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Wieliczka Salt Mine

Somehow, Krakow remains trendy because it doesn't try to be trendy. Wieliczka is a good example: while the general tendency is to shut down the mines in Poland, the Wieliczka Salt Mine (or Kopalnia Soli w Wieliczce) is up and running, more popular than ever. And one might say that Cracow's business was closely linked to Wieliczka since the 13^th century, when the mining began. Back then it was all about the salt – the merchants in Krakow sold the goods from Wieliczka in the Sukiennice, and possibly fortunes could be earned that way. Now very few of the 1.5 million people that visit the Wieliczka Mine are miners or dealers – most of them are lured by the wonderful chapels (notably the Chapel of Saint Kinga), the underground lakes, or the healthy climate of the mine.

The Oldest Krakow Salt Mines

As one of the world's oldest operating salt mines (an older one can be found in Bochnia, another town near Krakow) the mine in Wieliczka was inscribed in UNESCO's First World List of Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1978.

The corridors in Wieliczka are about 300 kilometers long, and run as deep as 327 meters. The length of the tourist route is about 3.5 kilometers, situated 64-135 meters below ground level. It includes some of the salt mine's most beautiful sights.

The Wieliczka Salt Mine's Chambers and Chapels

The highlight is certainly the Chapel of Saint Kinga (Kaplica Swietej Kingi), the world's biggest underground church. The Chapel is located 101 meters below ground level in a cave 54 meters long, 18 meters wide and 12 meters high. As in the rest of the Wieliczka Mine, virtually everything inside it is carved out of salt, including the monument of pope John Paul II. Even the breathtaking chandeliers are in fact made out of salt crystals.

Other caves and chapels in the Wieliczka Mine are usually named after saints (like St. John), famous Poles, like King Casimir The Great, Copernicus or Józef Pilsudski, or feature objects devoted to some of the mine's greatest guests, like Goethe. One of the salt sculptures presents Skarbnik, the good spirit of the mine, who, as the miners believed, warned them if there was danger in the salt mine.

Some of the most important of Wieliczka's treasures were not created by the hand of man, though: during the tour of the cave visitors can observe wonderful underground lakes.

A Healthy Visit Underground in the Wieliczka Salt Mine

Apart from all of its wonders, there is one more reason to leave Krakow for a day and visit the Salt Mine in Wieliczka: it's simply healthy. The air inside the mine supposedly does wonders to those suffering from upper respiratory tract problems and allergies. In one of the chambers there is even an Underground Rehabilitation and Treatment Center.

Getting from Krakow to the Wieliczka Salt Mine

The trip from Krakow to Wieliczka takes about half an hour. Trains to Wieliczka leave every hour from the Krakow Train Station (Dworzec Glowny), and you can also take a bus from the Bus Station or just go to one of the all-inclusive trips, advertised around the city. All of the tours of the Wieliczka Mine are guided, and at least in high season an English-speaking guide is available. Once in the town, it might be nice to look around, and perhaps visit the castle in Wieliczka.