Wieliczka is a small Polish town with a population of only 20,000 people. Every year more than a million tourists come here to see the world-famous salt deposits, known since ancient times. Once upon a time, the Wieliczka mines were the largest in Europe, and now it is the most popular attraction in Poland, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978.
The system of underground corridors under the city stretched nine floors deep, with a total length of more than 300 km, and 3,000 chambers. Only a small part is open for tourists – “only” 3.5 km.
History of salt mines in Wieliczka
The mines were formed naturally – from a salt spring. Over time, the source was devastated and turned into a small well, and when it was exhausted, the first miners went down the remaining wide tunnel to the salt deposits. The development of salt was carried out from the 13th to the 20th century. In Wieliczka, as early as the 11th century, salt was evaporated from brines, and in the 14th, rock salt was mined already by the mining method.
Current state
Nowadays, excursions are held in the dungeons, during which you can follow the development of salt mining and processing technologies, as well as enjoy the bizarre beauty of underground lakes and the magnificence of chapels. Dozens of salt sculptures and bas-reliefs created by salt diggers are available for tourists.
Rules for visiting the Wieliczka salt mine
The tour begins with a descent down the stairs to a depth of 64 meters (this is the first level of the mine), continues with a tour of 20 old mined-out chambers and ends with a tour of the Krakow Salt Mines Museum. After the tour, tourists can relax in the complex of chambers at a depth of 125 m, buy souvenirs and dine in the miners’ tavern. The constant temperature inside the mine is +14 °C, so even in summer, you need to take warm clothes.
For lovers of non-tourist trails, a special program “Secrets of the Veliky mines” has been developed. It is only available by advance booking. This is four hours of incredible adventures in the bowels of the earth. Before this tour, each visitor is equipped with special overalls, a helmet, a real miner’s lamp and a protective filter absorber.