31 Wieliczka Salt Mine More than one million tourists from all over the world each year come to see this mine. It is one of the most valuable monuments of material in Poland. It is 135 meters underground and was among twelve objects on the UNESCO’s World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1978. The salt in Wieliczka is dated at about 14 million years old. The salt deposits are formed of two different parts: The Upper block or lump deposit was formed as claystone and claystone with halite crystals, and is called Zubry. The lower deposit consists of layers of rock salts alternating with interlayers of gangue – it is a bedded deposit. The Salt Mine gives the appearance of luxurious crystal sleeping. It is brilliant quiet and stunning. The Salt Mine secrets were discovered in the 12 century by a lock Duke to mine the rich deposits of salt that lay beneath. In the 15th c e n t u r y, a b o u t 3 5 0 people worked at the Wieliczka salt works and only 8,000 tones of salt were produced a n n u a l l y. I n m o r e modern times this has dramatically increased: In the mid-17th Century the saltworks achieved an output of over 30,000 tones of salt. Saxon treadmills that hauled salt to the surface were introduced in the mine in the 18th Century. Visiting the mines today will allow you to view a replica of a 18th Century Saxon treadmill. During the years between the Worlds Wars, the mine did not expand its territories and salt exploitation was continued within the boundaries marked by the Australians. During Nazi occupation, the several thousand Jews were transported from the forced labour camps to the Wieliczka mine to
FINAL.indd 31
work in an underground armament factory set up by the Germans. In 1951 the institution was created. By 1966, Krakow Saltworks Museum was open the underground for public. During the trip, things to look out for include: the statue of John Paul II which is sculpted at the mine as a thanksgiving offering for the canonization of Blessed King; the Crystal Grottoes, a modern saltwater treatment plant, a state-of-the-art boiler house, the chandeliers in the cathedral are made of salt and underground lake. Tourists can also use their fingers to taste the salt, which is thousands of years old. However, as many tourists have touched the salt, it is no longer as tasty as it may once have been. From the outside, the W ieliczka Salt Mine doesn’t look attractive, but over hundred metres below ground it holds an astonishing secret: a breathtaking record of their time u n d e r g ro u n d i n t h e shape of statues of mythic, religious and historical figures. Entrance to the salt mine involves climbing down one hundred and fifty meter down wooden stairs into the underground salt mine. It is quite cold way down in the deep underground, so warm jackets are a wise idea. To ensure no tourists are lost in the underground maze, all guests are required to be part of a guided tour. These are available in many languages. The whole exploration takes 2-3 hours. Entry price: 75zf / regular 1 person, 60zf/ discount 1 person, 210 zf/ family 4 persons
13/08/2013 10:24