TRIPS

Wieliczka Salt Mine

A dozen kilometers to the East from Cracow there is Wieliczka – town that is famous for a salt mine. Way to the mine is very well signed that’s why it’s hard to get lost. Popularity of this place is confirmed by a large number of paid parking places located in the area of the mine.

The Daniłowicz’s shaft is available for tourists. Its tourist route leads through 20 chambers connected by a few kilometers of drifts. As individual tourists we didn’t have to book the tickets previously. There were no queues as well and prices were exactly the same as stated on the formal website of the Salt Mine in Wieliczka. We also purchased permission for taking photos, which permitted us to take pictures of the tourist route.

When the group of 35 people was gathered, we set off for salt mine sight seeing with a guide. The first phase of our tour was a walk down wooden stairs to the depth of 64 meters . We were informed by the guide that on this level the temperature is constant and equals 14°C . We also got know that in the mine it is not allowed to touch anything made of salt (which in fact means anything at all) but we can lick the salt walls as much as we want instead.

The first place where we stopped was Nicolaus Copernicus’ Chamber with statue of this outstanding astronomer. Large amount of wood used in this place does not reveal any awaiting salt attractions so far. However, in the next hall, which is Saint Anthony’s Chapel, everything is made of salt. This baroque chapel is excavated in a block of green salt. It is decorated by numerous figures of saints and a pulpit hewn out of salt.

Next to it there is Janowice Chamber decorated by figures of people discovering the salt. Saint Kinga is given the first piece of salt with an engagement ring from a miner. The guide told us the legend of how Saint Kinga had become a patron of salt miners.

Another place on the route is the Burnt Chamber. Getting rid of fire-damp accumulating in the mine was depicted here. Miners called penitents had burnt the dangerous gas with fire-brands attached to long poles.

In the Sielec Chamber models of miners were used to depict the way hot the salt was transported. Figures of miners are performed very accurately and give the impression of reality. Both ways of output transport were presented here – by miners themselves and with horses as traction force.

Model of Neolithic salt-works and first farmers’ village can be regarded as different sort of exhibition. Through a shield we could observe a family focused on salt working and farming. The next stop was to be in the Kazimierz the Great’s Chamber, where there is a bust statue of the ruler curved in salt, of course. We also saw salt lumps here, which are cylindrical blocks of salt and salt whims.

An interesting place in Wieliczka is the Chamber of Pieskowa Skała which leads to lower level of the mine. Going down the wooden stair you feel like nothing has changed here for hundreds of years. The models of mines you pass on your way display how they mined the salt using simple tools. We go further down where we watch a model of gaining brine. Anyone can taste it straight from a chute it flows through. We did it and it occurred it is really salty.

Of course, the miners received help from dwarves. Their figures curved in salt can be admired in Kunegunda Shaft Bottom. The next stop on the route is the Holy Cross Chapel. It is not far to the most magnificent chamber of the mine from here. At the entrance to Saint Kinga’s Chapel the guide reminds of a last chance to buy the permission for taking photos. A few people succumb but after a moment everyone is confirmed it was worth.

At first we watch the chamber from the air and then we go down the stairs. It is an incredible place and it is not just because of the size but mainly because of numerous sculptures and bas-reliefs curved in walls of the chamber. The altar is made of salt as well. Scenes of the Bible are curved in walls around the chamber. In this sumptuous chamber masses and weddings take place.

We move further to the Erazm Barącz’s Chamber where there is a lake with salt groundwater. However, we do not stop here for long and after a short while we are in the Drozdowice Chamber. Inside the chamber there is a large wooden construction that is to prevent the ceiling from collapsing.

There is a brine lake in the Weimar Chamber as well. It is illuminated with light that dims and after a while lights up again displaying the raw beauty of salt walls and sizes of the chamber. The next one is Józef Piłsudski’s Chamber in which there is a salt statue of the Marshal of Poland. Then the route leads via drifts to the place where there are two transporting machines used to carry the wagons with salt.

We go through the Stanislaw Staszic’ Chamber and reach the sculpture of Treasurer – good ghost of the mine who had looked after miners working underground. Sight-seeing of the mine comes to the end. The guide says us good-bye and everyone gets to the exit by himself. We pass the Witold Budryk’s Chamber, in which there is a restaurant at the moment, and then we stop for a while in the Warsaw Chamber that plays a role of sport hall. Souvenir shops fill the Vistula Chamber which is the last one on the tourist route of the mine.

At defined time we direct our steps towards exit in a group of a few people. We go down the Pinziger Inclined Drift and cross numerous parts of drifts. Finally, we get to the shaft bottom of the Danilowicz’s Shaft where we wait for an elevator. Last stage of the tour – which is a lift ride up – is a no mean attraction. 9 people are pushed into a small cage. The throng is incredible and in addition the ride takes place in absolute darkness.

The whole tour around the Wieliczka Salt Mina lasted two hours and was a great attraction for us. There is a lot to see, I just regret it is impossible to spend as much time as you want in each place. If you haven’t been in Wieliczka before I recommend this place for a weekend break.