Wieliczka Salt Mine
维利奇卡盐矿 · Wieliczka, Poland
A royal salt mine worked from the 13th century, 327 metres deep with more than 287 km of passages; its underground chapels, salt sculptures and underground lakes were all carved out of rock salt.
Know before you go
- Do not touch salt sculptures or rock walls
- do not stray from the visitor route
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
From brine to rock salt
As early as Neolithic times, people made salt here from upwelling brine. A privilege granted by Casimir I in 1044 is the earliest written record, and rock salt began to be mined in the 13th century.
Source: Wikipedia: Wieliczka Salt Mine
History
A decade on the danger list
The mine was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978. Humidity caused by artificial ventilation threatened the mine, and from 1989 to 1998 it was on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Source: Wikipedia: Wieliczka Salt Mine
History
The end of mining
In 1996 commercial mining stopped because of falling salt prices and flooding. Today the mine is open to visitors and receives about 1.2 million people a year.
Source: Wikipedia: Wieliczka Salt Mine
Legend
St Kinga's ring
Legend has it that before the Hungarian princess Kinga married into Poland, she threw her engagement ring into a salt mine in Hungary; after she arrived in Wieliczka, the ring was found inside a lump of salt dug from the ground. Kinga thus became the patron saint of salt miners.
Source: Wikipedia: Wieliczka Salt Mine
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
The mine is in the town of Wieliczka, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland, about 14 km southeast of Kraków. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978, was on the List of World Heritage in Danger from 1989 to 1998 because of humidity caused by artificial ventilation, and was extended in 2008 and 2013 as the "Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines"; it is also an official Polish Historic Monument. The visitor route takes in St Kinga's Chapel, St Anthony's Chapel, salt sculptures and underground lakes, and you can also visit the Kraków Saltworks Museum. Figures for the length of the visitor route vary: English Wikipedia gives both about 3.5 km and about 2.2 km. Salt was made here from upwelling brine from Neolithic times; a privilege granted by Casimir I in 1044 is the earliest written record, and rock salt began to be mined in the 13th century. The royal mine was run by Żupy Krakowskie (Kraków Salt Mines); Casimir III granted the miners many privileges and founded a hospital near the mine in 1363. During World War II the German occupiers planned to use the mine for war production and forced Jewish prisoners to labour here in 1944, but production never started. In 1996 commercial mining stopped because of falling salt prices and flooding. St Kinga's Chapel, decorated with salt carvings, reflects the miners' faith and craftsmanship.
Local customs
- Follow a guided tour along the visitor route
- visit St Kinga's Chapel, St Anthony's Chapel and the salt sculptures
- see the underground lakes
- visit the Kraków Saltworks Museum
- take the mine lift back up to the surface. Guided tours are the standard way to visit
- routes and opening arrangements follow the official website.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Do not touch salt sculptures or rock walls
- do not stray from the visitor route
Locals appreciate DO
- Stay with your guide underground and do not leave the group
- follow the signs on site for photography
- mind the steps and damp ground
- keep quiet in the chapels
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- It is cool underground all year, so bring an outer layer
- the visitor route has many steps, so visitors with limited mobility should consult the official website beforehand
- those with claustrophobia or cardiovascular conditions should judge their own fitness
- summer is peak season and advance booking is advised. You can travel from Kraków to Wieliczka by train or bus, and the mine is in the town
- driving is also possible
- for specific routes and services, check the latest local information.
- The mine can be visited all year round, and conditions underground are unaffected by the weather
- summer is peak season and crowded, while winter is quieter.
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