Poland 2024 Day 11

Posted by eurotrav on

Really interesting site today, I headed to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. The mine was in operation for over 700 years. All of the salt was dug out by hand and helped fund the kingdom of Poland. The mine is no longer in operation and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Currently, visitors can visit 2% of the mine if they do both of the tours. The bulk of the mine remains off limits to the public. One of the main things that makes this mine special are the abundant carvings made by the miners. I highly recommend a visit to the mine if you are anywhere near Krakow!

The entrance building. It was much drier inside than outside.

54 levels to walk down to the tour area.

There is a lot of wood supporting the mine as it does not corrode and the salt infuses it preventing decay.

They have a bunch of original and recreated equipment throughout the tour.

A device for removing water from the mine.

Brine water.

There were horses in the mine until 2001. The peaked at something like a thousand or more.

Tracks were used with the horses in later years.

The empty hallways were a bit creepy. Good reminder not to leave your guide.

Example of an early job of removing methane before it could build up to explosive levels.

Onto the carvings.

This is the room I really came for.

Video of the whole chapel.

The whole guided tour lasted two hours but you could see another smaller section on your own. It was mostly a gift shop and an underground restaurant, where I had lunch!

Simple breaded pork and potatoes.

Dinner, a bit later, duck ravioli with grapefruit.

After the tour through the mine I dropped my car off at the airport and made my way to my lodging for my time in Krakow. The next couple of days I will spend exploring one of Poland’s most popular tourist destinations. Everything seems within easy walking distance from here so it should make seeing the sights pretty convenient.

Leave a comment