more information about Auschwitz and Salt Mine tour from Krakow go to see the best web page: click here