Wieliczka Salt Mine is incorporated in the area of Wieliczka, southern Poland, which lies inside Krakow metropolitan area. In 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 remains to be produced from underground brine, then it is pumped for the surface and changed into pure evaporated salt.

The mines have become the official Polish Historical Monument plus a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its attraction includes four chapels, an underground lake, historic salt-mining and labyrinthine technology displays.

Find out more about Wieliczka Salt Mine during these best fascinating facts.

1. Wieliczka Salt Mine has ended 700 Years
The historical past of the Wieliczka Salt mine dates 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 for the development of the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This granted the mines many privileges and the man took the miners under his protection.

Within the duration of the mine’s running, many chambers were dug and various technologies were added, for example the Hungarian horse treadmill. During The second world war, the Germans used the mine being an underground facility for war-related manufacturing.

2. A lot of the Mine Interior is Made of Salt

This is the salt mill, in the end. Most tunnels have walls, floors, roofs, and in many cases crystal decorations and statues carved in salt. Once you check out the mines, you are able to touch everything to feel.

You’ll find wooden beams within the tunnels, and so are the dozens of sculptures and reliefs throughout the mine. The wood was adopted to shield the walls and ceilings manufactured from salt, which is why there wasn’t any forest near Wieliczka from the 15th century.

There are most stunning crystals hanging from numerous chandeliers from the mine. They are like glass but are actually giant salt crystals from rock salt which have been dissolved and reconstructed.

3. Wieliczka belongs to a UNESCO World Heritage Site
In 1978, the Wieliczka Salt Mines in Poland was placed in the UNESCO World Heritage list alongside the historic city centre of Krakow. It’s one of the oldest mines in the world.

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

4. The Mine Has for Chapels
The physical conditions within the mines weren’t the top. So, the miners created four chapels to pray in. The mine is the only 1 with an underground church in Europe.

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

Holy masses are finished even today on the occasion in the name day of St. Kinga and xmas. Additionally there is a large salt statue in honour of St. Kinga, where you can also see a portion of the chandeliers using their rock salt crystal.

5. In the centre Age, Wieliczka Salt Mining Generated a Third of Poland’s Income
The income from salt mining landed a third of the salary 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 is the reason nowadays, the term “salary” is employed to spell it out earnings.

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

6. The Mines have Many Unique Machinery and Structure
You will find the world’s largest mining machines manufactured from wood, a horse treadmill in the 17th century and the horn of miners from the miner’s brotherhood from 1534. Inside the 17th century, the very first horse was delivered to the salt mine.

The few things within the mine that weren’t created from salt were buckets, winches, mining tools plus some sculptures created from wood. Salt is a superb preservative and many tools and apparatus are still in good condition.

7. Hot Air Ballooning and Horseriding Have Happened within the Mine
A classy air balloon was lifted 65 feet started for four minutes in 2014. However, there is no proof of that online outside their internet site.

Also, sporting activities happened in the mines, like soccer games and windsurfing on Subterrain Lake. Some areas may be hired out for formal dinners, weddings, and also concerts.

8. The Mine is Deep
The minimum section of the mine is 1073 feet below ground along with the total entire mine tunnel is 178 miles.

The easiest path to the mines could be the tourist route, which allows you to start to see the great thing about the mine along with the most crucial elements of it. The distance is 3.5 kilometres along with the depth you may reach is 135 meters.

Most rocks in 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 Are already Featured in Culture
In 1995, Preisner’s Music, a selection of film music by Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner was recorded by Sinfonia Varsovia inside the Wieliczka mines chapel. Also, in 1999 in america, the Wieliczka Salt Mine was featured in a Modern Marvels episode on salt mines.

From the Australian television series Spellbinder: Land in the Dragon Lord, the mines were featured because the Land from the Moloch. The mines have appeared on multiple editions of the reality show; The astonishing Race, The Amazing Race Australia 1 and others.

10. Breath Healthy Air Within your Visit
Mid-air within the Wieliczka salt mine is free of charge from bacteria, viruses and pollutants. A visit to them can relieve people struggling with respiratory diseases and allergies and it also helps cure a hangover.

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