Wieliczka Salt Mine is incorporated in the capital of scotland – Wieliczka, southern Poland, which lies from the Krakow metropolitan area. In 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, then it is pumped towards the surface and become pure evaporated salt.
The mines have become the state run Polish Historical Monument along with 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 of these top 10 fascinating facts.
1. Wieliczka Salt Mine ends 700 Years
A history with the Wieliczka Salt mine extends back to the thirteenth century. Brine following to the surface ended up collected and processed because of its sodium chloride content.
King Casimir II the fantastic contributed greatly on the development of the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This granted the mines many privileges and the man took the miners under his protection.
On the use of the mine’s running, many chambers were dug and other technologies were added, like the Hungarian horse treadmill. During World War II, the Germans used the mine as an underground facility for war-related manufacturing.
2. Most of The Mine Interior is made from Salt
This is a salt mill, after all. Most tunnels have walls, floors, roofs, as well as crystal decorations and statues carved in salt. Once you look at the mines, you are able to touch everything to feel.
You can find wooden beams inside the tunnels, and are generally the dozens of sculptures and reliefs round the mine. The wood was adopted to safeguard the walls and ceilings created from salt, which is why there wasn’t any forest near Wieliczka from the 15th century.
You will find most stunning crystals hanging from numerous chandeliers within the mine. They appear like glass however are actually giant salt crystals from rock salt that have been dissolved and reconstructed.
3. Wieliczka is Part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site
In 1978, the Wieliczka Salt Mines in Poland was indexed by the UNESCO World Heritage list plus the historic city centre of Krakow. It really is among the oldest mines on earth.
The oldest document confirms its existence goes back to 1044. The mine site comes with the Wieliczka Saltworks Castle and also the nearby Bochnia Salt Mine.
4. The Mine Has for Chapels
The circumstances within the mines weren’t the very best. So, the miners created four chapels to wish in. The mine is the just one with the underground church in Europe.
One of several chapels was the Chapel of St. Kinga, essentially the most impressive part of the salt mines. It took over thirty years for several men to complete the chapel removing approximately 20,000 tonnes of salt.
Holy masses are finished even today about the occasion with the name day’s St. Kinga and Christmas. There is also a large salt statue in honour of St. Kinga, where one can also see a portion of the chandeliers using rock salt crystal.
5. In the centre Age, Wieliczka Salt Mining Generated a 3rd of Poland’s Income
The income from salt mining landed a 3rd from the salary of the royal treasury in Poland. Salt was considered a noble metal and was called “White gold”.
In that time, many transactions were paid using salt and work, which is why nowadays, the word “salary” is utilized to describe earnings.
On account of salt income, tenement houses and royal residences were built. This designed a fortune for families with names growing beyond salt.
6. The Mines have Many Unique Machinery and Structure
You can find the world’s largest mining machines made from wood, a horse treadmill in the 17th century along with the horn of miners from your miner’s brotherhood from 1534. Within the 17th century, the 1st horse was exposed to the salt mine.
The few things from the mine that weren’t manufactured from salt were buckets, winches, mining tools and some sculptures made of wood. Salt is an excellent preservative and lots of tools and apparatus remain in good shape.
7. Hot Air Ballooning and Bungee Jumping Have Came about from the Mine
A classy air balloon was lifted 65 feet started for four minutes in 2014. However, there is absolutely no proof that online outside their website.
Also, activities happened in the mines, like soccer games and windsurfing on Subterrain Lake. Some areas might be hired out for formal dinners, weddings, and also concerts.
8. The Mine is Deep
The cheapest section of the mine is 1073 feet underground and also the total whole mine tunnel is 178 miles.
Easy and simple option to the mines is the tourist route, which lets you understand the attractiveness of the mine along with the most critical areas of it. The space is 3.5 kilometres as well as the depth you will reach is 135 meters.
Most rocks inside the mine have a dull grey look; however, in some batches, the salts look fluffy white. The miners nicknamed this cauliflower.
9. The Mines Have Been Featured in Culture
In 1995, Preisner’s Music, a selection of film music by Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner was recorded by Sinfonia Varsovia within the Wieliczka mines chapel. Also, in 1999 in america, the Wieliczka Salt Mine was featured in the Modern Marvels episode on salt mines.
Within the Australian tv series Spellbinder: Land from the Dragon Lord, the mines were featured because Land with the Moloch. The mines in addition have appeared on multiple editions of the reality show; The astounding Race, The spectacular Race Australia 1 and many more.
10. Breath Healthy Air During Your Visit
Mid-air inside 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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