Wieliczka Salt Mine is in the capital of scotland- Wieliczka, southern Poland, which lies inside the Krakow metropolitan area. From the Neolithic times, table salt was produced here from your upwelling brine.
Nowadays, the mine never extracts salt by mining because extraction stopped in 1996. Salt remains to be made out of underground brine, it is then pumped towards the surface and transformed into pure evaporated salt.
The mines have become the official Polish Historical Monument as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its attraction includes four chapels, an underground lake, historic salt-mining and labyrinthine technology displays.
Learn more about Wieliczka Salt Mine during these best fascinating facts.
1. Wieliczka Salt Mine has ended 700 Years
The history from the Wieliczka Salt mine goes back to the thirteenth century. Brine following up to the surface have been collected and processed for the sodium chloride content.
King Casimir II the truly amazing contributed greatly for the development of the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This granted the mines many privileges and the man took the miners under his protection.
Within the use of the mine’s running, many chambers were dug as well as other technologies were added, like the Hungarian horse treadmill. During The second world war, the Germans used the mine as an underground facility for war-related manufacturing.
2. Most of The Mine Interior is Made of Salt
It is a salt mill, after all. Most tunnels have walls, floors, roofs, and also crystal decorations and statues carved in salt. Once you look at the mines, you’ll be able to touch everything to feel.
There are wooden beams from the tunnels, and are also the a large number of sculptures and reliefs across the mine. The wood was used to protect the walls and ceilings manufactured from salt, which is why there wasn’t any forest near Wieliczka inside the 15th century.
There are most stunning crystals hanging from numerous chandeliers in the mine. They appear like glass however are actually giant salt crystals from rock salt that have been dissolved and reconstructed.
3. Wieliczka belongs to a UNESCO World Heritage Site
In 1978, the Wieliczka Salt Mines in Poland was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage list plus the historic city centre of Krakow. It really is one of many oldest mines on the planet.
The oldest document confirms its existence goes back to 1044. The mine site also may include the Wieliczka Saltworks Castle along with the nearby Bochnia Salt Mine.
4. The Mine Has for Chapels
The circumstances in the mines weren’t the top. So, the miners created four chapels to wish in. The mine will be the merely one having an underground church in Europe.
One of the chapels was the Chapel of St. Kinga, one of the most impressive part of the salt mines. It took control of 30 years for several men to finish the chapel removing approximately 20,000 tonnes of salt.
Holy masses are carried out even now for the occasion in the name day’s St. Kinga and Christmas. Additionally there is a large salt statue in honour of St. Kinga, which you could also see several of the chandeliers using their rock salt crystal.
5. In the centre Age, Wieliczka Salt Mining Generated a Third of Poland’s Income
The income from salt mining accounted for one third of the salary of the royal treasury in Poland. Salt was considered a noble metal and it was called “White gold”.
During that time, many transactions were paid using salt and work, which is why nowadays, the phrase “salary” is used to spell out earnings.
Due to salt income, tenement houses and royal residences were built. This created a fortune for families with names growing from salt.
6. The Mines have some of Unique Machinery and Structure
You can find the world’s largest mining machines made from wood, a horse treadmill from the 17th century as well as the horn of miners through the miner’s brotherhood from 1534. In the 17th century, the first horse was brought to the salt mine.
The few things within the mine that weren’t made of salt were buckets, winches, mining tools plus some sculptures made from wood. Salt is an excellent preservative and a lot of tools and apparatus are nevertheless in great condition.
7. Heat Ballooning and Horseriding Have Happened inside the Mine
A classy air balloon was lifted 65 feet started for four minutes in 2014. However, there’s no evidence that online outside their site.
Also, sports activities have happened from the mines, such as soccer games and windsurfing on Subterrain Lake. Some areas can be hired out for formal dinners, weddings, and even concerts.
8. The Mine is Deep
The cheapest area of the mine is 1073 feet underground and also the total length of the mine tunnel is 178 miles.
The best route to the mines could be the tourist route, which lets you see the beauty of the mine as well as the most important elements of it. The gap is 3.5 kilometres and also the depth you will reach is 135 meters.
Most rocks inside the mine possess a dull grey look; however, in most batches, the salts look fluffy white. The miners nicknamed this cauliflower.
9. The Mines Happen to be Featured in Culture
In 1995, Preisner’s Music, a compilation of film music by Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner was recorded by Sinfonia Varsovia in the Wieliczka mines chapel. Also, in 1999 in america, the Wieliczka Salt Mine was featured within a Modern Marvels episode on salt mines.
Inside the Australian tv series Spellbinder: Land of the Dragon Lord, the mines were featured as the Land in the Moloch. The mines in addition have appeared on multiple editions of a reality show; The astounding Race, The astounding Race Australia 1 and much more.
10. Breath Healthy Air During Your Visit
Air in the Wieliczka salt mine is free of charge from bacteria, viruses and pollutants. Visiting them can relieve people struggling with respiratory diseases and allergies and it also helps cure a hangover.
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