Many places on our planet, in my personal opinion, is overrated. I do not want to bring exact examples - everybody has a different taste. Nevertheless there are things, objects and particular buildings we have never heard before and after one visit we simply fall in love because of its extraordinariness. I believe that Wieliczka Salt Mine might be one of them.
Of course this place is not completely unknown. Over one million visitors each year is an impressive result. Although everybody have heard about the Eiffel Tower, Venice, the Great Wall of China, or the Pyramides in Giza, but Wieliczka was the one, which was included in the very first UNESCO list in 1978. It is a great honour, because there were only 12 objects from all over the world on that list. It is worth to mention, that Cracow's Old Town was there as well.
Let's find out why is this mine so special. It is said, that the beggining of salt exploration in this region reaches even 5000 years B.P. Back then people noticed, that water in this region tastes differently. And during one beautiful day somebody discovered how to obtain it by evaporation. When the water stopped reaching the surface, people were sad, so they started to dig. And they found the solid blocks of NaCl. That is the moment, when our journey into the past starts. It is 13th century.
The legend says, that the polish king, Bolesław Wstydliwy (the Shy) proposed to hungarian princess - saint Kinga. She did not accept any gold or jewellery as a bride price, but the salt, which she wanted for the "homeland-to-be". So the hungarian king gave her the best mine of his land in Maramaros. During the visit she dropped into the shaft her ring, which was found later in the very first block of salt mined in Wieliczka. Afterwards, because Bolesław the Shy was shy Kinga remained a virgin and became a saint.
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| The proposal scene. St Kinga and Bolesław the Shy |
The mine reaches over 300 meters under the ground in the lowest point and the total lenght of the corridors is... wait for it... 300 kilometers! This is like 60 hours of walking! And that is the reason why there is just 1% of the whole mine availible for tourists to explore. Nevertheless it is still 2-3 hour tour. The visitor has opportunity to see three out of nine levels of the mine. 135 meters under the surface.
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| St Antoni's Chapel |
Let's focus on the Tourist Route. Imagine that the first "commercial" tourists were here in the end of the 17th century. Austrians decided to share the polish heritage already back then. As it seems the mine still cares about this tradition. So what is down there what you can admire today? We start the trip moving 65 meters down stairs to the first level of the mine. Following the guide we pass the salty corridors and original chambers, mostly from the 17th century. They were adapted for the visitors and we may admire old chapels, mining equipment and statues made of salt.
The most impressive is Saint Kinga's Chapel, though. This place is called an "underground church" and is located 101 meters below the surface. The walls are covered with amazing, carved in salt reliefs presenting the life of Jesus Christ. There are also relics of the pope - John Paul II (two drops of blood) and Saint Kinga. I have to admit - the photos cannot show the real beauty of this breathtaking place. I was not so sure if is it really worth to see when, depending on pictures, I went there last sunday. But it is. Definitely.
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| St Kinga's Chapel |
The Tourist Route is getting more and more interactive every year as well. Today we can for instance listen to the classical music in the Weimar Chamber or to understand how the miners were getting rid of dangerous and explosive methane by an animation. Encouraged? No? So maybe let's take a loot at some photos!
But.
There is also completely different way of the salt mine experience. Maybe even better. It is called the Miners' Route and it is... awesome. I have visited this place yesterday and I am very impressed. It was opened about 230 years after the "mainstream route" - in the autumn of 2012, so it is still not as popular, but I think that this is a huge advantage of that place. Maybe some statistics - during the whole summer number of tourists on the Miners' Route - 16 000. One-day record of the Tourist Route - 13 000.
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| One of the corridors |
You receive an equipment - a miners' outfit, a helmet and of course a flashlight - there is almost no electric lightning on the route. Going down with the Regis Shaft you are getting to the mysterious part of the mine. What is amazing about this place? The climate. You can really feel like a miner using the historical machines, stepping up the ladders and doing real job. After all you can get out with a real piece of salt. As I did. There are sightseeing attractions as well - for instance the huge obelisk made for the austrian archduke Franz Karl, who were bragging that he filled a whole barrel with a salt - this particular barrel had its own place as well, we still can see the remainings of that. The whole trip appeals to the imagination - you have an impression that you experience and hear about things, that the others do not have access. Furthermore. This part is older than the second route's. It comes even from the 14th century! Knowledgable leader was also very enthusiastic and seemed fascinated about what he was saying, which made this trip even more succesful.
However, I do not want to describe everything - let's leave some job for the guides! For sure the salt mine must be a part of the trip to Poland. Even the communication just forces us to visit this place - it is just 25 minutes from the Cracow's city center. By bus. So if you want to see something special - do not hestitate! Visit Poland!
