Wieliczka Salt Mine

The Wieliczka Salt Mine near Krakow, worked from the thirteenth century, is a UNESCO wonder: a labyrinth of chambers, underground lakes and passages hundreds of metres deep, where generations of miners carved not just salt but sculptures, reliefs and entire chapels from the rock salt. Its greatest chamber, St Kinga's Chapel, is a vast underground church with chandeliers of salt crystal.

Background

Salt was drawn from upwelling brine here as early as Neolithic times, and the first written record of the mine dates from 1044. Excavation began in the 13th century, and the Saltworks Castle went up between the late 13th and early 14th centuries. Table salt came out without a break until 1996, when falling prices and flooding ended commercial mining. The workings descend to 327 metres and run for over 287 kilometres of passages and chambers, of which the 3.5-kilometre visitor route covers less than 2 percent. The mine joined the original UNESCO list in 1978 and was on the danger list from 1989 to 1998, as damp from ventilation added in the later 19th century threatened the sculptures.

Source: Wikipedia, "Wieliczka Salt Mine"

What's there

• St Kinga's Chapel - the vast underground church carved from salt, with salt chandeliers.
• The salt sculptures - the statues and reliefs carved by the miners.
• The underground lakes - the brine lakes in the deep chambers.
• The wooden mine workings - the historic timbering and machinery.

When to go

Year-round; the mine is a constant cool temperature, so bring a layer. It is a popular Krakow day trip, so book the guided tour ahead in the busy season.

What to expect

It is seen only on a guided tour, which involves descending and climbing many stairs, and it is cool underground. It is very popular, so it can be busy. The scale and the salt chapel are genuinely astonishing.

Nearby

Krakow is thirty minutes away; Auschwitz is within reach to the west.

Key facts