We went on a tour today that I recommend: the salt mines of Wieliczka. Someone (I can't remember who) told me about it and I am glad we took the tour (it costs about 28 euros). These mines have been around for centuries, and stopped working about 13 years ago for three reasons:
- there were not profitable anymore
- it was not safe to excavate more chambers to extract the salt from
- there were problems with frequent floods.
We went down more than a 100 meters in these very small elevators. It is really dark inside and we were 18 people squeezed in.
When we get down there, there are many chambers, some with sculptures done by former miners.
When we get down there, there are many chambers, some with sculptures done by former miners.
Salt rocks are still be found on the ceilings and walls.
Krakow's World-class Attraction, the Salt Mine of Wieliczka
One traveled Frenchman observed in the 18th century that Krakow's Wieliczka salt mine was no less magnificent than the Egyptian pyramids. Millions of visitors, the crowned heads and such celebrities as Goethe and Sarah Bemhardt among them, have appeared to share his enthusiasm when exploring the subterranean world of labyrinthine passages, giant caverns, underground lakes and chapels with sculptures in the crystalline salt and rich ornamentation carved in the salt rock. They have also marveled at the ingenuity of the ancient mining equipment in the Wieliczka salt mine. And the unique acoustics of the place have made hearing music here an exceptional experience.
The Wieliczka Salt Mine, nowadays practically on the southeast outskirts of Krakow, has been worked for 900 years. It used to be one of the world's biggest and most profitable industrial establishments when common salt was commercially a medieval equivalent of today's oil. Always a magnet, since the mid-18th century Krakow's Wieliczka salt mine has become increasingly a tourist attraction in the first place. Today visitors walk underground for about 2,000 m in the oldest part of the salt mine and see its subterranean museum, which takes three hours or so.
Nine centuries of mining in Wieliczka produced a total of some 200 kilometers of passages as well as 2,040 caverns of varied size. The tourist route starts 64 m deep, includes twenty chambers, and ends 135 m below the earth surface, where the world's biggest museum of mining is located with the unique centuries-old equipment among its exhibits.
Occasionally concerts and other events take place in the Wieliczka mine’s biggest chambers.
There is a sanatorium for those suffering from asthma and allergy situated 135 meters deep underground in the Wieliczka Salt Mine.
UNESCO has entered the Wieliczka Salt Mine in its World Heritage Register.
One traveled Frenchman observed in the 18th century that Krakow's Wieliczka salt mine was no less magnificent than the Egyptian pyramids. Millions of visitors, the crowned heads and such celebrities as Goethe and Sarah Bemhardt among them, have appeared to share his enthusiasm when exploring the subterranean world of labyrinthine passages, giant caverns, underground lakes and chapels with sculptures in the crystalline salt and rich ornamentation carved in the salt rock. They have also marveled at the ingenuity of the ancient mining equipment in the Wieliczka salt mine. And the unique acoustics of the place have made hearing music here an exceptional experience.
The Wieliczka Salt Mine, nowadays practically on the southeast outskirts of Krakow, has been worked for 900 years. It used to be one of the world's biggest and most profitable industrial establishments when common salt was commercially a medieval equivalent of today's oil. Always a magnet, since the mid-18th century Krakow's Wieliczka salt mine has become increasingly a tourist attraction in the first place. Today visitors walk underground for about 2,000 m in the oldest part of the salt mine and see its subterranean museum, which takes three hours or so.
Nine centuries of mining in Wieliczka produced a total of some 200 kilometers of passages as well as 2,040 caverns of varied size. The tourist route starts 64 m deep, includes twenty chambers, and ends 135 m below the earth surface, where the world's biggest museum of mining is located with the unique centuries-old equipment among its exhibits.
Occasionally concerts and other events take place in the Wieliczka mine’s biggest chambers.
There is a sanatorium for those suffering from asthma and allergy situated 135 meters deep underground in the Wieliczka Salt Mine.
UNESCO has entered the Wieliczka Salt Mine in its World Heritage Register.
I guess the most impressive room is the chapel. It is a real church inside of the mines, with an altar, sculptures and carvings of saints image on the walls. The church is used every Sunday for masses and many people get married here. As the tour guide said, it is hard for run-aways brides. Incredible!
We were in there walking for over 2 hours, and according to our tour guide, we saw only 1% of the mines area.
This photo was taken from the highest part of the mine.I am leaning against a balcony and you can see the chamber way down there. I actually took a small elevator to get up there.
Here you can see on the ceilings, the signs of dynamite using to opening the caves. But in the beginning- centuries ago- , the excavating was done by hand.
A FUN EVENING
My parents wanted to go to a folk dance event, so we paid about 20 euros a person for dinner and local dances. We had a good time, although this is not really my idea of going out. The food was good; pork, of course.
Again I had the Polish beer with some fruit syrup. And don't forget: it must be drunken with a straw!
My parents showed that Brazilian can also dance Polish traditional dances. They really had a good time!!!! And I had fun watching it!
Taller or shorty... It didn't matter...
On the way back to the hotel we had more fun watching some Turkish dancing on Krakow's main square.
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