Visit Kraków

The Wieliczka Salt Mine is located near the city of Cracow in southern Poland. We can reach it traveling by bus or train. Wieliczka played a significant role in the history of salt mining. Since 13th century it has been worked as a source of rock salt. There are many underground galleries filled with corridors, labyrinths, wells, chapels with altars, pulpits and different monuments.

It’s really amazing that this salt mine extends 5 km to the east and west and 1 km to the north and south. It’s depth reaches 327 m below the sea level.
The Wieliczka Salt Mine is the oldest mine in Poland. It was initiated in the Middle Ages and through centuries it served as a source of national wealth. Today it’s one of the most frequently visited landmark in Poland both by foreign visitors and native citizens of our country. This salt mine is placed on 9 levels. It contains 3,5 km of touring trail destined for tourists.

People are especially charmed by wonderful chapels, beautiful underground lakes, original tools and devices and marks of previous mining activity. It allows us to imagine how hard it was to mine for salt. Miners had to try in vain to extract the salt and during their hard work they decided to carve some monuments and sculptures which are admired by milions of visitors each year.

There is also a place in which tourist may take a rest. It’s like an inn filled with small stalls with souvenirs. There is a post and restaurant serving delicious food. What’s interesting there are many conferences, wedding receptions and New Year’s Eve organized here. Of course throwing such a party is really costly but if you were to participate in one of them you would be begging for more.

Being underground is beneficial for those who suffer from upper respiratory tract afflictions and every type of allergy.
The Wieliczka Salt Mine is extremely beautiful and that’s why it was placed on the UNESCO list in 1976. What’s more, in 1994 it was acclaimed to be A National Historic Monument by Polish president. Nowadays a lot of people can’t imagine a trip to Cracow without visiting Wieliczka Salt Mine as well as a historic journey to Auschwitz.