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Wieliczka Salt Mine is incorporated in the capital of scotland- Wieliczka, southern Poland, which lies within the Krakow metropolitan area. From your Neolithic times, table salt was produced here from the upwelling brine.

Nowadays, the mine never extracts salt by mining because extraction stopped in 1996. Salt remains made out of underground brine, then it is pumped for the surface and become pure evaporated salt.

The mines have become the official Polish Historical Monument plus a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its attraction includes four chapels, an underground lake, historic salt-mining and labyrinthine technology displays.

Find out more about Wieliczka Salt Mine over these top fascinating facts.

1. Wieliczka Salt Mine has ended 700 Years
A history from the Wieliczka Salt mine extends back towards the thirteenth century. Brine following to the surface have been collected and processed because of its sodium chloride content.

King Casimir II the truly amazing contributed greatly to the growth and development of the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This granted the mines many privileges and that he took the miners under his protection.

Over the period of the mine’s running, many chambers were dug and other technologies were added, such as the Hungarian horse treadmill. During The second world war, the Germans used the mine as a possible underground facility for war-related manufacturing.

2. Most of The Mine Interior is Made of Salt

This can be a salt mill, all things considered. Most tunnels have walls, floors, roofs, and also crystal decorations and statues carved in salt. When you visit the mines, you are able to touch something to feel.

You’ll find wooden beams in the tunnels, and so are the many sculptures and reliefs around the mine. The wood was utilized to guard the ceilings and walls created from salt, which explains why there wasn’t any forest near Wieliczka inside the 15th century.

You’ll find most stunning crystals hanging from numerous chandeliers in the mine. They appear like glass but are actually giant salt crystals from rock salt which have been dissolved and reconstructed.

3. Wieliczka belongs to a UNESCO World Heritage Site
In 1978, the Wieliczka Salt Mines in Poland was placed in the UNESCO World Heritage list plus the historic city centre of Krakow. It is one of the oldest mines on earth.

The oldest document confirms its existence extends 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 stipulations within the mines weren’t the best. So, the miners created four chapels to wish in. The mine may be the only 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 control of many years for several men to perform the chapel removing approximately 20,000 tonnes of salt.

Holy masses are performed even today about the occasion from the name day’s St. Kinga and yuletide. There’s also a large salt statue in honour of St. Kinga, which you could also see a portion of the chandeliers with their rock salt crystal.

5. In the center Age, Wieliczka Salt Mining Generated one third of Poland’s Income
The wages from salt mining accounted for a 3rd with the salary of the royal treasury in Poland. Salt was considered a noble metal and was called “White gold”.

During that time, many transactions were paid using salt and work, which is why nowadays, the definition of “salary” is used to describe earnings.

On account of salt income, tenement houses and royal residences were built. This made a fortune for families with names growing out of salt.

6. The Mines have Many Unique Machinery and Structure
You can find the world’s largest mining machines made of wood, a horse treadmill from your 17th century and the horn of miners through the miner’s brotherhood from 1534. Inside the 17th century, the 1st horse was delivered to the salt mine.

The few things from the mine that weren’t created from salt were buckets, winches, mining tools and some sculptures manufactured from wood. Salt is a wonderful preservative and lots of tools and apparatus are still in good shape.

7. Hot Air Ballooning and Horseriding Have Happened from the Mine
A fashionable air balloon was lifted 65 feet started for four minutes in 2014. However, there isn’t any proof that online outside their internet site.

Also, sporting activities have taken place from the mines, for example 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 best the main mine is 1073 feet underground and also the total entire mine tunnel is 178 miles.

The simplest option to the mines could be the tourist route, which lets you begin to see the great thing about the mine and also the most important elements of it. The space is 3.5 kilometres and the depth you may reach is 135 meters.

Most rocks inside the mine have a very dull grey look; however, in some 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 the united states, the Wieliczka Salt Mine was featured in the Modern Marvels episode on salt mines.

Inside the Australian television series Spellbinder: Land of the Dragon Lord, the mines were featured as the Land with the Moloch. The mines have appeared on multiple editions of your reality show; The Amazing Race, The astounding Race Australia 1 and more.

10. Breath Healthy Air On your Visit
The air inside the Wieliczka salt mine is free of charge from bacteria, viruses and pollutants. Checking out the them can relieve people suffering from respiratory diseases and allergies looked after helps cure a hangover.

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