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

Nowadays, the mine never extracts salt by mining because extraction stopped in 1996. Salt continues to be created from underground brine, this will make it pumped to the surface and become pure evaporated salt.

The mines are actually 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.

Find out more on Wieliczka Salt Mine in these top ten fascinating facts.

1. Wieliczka Salt Mine ends 700 Years
A brief history in the Wieliczka Salt mine goes for the thirteenth century. Brine following to the surface ended up collected and processed for its sodium chloride content.

King Casimir II the fantastic contributed greatly for the development of the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This granted the mines many privileges and he took the miners under his protection.

On the duration of the mine’s running, many chambers were dug as well as other technologies were added, such as the Hungarian horse treadmill. During The second world war, the Germans used the mine being an underground facility for war-related manufacturing.

2. Most of The Mine Interior is made from Salt

It is a salt mill, in fact. Most tunnels have walls, floors, roofs, and also crystal decorations and statues carved in salt. After you go to the mines, you can touch something to feel.

There are wooden beams from the tunnels, and are also the dozens of sculptures and reliefs round the mine. The wood was used to safeguard the walls and ceilings created from salt, and that’s why there was no forest near Wieliczka inside the 15th century.

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

3. Wieliczka is Part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site
In 1978, the Wieliczka Salt Mines in Poland was classified by the UNESCO World Heritage list alongside the historic city centre of Krakow. It’s one of many oldest mines on earth.

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

4. The Mine Has for Chapels
The stipulations inside the mines weren’t the best. So, the miners created four chapels to pray in. The mine may be the only one with the underground church in Europe.

One of the chapels was the Chapel of St. Kinga, one of the most impressive part of the salt mines. It took over 30 years for three men to perform the chapel removing approximately 20,000 tonnes of salt.

Holy masses are carried out to this day on the occasion with the name day’s St. Kinga and xmas. Additionally there is a large salt statue in honour of St. Kinga, where one can also see some of the chandeliers making use of their rock salt crystal.

5. In The Middle Age, Wieliczka Salt Mining Generated another of Poland’s Income
The wages from salt mining accounted for one third of the wages of the royal treasury in Poland. Salt was considered a noble metal and it was called “White gold”.

In that time, many transactions were paid using salt and work, which is why nowadays, the phrase “salary” is employed to explain earnings.

As a result of salt income, tenement houses and royal residences were built. This designed a fortune for families with names growing from salt.

6. The Mines have some of Unique Machinery and Structure
There are the world’s largest mining machines manufactured from wood, a horse treadmill through the 17th century along with the horn of miners through the miner’s brotherhood from 1534. Inside the 17th century, the very first horse was taken to the salt mine.

The few things from the mine that weren’t created from salt were buckets, winches, mining tools and several sculptures manufactured from wood. Salt is a great preservative and many tools and apparatus are nevertheless in great condition.

7. Heat Ballooning and Sailing Have Happened within the Mine
A hot air balloon was lifted 65 feet up and running for four minutes in 2014. However, there isn’t any evidence that online outside their internet site.

Also, sporting activities occured in the mines, for example soccer games and windsurfing on Subterrain Lake. Some areas may be hired out for formal dinners, weddings, and in many cases concerts.

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

The best route to the mines will be the tourist route, which lets you see the great thing about the mine and also the most critical aspects of it. The distance is 3.5 kilometres along with the depth you’ll reach is 135 meters.

Most rocks from the mine possess a dull grey look; however, in a few 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 compilation of film music by Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner was recorded by Sinfonia Varsovia from the Wieliczka mines chapel. Also, in 1999 in the united states, the Wieliczka Salt Mine was featured within a Modern Marvels episode on salt mines.

From the Australian tv series Spellbinder: Land from the Dragon Lord, the mines were featured as the Land of the Moloch. The mines also have appeared on multiple editions of an reality show; The astounding Race, The astonishing Race Australia 1 and much more.

10. Breath Healthy Air Within your Visit
Air in the Wieliczka salt mine costs nothing from bacteria, viruses and pollutants. Visiting them can relieve people struggling with respiratory diseases and allergies and in addition it helps cure a hangover.

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