Wieliczka Salt Mine – „Mine of White Gold”

„The Wieliczka Salt Mine” was a production facility already in the 13th century. It supplied salt to tables located almost all over Europe. Currently it’s one of the most visited places in Poland, the most visited mine in the world and still operating. With its enormous heritage of material culture and the wealth of inanimate nature, the underground Wieliczka is a unique monument on a global scale. In 1978, the mine was inscribed on the “UNESCO World Heritage List”.

During the walk on the “Tourist Route” exploring the labyrinth of underground corridors, you will get to know the history of the mine since legendary times till now. You will admire landscapes that can’t be found on the surface: as saline lakes and beautiful underground chambers, including the unique “St Kinga’s Chapel”. You will go down ca. 380 stairs to reach the first level (64 meters below ground level), the sightseeing will end at the level III (135 meters). After breath-taking attractions on the “Touristic Route” we encourage you to visit “Krakow Saltworks Museum”. The highlights of the museum are treadmills – enormous mining machines. One of them, called polish treadmill, is supposed to be the biggest wooden mining machine in the world! We are sure you will like also original paintings of Jan Matejko, the precious horn of the miner’s brotherhood or luxurious rail for the most important officials of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Back to the surface you will get by the elevator