The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve World Heritage partnerships for conservation Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in today’s complex world where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development Our Partners Donate Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information The deposit of rock salt in Wieliczka and Bochnia has been mined since the 13th century This major industrial undertaking has royal status and is the oldest of its type in Europe The site is a serial property consisting of Wieliczka and Bochnia salt mines and Wieliczka Saltworks Castle The Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines illustrate the historic stages of the development of mining techniques in Europe from the 13th to the 20th centuries: both mines have hundreds of kilometers of galleries with works of art underground chapels and statues sculpted in the salt making a fascinating pilgrimage into the past The mines were administratively and technically run by Wieliczka Saltworks Castle which dates from the medieval period and has been rebuilt several times in the course of its history Le filon géologique de sel gemme de Wieliczka et Bochnia a été exploité continuellement depuis le XIIIe siècle Il s’agit d’un bien en série composé des Mines de sel de Wieliczka et de Bochnia et de la Saline-château de Wieliczka Les Mines de sel de Wieliczka et de Bochnia illustrent les étapes historiques du développement des techniques minières en Europe du XIIIe au XXe siècle : les deux mines forment des centaines de kilomètres de galeries avec des œuvres d’art des chapelles souterraines et des statues sculptées dans le sel offrant un fascinant pèlerinage dans le passé Les mines étaient administrativement et techniquement gérées par la Saline-château de Wieliczka  qui date de la période médiévale mais a été plusieurs fois reconstruite au cours de son histoire The Wieliczka and Bochnia salt mines are located on the same geological rock salt deposit in southern Poland they were worked in parallel and continuously from the 13th century until the late 20th century constituting one of the earliest and most important European industrial operations The two mines include a large ensemble of early galleries which extend to great depths The residual excavations have been altered A substantial ensemble of statues and decorative elements sculpted into the rock salt has been preserved in both mines along with an ensemble of tools and machinery An underground tourist route has existed since the early 19th century which over a long period were combined as one company with royal status (Kraków Saltworks) were administratively and technically run from Wieliczka Saltworks Castle but has been rebuilt several times in the course of its history Criterion (iv): The Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines illustrate the historic stages of the development of mining techniques in Europe the subterranean chambers arranged and decorated in ways that reflect the miners’ social and religious traditions and the Saltworks Castle which administered the establishment for centuries provide outstanding testimony about the socio-technical system involved in the underground mining of rock salt This serial property consists of all three components historically constituting one royal enterprise Kraków Saltworks: Wieliczka salt mine Bochnia salt mine and the Saltworks Castle in Wieliczka Both mines present the diversity of the ensemble and the completeness of the evidence of the historically ancient working of rock salt in this region of what is today Southern Poland which historically administered the mines and managed sales of the salt for the benefit of the princes and kings of Poland gives a new dimension for the Outstanding Universal Value of the ensemble The property expresses relatively satisfactory mining authenticity Although most parts of the preserved structure are of the 18th century the technical testimony relates essentially to the 18th Technical knowledge about earlier periods stems mainly from historic records which in some cases are slightly over-interpreted The Wieliczka salt mine is legally protected both as a registered historic monument (N° A-580 1976) and as the Monument of History (Presidential decree The Bochnia salt mine is legally protected both as a registered historic monument (N° A-238 December 1981) and as the Monument of History (presidential decree Wieliczka Saltworks Castle is inscribed on the register of historic monuments of the State Party (N° A-579 The protection of the monuments is the responsibility of the Conservator’s Office for Protecting Historic Monuments The application of mining laws and regulations is the responsibility of the Krakow District Mining Office The system for the individual management of each site has been satisfactorily put in place Each site can draw on a large number of competent specialists The functioning of the programmes for the conservation and management of the sites is satisfactory The mining elements have been fully taken into account which has led to a lengthy programme of stabilisation of the abandoned galleries and the selection of the most representative galleries the very recent setting up of a Monitoring and Coordination Team common to the three sites must be confirmed both in terms of its structure and the way it will function particularly in order to harmonise the conservation plans and to ensure the involvement of all the partners concerned Inscription Year on the List of World Heritage in Danger Receive emails when new obituariesare published to our website Each of our funeral homes offers a complete range of services in tastefully decorated Professionally trained and licensed staff members stand ready to provide sensitive caring service and strive to exceed the 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Upgrade now. is one of the world's oldest continually operating mines and a UNESCO World Heritage site The hollowed-out caverns left from digging have been transformed over the years into fairytale spaces: Great halls lit by salt chandeliers and walkways built to view underground lakes.  Many of the miners would become artists once they'd finished their dangerous work carving intricate designs into the rock salt You can still visit the mine on walking tours that take you almost 450 feet underground It's also long been used as a place to recover from respiratory illness so when COVID-19 hit the mine started offering a rehabilitation programme Here's what you'll see if you visit Wieliczka today.  Source: Wieliczka Salt Mine St Kinga is an important saint in Poland and Lithuania She features in a later scene carved entirely out of salt.  Source: Wieliczka Salt Mine How did St Kinga make a salt mine appear in Poland? It's complicated. According to UNESCO so she didn't think it was important to bring money to the marriage she asked her father to make her dowry up in salt Her father took her to visit a Hungarian salt mine to demonstrate the point.  Kinga dropped her engagement ring into the mine shaft she moved to Poland and an amazing thing happened one of her men presented her with a lump of white rock salt encased inside was the wedding ring she had dropped into the Hungarian mine She had miraculously brought a salt mine to Poland with her ring The salt brought great wealth to her people and Kinga was said to be a kind and just ruler The route takes you down through four different "storeys" nearly 450 feet deep underground.  There's just over two miles of passageways you don't have to climb all those stairs back up the carvings have seen some damage due to moist air travelling up the shaft The flood hit on April 13, 1993. The water suddenly gushed in at the lowest levels at 100 gallons a minute, according to the AP.  The floods continued for around eight months completely filling the lowest levels 1,079 feet down As the floods were below the tourist levels there were no casualties reported at the time.  but the disaster contributed to the decision to end commercial salt mining there.  saying that it results in "exceptional bacteriological purity of the air It also touts the benefits of high relative humidity and a high level of chlorine Source: Wieliczka Salt Mine The recovery treatment courses are aimed at people who had COVID but were not hospitalized They are put through their paces in the mine's unique environment with various exercises designed to improve respiration and pulmonary health.  told Reuters in February 2021 that he was feeling "better and better" after two weeks of going there.  "Even a simple thing like tying your shoes – I used to bend down and feel I have no air told the outlet how the air gets so pure in the mine.  "The air reaches here through a whole series of salt corridors," she said it is cleaned of pollutants that are on the surface." Source: Reuters The Stanisław Staszic chamber is one of the largest caverns in the mine. One of the biggest worries for the world record attempt was crashing into the walls, according to Money.pl Rekas didn't have to fly very high — just enough to get off the ground However, Rekas' record was later bested by Austrian balloonist Ivan Trifonov, who sailed his balloon 675 ft deep into a Croatian cave in 2014, according to the Guinness Book of Records Here is sculptor Stanislaw Aniol shown carving a sculpture of the city's keys for the players out of salt The salt mine is a point of great national pride which Tusk demonstrated by inviting fellow members of the Visegrád Group to meet there.  The Visegrád Group is an alliance of four Eastern European nations Gordon Bajnai of Hungary and Robert Fico of Slovakia.  Tusk later went on to become president of the European Council between 2014-2019 Green salt is the most common at Wieliczka The honey-colored salt used here is called fore-shaft salt and is one of the most valuable out of numerous types found in the mine.  Poland – the world’s biggest church built underground!Alexey Pevnev | Shutterstock which is at the same time a veritable art gallery can be found over a hundred meters underground.St Kinga’s Chapel in the Wieliczka Salt Mine is unique in many respects This is most likely why it attracts not only tourists who seek a thrill and an “out of this world” experience fascinated by the church’s magnificent ambiance The world’s biggest church built underground is located at the depth of 101 meters in the Wieliczka Salt Mine One might think it would be dark and murky is shot through with the light of elaborate chandeliers made of salt crystals All who would like to hide underground and get immersed in prayerful contemplation can do so Kinga’s Chapel is a place of regular worship; Holy Mass is celebrated every Sunday and In the 1890s the chapel was located in the still-used part of the mine yet for over a century now what draws people underground is not the salts but solely this jewel of a church to be marveled at This is hardly surprising since its interior is a veritable art gallery filled with works by talented sculptor-miners The main artists of this place were Antoni Wyrodek and the brothers Józef and Tomasz Markowski It was Tomasz Markowski who sculpted the high altar the altarpiece’s side panels feature the figures of St Clement (patron saint of miners and of the local parish) The saint’s relics were deposited here in the niche under the altar top in 1994 Tomasz Markowski is also the sculptor of the pulpit whose lower section represents Wawel Hill in Krakow and the castle built upon it the reliefs titled Herod’s Decree and The Massacre of the Innocents and a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes decided to work on the chapel’s furnishings which sets apart the chancel of the chapel The artist’s reliefs focus on scenes from the New Testament such as The Flight to Egypt and The Wedding at Cana The chapel also features sculpted scenes reflecting many other passages of Scripture the beauty of the Nativity scene carved by Mieczysław Kluzek made from four kinds of salt to symbolize Poland’s historic salt mines (Wieliczka a statue of John Paul II was installed in the chapel in 1999 Sculpted by Stanisław Anioł and his assistants the figure is the world’s only monument of the sainted pope made from salt Before the salt mine was finally closed down in 1996 it had already been named a UNESCO World Heritage site (1978) and a listed building under Polish law (1976) This article originally appeared in Aleteia’s Polish edition It has been translated and edited for our English-speaking readers Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you Please make a tax-deductible donation today Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news Poland’s Wieliczka Salt Mine - social media last fall to explore careers in environmental sustainability they were warmly greeted by alumni who hosted site visits to their businesses and graduate school programs presented panel discussions about their professions These alumni are at the heart of what makes the college’s Connections Program work A collaboration between the Piper Center for Vocation and Career and the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations the Connections Program takes students each year to cities across the country to meet with alumni working in a variety of fields The fact that so many alumni take the time to meet with and support current students highlights the power of the Ole network Meet some of the alumni who participated in the Denver Connections Program below Kyle Paulson ’94Major: Political ScienceCareer: Counsel and Development Director at hep Peak Clean EnergyDenver Connections: Participated in an alumni career panel for students at the Alliance for Collective Action Kyle Paulson ’94 took a broad range of courses at St spent J-terms in South Africa and Washington and served as a Junior Counselor and Hall Council representative and sought out responsibility in early career roles All of that experience led him to his current work Paulson’s advice for current students is to take courses outside of your known interests write and write more,” and take advantage of internship opportunities to learn what you do and don’t enjoy.  “The multitude of activities I took part in at St Olaf helped me to organize and prioritize tasks and fostered my ability to be a self-starter both of which are critical to my job role,” he says Brian Wieliczka ’12Major: ChemistryCareer: Advanced Research and Development Team Leader at Tandem PVDenver Connections: Hosted students as they visited the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Brian Wieliczka ’12 was part of the Environmental Coalition and studied abroad in Central America Both experiences guided his scientific interests to pursue technologies with a real-world impact and then did applied research for his postdoctoral studies at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory a solar startup that is working to commercialize perovskite photovoltaics and could boost solar photovoltaic efficiencies without large cost increases Wieliczka is working to improve the efficiency of solar energy without increasing costs in order to commercialize solar power for a more sustainably powered world “The undergraduate research I did at St Olaf prepared me to evaluate research critically and communicate results effectively to experts and non-experts alike,” he says Rebecka Miller ’19Major: English and China StudiesCareer: Environmental Educator at Eco-CycleDenver Connections: Hosted a career conversation table for students at the Boulder Public Library  Switching to English and Chinese majors after two years of studying biology at St Olaf — where she also played in an orchestra and worked an on-campus job — led Rebecka Miller ’19 to have a deep appreciation for the beauty and benefit of having varied interests It also led to a keen understanding of the importance of balance She moved to China after graduation to teach English to first graders during the COVID-19 pandemic to pursue outdoor education work A string of seasonal outdoor jobs eventually brought her to Colorado’s eeCorps and she earned her certification as an environmental educator in the state “I’m now at a point where I can see how the variety of work I’ve done is an asset to me for whatever direction I want to go with my career,” she says “All of your experiences are relevant and you have the power to connect the pieces for others and explain how they are the start of your career.” Rachel Gessner ’19Major: BiologyCareer: Molecular BoulderDenver Connections: Hosted a career conversation table for students at the Boulder Public Library and contributing as an illustrator for the student newspaper during her time at St and during the school year she worked in St Gessner took a job in a research lab at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Gessner has found that she loves mentoring and teaching — and she now has her sights set on becoming a college professor Olaf is where my interest in research sky-rocketed and the practice I gained writing and presenting has helped me stand out,” Gessner says “I also had excellent guidance from professors about what research entails Amy Whittier ’92Major: BiologyCareer: North America Marketing Leader at Veolia Water Technologies & SolutionsDenver Connections: Participated in an alumni career panel for students at the Alliance for Collective Action Studying abroad during her undergraduate degree at St Olaf gave Amy Whittier ’92 the confidence to tackle new experiences and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute research grant she earned as an undergraduate student fueled her passion for science and her confidence in research methods Whitter earned a master’s degree in immunology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and developed a career in marketing at a wide range of companies and subsidiaries focused on water technologies “I work with a lot of engineers and purely technical people My wide and varied background helps me work with all of them and translate technical ideas into more approachable ideas,” Whittier says “Liberal arts initially felt like a handicap Olaf education gives us critical thinking and depth of other experiences that are really valuable to our careers and creates diversity for employers.” Severin Lier ’19Major: Music and Management StudiesCareer: Senior Communications Manager at Community Foundation Boulder CountyDenver Connections: Hosted a career conversation table for students at the Boulder Public Library Severin Lier ’19 learned the power of collaboration and importance of compassion through participation in vocal ensembles at St Taking advantage of multiple internship opportunities he found his passion for arts administration And through his study abroad experience in Australia and New Zealand he learned to stay curious and think critically about the stories we’re told about the world around us A move back to his home state of Colorado led him to his current role with Community Foundation Boulder County Olaf challenged me to think critically about my vocation and about the kind of impact I wanted to have in my career I was encouraged to pursue my interests while also being pushed to explore new topics,” he says he says: “Focus on what interests you and don’t be afraid to go for something — even if it seems like you’ll never have a chance And don’t be afraid to reach out to alumni!” We are grateful for the impact your gifts make possible on the Hill This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Most of the items in this impressive room were carved from salt Scientists are working to preserve them and other parts of the Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland By Kathiann Kowalski Marek Klimowicz [KLEE-moh-veech] leads me through a dimly lit tunnel Old wooden timbers support the roof and walls of rock The tunnel leads us to a warren of rooms large and small Just an arm’s length away are walls of salt this underground warren contains some 2,000 chambers They span a vast 7 million cubic meters (265 million cubic feet) That’s nearly triple the volume inside the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt And it’s almost twice the volume of the NASA Vehicle Assembly Building We’ve just gone down 380 stairs to a chamber 64 meters (210 feet) underground Our depth is more than the height of a buried 19 story building others the size of ballrooms or cathedrals we’re traveling through an eerie subterranean world Its formal name is the Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines And it provided a needed nutrient in the diet one in every 10 miners each year died in methane explosions Although most mining ended here a bit more than 20 years ago The mine also runs a spa offering salty treatments And its many carvings have gained world renown Roughly a million people visit Wieliczka each year to view this art Indeed, that’s one reason the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization — or UNESCO — has designated Wieliczka a World Heritage site That means it’s so special to the cultural and natural heritage of people around the world that it must be preserved as one of the “irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration.” more than 1,000 sites have earned this distinction They range from the Pyramids of Egypt and Great Barrier Reef to East Africa’s Serengeti and England’s Stonehenge to the Statue of Liberty in New York City and Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky Wieliczka was one of the first 12 sites added to the list as it was first being drawn up in 1978 Today some of the Wieliczka’s rooms serve as a museum But UNESCO also cares about this site because it faces threats moisture — from Mother Nature together with the exhaled breaths of awed visitors — has been eating away at the site’s salty treasures Researchers also have been studying this unique spot to better understand how it developed and survived for so long They hope that what they learn will allow it to persist for many centuries to come but scientists now need to figure out how to preserve the salt itself Legend credits a Hungarian princess named Kinga with finding this massive salt deposit in the 1200s she stopped at a salt mine in Hungary her father had given her She supposedly threw her engagement ring inside as a sign of ownership She then headed to Poland with a group of Hungarian miners in tow And when she approached the Wieliczka region she told the miners to dig into the ground Their reward was a treasure — an enormous bounty of crystalline salt The real story of Wieliczka’s salt began millions of years ago He is a geologist at AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków His group studied the mine’s salt crystals to figure out where all that salt came from The team determined that the region had once been connected to the salty ocean That conclusion is based on inclusions in the rock salt an inclusion is a bit of something inside a rock Bukowski’s group looked at the levels of potassium magnesium and sulfate ions in samples from the crystals They were similar to their levels in modern seawater And the results were unlike those for inland salt lakes (such as Utah’s Great Salt Lake) Some inclusions contained the remains of one-celled organisms Bukowski’s group looked at the different species of a group called foraminifera [Foh-ram-uh-NIF-er-uh] The relative amounts of different species provided clues about the temperature and available food in that sea long ago Wieliczka’s mineral wealth is halite (HAY-lyte) this resource brought prosperity to southern Poland the term “salary” comes from the Latin for salt History suggests some of the ancients may have been paid for their labors in salt some of the mine’s famous statues began dissolving The staff called in scientists to investigate how to stop the loss of these treasures But first the researchers had to better understand the mineral structure of the site’s salt They also had to focus on controlling moisture Relative humidity is a measure of how moist the air is Pure rock salt stays solid as long as the relative humidity is below 75 percent But pollution can make salt more vulnerable to melting Air enters the Wieliczka mine from above the ground it has come in tainted with modern pollutants These include sulfur dioxide and chemicals produced by burning fossil fuels these pollutants stick to the salt and anything carved from it This changed the surface chemistry of the salts especially of the salt closest to the entrance the salt now could dissolve at lower humidity levels And that’s important because humidity levels in the mine had grown high Each exhaled breath sent moisture into the air That film was dissolving some of the carvings’ fine features Or a hand might lose its fingers as they slowly dripped away When scientists recognized the role of pollution and breaths they installed a system to lower the level of water vapor in its air Wieliczka came off the list of endangered UNESCO sites 19 years ago Many of this mine’s deposits naturally formed into fanciful shapes These form as water loaded with minerals seeps into a cave “There are fantastic structures that you cannot find anywhere [else],” says Jerzy Przybyło [PZHIH-bih-woh] Pure salt would appear clear or milky white Przybyło works with geologists at Jagiellonian University in Kraków They probed some of the mine’s salt rocks under high magnification The group also dissolved bits of different-colored speleothems in water Then they compared these to samples of brine from the mine (Brine is water with a lot of dissolved salt.) Along with the salt’s sodium and chloride they turned up iron and more Many of the iron-based compounds seem to exist only on the salt’s surface This appears to reflect rust deposited from mining tools tools would have broken or chipped in the mine The salty environment would have sped up their corrosion They described their findings three years ago in Geological Quarterly Rust added pretty colors to the mine’s salt formations But those corroding tools might now be damaging some of the mine’s wooden structures Many of the wall and roof supports are wood a huge wooden machine once hoisted heavy rock salt up to the surface A team of chemists from Poland and Italy examined wooden objects in the salt mine’s museum pine and fir samples they studied definitely were deteriorating Salt had combined with iron oxides from tools to make compounds that entered the wood Their findings might now help people figure out better ways to preserve wooden items Wooden timbers and more modern supports help shore up the mine The Carpathian Mountains extend for 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) through Central and Eastern Europe Movements of Earth’s tectonic plates push those mountains up “The salt deposit is on the border of the Carpathians,” he notes Those tectonic movements can push more groundwater towards the mine miners have poked holes through different rock layers about 140,000 cubic meters (37 million gallons) of groundwater enter the mine each year That’s enough water to fill nearly half a million bathtubs only about 7.2 liters (2 gallons) enter the Bochnia salt mine fewer than 30 kilometers (19 miles) away Water entering the mine now gets pumped to the surface Brine flows down wooden ramps in a wide tower outside the mine That creates a salty aerosol for spa visitors to enjoy Salt also is extracted from this liquid to make kitchen salt One bad flood in 1992 “was a threat not only to the mine Officials posted plans around town just in case a large cave-in occurred People would have needed to suddenly evacuate it took about eight months to stop the flow Zbigniew Perski [PEHR-skee] is a geologist at the Polish Geological Institute in Warsaw He and his colleagues found signs of some small cave-ins when they used satellite data to study land around the town Their work also showed the results of some above-ground landslides in the area The nearby mountains may have played a role in some of those events Another recent study looked at the mine’s levels of particle pollution High levels of super small airborne particles can worsen asthma and other respiratory diseases Breathing these tiny particles also has been linked to a heightened risk of heart disease But the mine’s salty surfaces may act like a sponge to remove many of these particles from the air Magdalena Kostrzon [KOHST-zhohn] is a biologist who works at the mine’s spa and health resort She and a team of environmental engineers found lower levels of PM in the spa’s underground treatment rooms than in various outdoor areas of Poland incoming air must pass through 700 to 800 meters (765 to 875 yards) of salt tunnels Many tiny particles of pollution stick to the tunnel walls Moisture turns some of the surface salt into ions — electrically charged molecules Those small electric charges appear to grab and hold onto the airborne particles People living in Kraków and other cities with lots of outdoor air pollution would like to spend time somewhere with cleaner air “135 meters [150 yards] below the ground in the Wieliczka Salt Mine.” Her team reported its findings last year in the book Pathobiology of Pulmonary Disorders One recent project laid tracks for an underground train It will soon open to let visitors see more parts of the mine Brudnik and his team still keep an eye on the flow of water into the mine He and Przybyło also have been overseeing work to fill in some of the mine’s rooms with sand That can cut the risk of their collapsing as Earth’s natural forces continue to push up the nearby mountains (Think about how it takes more force to push down a solid block structure than a hollow one.) the geologists look for any unusual salt formations in places that might need to be filled in “the safety of the mine [and] the safety of people is the priority,” Brudnik stresses “It is remarkable to think what this particular mine has survived and what its generations of workers have experienced,” says Isabelle Anatole-Gabriel She’s a historian and archaeologist at UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre in Paris Then the country was split up and disappeared the Wieliczka mine has been part of Poland’s culture It shows the “evolving interconnection between humankind and the Earth,” Anatole-Gabriel says UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee lists Wieliczka as one of its “success stories.” the mine’s staff has halted the rapid melting of its structures and charted a path to saving them requires cooperation from people in a range of nations But their success means people can have a chance to enjoy such sites for centuries to come aerosol     A group of tiny particles suspended in air or gas such as fog or gas from volcanic eruptions archaeology    (also archeology) The study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts and other physical remains Those remains can range from housing materials and cooking vessels to clothing and footprints People who work in this field are known as archaeologists asthma     A disease affecting the body’s airways which are the tubes through which animals breathe Asthma obstructs these airways through swelling the production of too much mucus or a tightening of the tubes but loses the ability to exhale appropriately The most common cause of asthma is an allergy Asthma is a leading cause of hospitalization and the top chronic disease responsible for kids missing school biology    The study of living things The scientists who study them are known as biologists brine     Water that is salty chemistry     The field of science that deals with the composition structure and properties of substances and how they interact Scientists use this knowledge to study unfamiliar substances to reproduce large quantities of useful substances or to design and create new and useful substances Researchers who work in this field are called chemists clay     Fine-grained particles of soil that stick together and can be molded when wet That’s why it’s used to fashion pottery and bricks colleague     Someone who works with another; a co-worker or team member compound     (often used as a synonym for chemical) A compound is a substance formed when two or more chemical elements unite (bond) in fixed proportions water is a compound made of two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom corrosive) A chemical reaction in which metals react with gases or other materials in their environment and undergo a type of degradation The rusting of iron is one example of corrosion that is driven by exposure to moisture. These reactions normally are enhanced in an environment that is strongly acidic or strongly alkaline.   crystalline) A solid consisting of a symmetrical three-dimensional arrangement of atoms or molecules It’s the organized structure taken by most minerals The mineral crystals that make up rock are usually too small to be seen with the unaided eye in microbiology) To grow cells outside the body or their normal environment they must be kept at the proper temperature given the proper nutrients and provided ample room to grow in social science) The sum total of typical behaviors and social practices of a related group of people (such as a tribe or nation) values and the symbols that they accept and/or use Culture is passed on from generation to generation through learning Scientists once thought culture to be exclusive to humans Now they recognize some other animals show signs of culture as well decay     The process (also called “rotting”) by which a dead plant or animal gradually breaks down as it is consumed by bacteria and other microbes dissolve     To turn a solid into a liquid and disperse it into that starting liquid which are solids, will dissolve into water Now the crystals are gone and the solution is a fully dispersed mix of the liquid form of the sugar or salt in water.) electric charge     The physical property responsible for electric force; it can be negative or positive endangered     An adjective used to describe species at risk of going extinct engineer     A person who uses science to solve problems material or process that will solve some problem or unmet need environment     The sum of all of the things that exist around some organism or the process and the condition those things create Environment may refer to the weather and ecosystem in which some animal lives the temperature and humidity (or even the placement of components in some electronics system or product) environmental engineer     A person who uses science to study and improve the natural environment evaporate     To turn from liquid into vapor foraminifera     Single-celled organisms (neither plants nor animals) that are abundant in ocean water They make up the base of the marine food web fossil fuel    Any fuel — such as coal petroleum (crude oil) or natural gas — that has developed in the Earth over millions of years from the decayed remains of bacteria geological) The study of Earth’s physical structure and substance its history and the processes that act on it People who work in this field are known as geologists Planetary geology is the science of studying the same things about other planets groundwater     Water that is held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock halite     A mineral formed from evaporation of seawater humidity     A measure of the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere (Air with a lot of water vapor in it is known as humid.) inclusion      (in geology) Something trapped inside a mineral ionized) An atom or molecule with an electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons. An ionized gas is where all of the electrons have been separated from their parent atoms iron     A metallic element that is common within minerals in Earth’s crust and in its hot core This metal also is found in cosmic dust and in many meteorites laser     A device that generates an intense beam of coherent light of a single color methane     A hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH4 (meaning there are four hydrogen atoms bound to one carbon atom) It’s a natural constituent of what’s known as natural gas It’s also emitted by decomposing plant material in wetlands and is belched out by cows and other ruminant livestock methane is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide is in trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere mineral     Crystal-forming substances that make up rock Most rocks contain several different minerals mish-mashed together A mineral usually is solid and stable at room temperatures and has a specific formula or recipe (with atoms occurring in certain proportions) and a specific crystalline structure (meaning that its atoms are organized in regular three-dimensional patterns) moisture     Small amounts of water present in the air such as water droplets condensed on the inside of a window oxide     A compound made by combining one or more elements with oxygen particle     A minute amount of something pollutant     A substance that taints something — such as the air Even weeds and other invasive species can be considered a type of biological pollution pulmonary     Adjective for things that relate to the lungs respiratory     Of or referring to parts of the body involved in breathing (called the respiratory system) risk     The chance or mathematical likelihood that some bad thing might happen exposure to radiation poses a risk of cancer Or the hazard — or peril — itself (For instance: Among cancer risks that the people faced were radiation and drinking water tainted with arsenic.) salt     A compound made by combining an acid with a base (in a reaction that also creates water) The ocean contains many different salts — collectively called “sea salt.” Common table salt is a made of sodium and chlorine seawater     The salty water found in oceans sensor     A device that picks up information on physical or chemical conditions — such as temperature light intensity or radiation — and stores or broadcasts that information Scientists and engineers often rely on sensors to inform them of conditions that may change over time or that exist far from where a researcher can measure them directly sodium     A soft silvery metallic element that will interact explosively when added to water It is also a basic building block of table salt (a molecule of which consists of one atom of sodium and one atom of chlorine: NaCl) speleothems    National rock formations that form from the minerals carried into a mine by water the minerals that are left behind solidify into fanciful shapes Stonehenge     A monument made of large stones sulfur dioxide     A compound made of sulfur and oxygen It is one of the pollutants that can form when a fossil fuel is burned It’s also a gas naturally emitted during volcanic eruptions tectonic plates     The gigantic slabs — some spanning thousands of kilometers (or miles) across — that make up Earth’s outer layer Scientific and Cultural Organization    Also known as UNESCO several months after the close of World War II it created the intergovernmental conference to set up an international system for issuing copyrights it launched a 20-year program to move 22 monuments and architectural complexes in Egypt that were about to be flooded by the Nile In 1972 it created a world heritage program inducting the first sites onto its list for protection in 1978 it adopted a declaration that support for racism had no scientific basis In 2000 it committed governments across the world to providing basic education for all residents unique     Something that is unlike anything else; the only one of its kind water vapor     Water in its gaseous state Book chapter: W. Rogula-Kozlowska et al. Particulate matter in the air of the underground chamber complex of the Wieliczka salt mine health resort Meeting: A. Gonet et al. A concept of making use of closed underground workings for heat recovery in historical “Wieliczka’ salt mine (UNESCO) Proceedings of the World Geothermal Congress Journal: Zbigniew Sawłowicz et al. Colourful speleothems in the Wieliczka Salt Mine Journal: M. Gonera et al. Wielician (Middle Badenian) foraminifers from the stratotype area –- Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland (Paratethys, Mid dle Miocene) Journal: J. Łucejko et al. Archaeological wood from the Wieliczka Salt Mine Museum, Poland — Chemical analysis of wood degradation by Py(HMDS)-GC/MS Journal:​ ​​K Brudnik et al. The complex hydrogeology of the unique Wieliczka salt mine Journal: Z. Perski et al. InSAR analyses of terrain deformation near the Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland Journal: K. Bukowski et al. Inclusion brine chemistry of the Badenian salt from Wieliczka doi: http://doi.org/10.1016/S0375-6742(00)00118-7 Questions for ‘Science works to save a salty world treasure’ Wordfind Kathiann Kowalski reports on all sorts of cutting-edge science especially family adventures and beach trips award-winning online publication dedicated to providing age-appropriate science news to learners a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Mar 15, 2021 | COVID-19 A spa 135 metres below ground in an ancient Polish salt mine is helping COVID-19 sufferers recover from the long-term effects of the virus The UNESCO-listed Wieliczka Salt Mine near Kraków which has operated since the 13th century and today is one of Poland’s best-known tourist attractions has long been also used as a rehabilitation spa for people with breathing problems It is believed that the microclimate in the mines including the presence of minerals such as potassium Patients have been visiting it for treatment since the 19th century and the mine now hosts a full health resort which supports people suffering from respiratory and pulmonary diseases as well as allergies the facilities have also welcomed a number of people suffering from long-term effects of COVID-19 infections told Polsat News that the mine had a “special type of climate” which helped people recover from breathing problems its humidity – all these elements facilitate the rehabilitation process,” she explained added that the effectiveness of exercises would be “significantly lower” if practised by patients above ground who caught COVID-19 at the end of last year told TVN24 that conditions in the mine were  “very conducive to improving breathing” “The exercises proposed by physiotherapists who approach everyone individually are amazing,” he added “It is important that the instructors also build mental efficiency and restore self-confidence Patients must be referred to the resort by a specialist doctor although the management board of the salt mine has asked the health minister if referrals could be issued by normal family doctors to ensure that as many people as possible can be supported by treatment or can be paid for via Poland’s state health service which has been in operation for the last 700 years contains the largest underground museum in Europe attracting nearly two million tourists a year it was included on the original list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites along a three-and-a-half kilometre tourist route – which covers less than 2% of the total length of passages in the mine The Wieliczka salt mine, located in Krakow and opened back in the 13th century pic.twitter.com/dyqiCliDiZ — Tudor architecture (@ArchitectureTud) March 9, 2021 Main image credit: “Raport” Polsat News (screenshot) Juliette Bretan is a freelance journalist covering Polish and Eastern European current affairs and culture Her work has featured on the BBC World Service , , Karol Nawrocki even suggested that the state security services were involved in creating the scandal , , The 1,200 square metre national symbol was unfurled on the beach in Międzyzdroje , , The proportion of Poles saying the US has a positive influence on the world has also fallen to its lowest recorded level Apr 30, 2025 | , , , That response will include “large Polish and NATO exercises in Poland” Apr 29, 2025 | , , , Those employed in Poland work on average the third-longest hours in the European Union Apr 28, 2025 | , , , , Westinghouse and Bechtel were first chosen in 2022 as partners on the 192 billion zloty ($51 billion) project please consider helping us to continue and expand it [email protected] Copyright © 2025 Notes From Poland | Design jurko studio | Code by 2sides.pl Senior Research Fellow at the Global Europe Centre ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Weronika Strzyżyńska is currently studying journalism at Goldsmiths as a Scott Trust Bursary recipient She  has written on issues immigration and Brexit for New Statesman and Prospect Agnieszka Wądołowska is managing editor of Notes from Poland She has previously worked for Gazeta.pl and Tokfm.pl and contributed to Gazeta Wyborcza ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland and assistant professor of history at the Pedagogical University of Krakow He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications The Independent and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Stanley Bill is the founder and editor-at-large of Notes from Poland.He is also Senior Lecturer in Polish Studies and Director of the Polish Studies Programme at the University of Cambridge Stanley has spent more than ten years living in Poland He founded Notes from Poland in 2014 as a blog dedicated to personal impressions cultural analysis and political commentary He is committed to the promotion of deeper knowledge and understanding of Poland He is the Chair of the Board of the Notes from Poland Foundation ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Professor of European Studies at Oxford University ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Professor at the Institute of History of the Jagiellonian University ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Executive Director of Taube Family Foundation ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR Associate Professor at the Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Science ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR ARTICLES BY THIS AUTHOR To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 1978 is probably known to Catholic travelers for sights such as Wawel Cathedral and the John Paul II Family Home Museum But not many of us may know that one of its most impressive Catholic treasures lies underground one the most important salt mines in Europe has been located in Krakow The Wieliczka Salt Mine has been a key economic force behind Krakow’s expansion Its shafts and chambers span a whopping 178 miles and thousands of miners have worked here from its foundation in the 13th century up until 1996 But miners did more than just supply the needed labor to excavate salt They also displayed incredible craftsmanship and ingenuity in crafting elaborate pieces of art made with salt miners put their genius towards an even more expansive expression of their Catholic faith we know of at least 40 Catholic chapels made of salt located in the former salt mine threw her engagement ring in a salt mine located in another location and it was miraculously retrieved in the Wieliczka salt mine Miners later built a place of worship to celebrate Saint Kinga the Chapel of Saint Kinga is considered the deepest underground church in the world statues and chandeliers were sculpted out of salt over the course of hundreds of years Key scenes from Jesus' life such as the Nativity the Last Supper and the Crucifixion are depicted in impressive salt bas-reliefs while a life-size salt statue of Saint Kinga is found behind the altar.  But this otherworldly chapel is not just a cultural attraction,  it is an active place of worship Mass is celebrated each Sunday and on important holy days those of Saint Kinga and of Pope John Paul II It is estimated that at least 40 million visitors have come to wonder at this UNESCO World Heritage site since it opened its doors to tourists in 1990s you will have a chance to pick the “tourist route” or the “pilgrims’ route,” in which you can take a tour with a priest who explains the religious significance of the place and celebrates Mass inside one of the chapels Workers are still at the core of this chapel today. Without the help of engineers this unique heritage site would crumble due to the pressure of fresh water breaking through the thick layers of salt.  The Saint Kinga Salt Church has just reopened to tourists after a long period of forced closure due to the pandemic. You can book tickets and learn about new safety rules here.  During a tour of the more-than-700-year-old Wieliczka Salt Mine you’ll travel through a labyrinth of underground corridors and stairs leading to a variety of fantastically shaped chambers as the mine is home to nine separate levels and more than 2,000 excavated chambers takes about three hours to complete but covers only a small stretch of this fascinating underworld which begins at the Regis Shaft (about a 10-minute walk from the main Daniłowicz Shaft) and allows guests to try their hand at working underground either online or from a trusted tour operator And wear comfortable shoes—a visit here involves a lot of walking It’s only a short bus or train ride from Krakow to Wieliczka, the site of one of Poland‘s most remarkable attractions The salt mine in Wieliczka produced commercial salt for over 700 years and for much of that time curious visitors (from Nicolaus Copernicus to Bill Clinton) have been coming down to admire this surreal underground world A tour of the mine begins with a descent of 378 steps before following a two-mile route through the mine where the guides show visitors the highlights of this strange world including underground lakes and statues carved from salt The highlight is the stunning Chapel of St where even the chandeliers are made from salt The journey back to the surface is via a mining cage–style elevator Salt Mine - Wieliczka Situated 10 km from the city centre of Krakow The Mine is the heritage of the work of several dozen generations of miners the Wieliczka chambers are known mostly as one of Poland’s most visited tourist sites There is underground infrastructure you can visit as well as many events during the year If you think about unusual events in a remarkable place it could be nice idea Actually you don’t have to - because someone else did already.. located outside of Krakow Poland is the home of several undergound chapels as well as the usual salt mine attractions of slides from level to level The Wieliczka Salt Mine also is steeped in history as during WWII it was the location of an aircraft factory manned by prisoners of nearby labor camps Information on this page, including website, location, and opening hours, is subject to have changed since this page was last published. If you would like to report anything that’s inaccurate, let us know at notification@afar.com. AFAR participates in affiliate marketing programs which means we may earn a commission if you purchase an item featured on our site.© 2025 AFAR LLC St. Kinga's Chapel (Photo: Beautiful landscape via Shutterstock) When you imagine places of worship, traditional structures like Gothic churches, colorful mosques, and dazzling Buddhist temples likely come to mind you know that not all holy buildings follow this formula some—like the the “underground cathedral” in the Wieliczka Salt Mine—aren't buildings at all Nestled over 1,000 feet below the Polish town this subterranean shrine dates back to the Middle Ages As a result of centuries-long construction the church houses four exquisitely constructed chapels Each one is adorned with relief sculptures and detailed furnishings—including “crystal” chandeliers and granite-like altars—crafted entirely from rock salt Given the beauty and complexity of the site's design one may expect a talented team of architects and artists to be responsible the awe-inspiring “underground cathedral” was actually built by Catholic miners seeking a convenient way to worship “Miners were always very religious, due the fact that they were working underground in constant danger, in darkness, and away from their families,” the mine's website states “They created underground chapels as places where they could pray gain strength and energy before facing the challenges that awaited them and seek the protection of the patron saints of the underworld.” St. Kinga's Chapel (Photo: alfredosaz via Shutterstock) Royal Salt Mine Chapel in the Wieliczka Salt Mine (Photo: alfredosaz via Shutterstock) St. Kinga's Chapel (Photo: alfredosaz via Shutterstock) Altar of the St. Kinga's Chapel (Photo: Alexey Pevnev via Shutterstock) St. Kinga's Chapel in the Wieliczka Salt Mine (Photo: alfredosaz via Shutterstock) Mary sculpture in the Wieliczka Salt Mine (Photo: Sirio Carnevalino via Shutterstock) The Wieliczka Salt Mine (Photo: peacefoo via Shutterstock) Sculpture detail in the Chapel of St Kinga (Photo: Davesayit via Shutterstock) Wieliczka Salt Mine sculptures (Photo: Georgios Tsichlis via Shutterstock) Artist Creates Spellbinding Salt Labyrinth Inside a 13th Century French Castle Aerial Photos of Surprisingly Colorful Salt Ponds Look Like Abstract Paintings Dress Submerged in Dead Sea Transforms Into Glimmering Salt-Covered Masterpiece Crumbling Staircase Made of Salt Determined Rural Postman Builds Elaborate Limestone Cathedral By Collecting Pebbles on His Mail Route Want to advertise with us? Visit My Modern Met Media Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience is one of the world’s oldest continually operating mines and a UNESCO World Heritage site It has been mined since the 13th century The hollowed-out caverns left from digging have been transformed over the years into fairytale spaces: Great halls lit by salt chandeliers and walkways built to view underground lakes Many of the miners would become artists once they’d finished their dangerous work carving intricate designs into the rock salt You can still visit the mine on walking tours that take you almost 450 feet underground Here's what you'll see if you visit Wieliczka salt mine Source: Wieliczka Salt Mine St Kinga is an important saint in Poland and Lithuania She features in a later scene carved entirely out of salt How did St Kinga make a salt mine appear in Poland? It's complicated. According to UNESCO so she didn't think it was important to bring money to the marriage she asked her father to make her dowry up in salt Her father took her to visit a Hungarian salt mine to demonstrate the point Kinga dropped her engagement ring into the mine shaft she moved to Poland and an amazing thing happened one of her men presented her with a lump of white rock salt encased inside was the wedding ring she had dropped into the Hungarian mine She had miraculously brought a salt mine to Poland with her ring The salt found under there brought great wealth to her people and Kinga was said to be a kind and just ruler The route takes you down through four different "storeys" nearly 450 feet deep underground There's just over two miles along passageways you don't have to climb all those stairs back up the carvings have seen some damage due to moist air travelling up the shaft The flood hit on April 13, 1993. The water suddenly gushed in at the lowest levels at 100 gallons a minute, according to the AP The floods continued for around eight months completely filling the lowest levels 1,079 feet down As the floods were below the tourist levels there were no casualties reported at the time but the disaster contributed to the decision to end commercial salt mining there The Stanisław Staszic chamber is one of the largest caverns in the mine. One of the biggest worries for the world record attempt was crashing into the walls, according to Money.pl he didn't have to fly very high - just enough to get off the ground However, Rekas' record was later bested by Austrian balloonist Ivan Trifonov who sailed his balloon 675 ft deep into a Croatian cave in 2014, according to the Guinness Book of Records Here is sculptor Stanislaw Aniol shown carving a sculpture of the city's keys for the players out of salt The salt mine is a point of great national pride which Tusk demonstrated by inviting fellow members of the Visegrád Group to meet there The Visegrád Group is an alliance of four Eastern European nations Gordon Bajnai of Hungary and Robert Fico of Slovakia Tusk later went on to become president of the European Council between 2014-2019 Green salt is the most common at Wieliczka The honey-colored salt used here is called fore-shaft salt and is one of the most valuable out of numerous types found in the mine Meld je aan voor het Beste van Business Insider: 6 dagen per week in je mailbox the "Wieliczka" Salt Mine - one of Poland's biggest attractions - was visited by a record 1.5 million tourists underground saline lakes and numerous traces of the exploitation of salt deposits make this mine Visitors of the mine can enjoy a huge variety of things to do visiting a health spa and even meeting the miners.     http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8002151-wieliczka-salt-mine-record-breaking-tourists Entered onto the UNESCO List of Global Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1978 the "Wieliczka" Salt Mine remains one of the oldest companies in Europe with its origin dating back to the Middle Ages Following the history of the salt from Wieliczka brings us even farther back in time to around 6000 years ago when the pre-historic people inhabiting the region were salt makers who extracted salt from brine water springs and Wieliczka was truly the crown jewel of Polish kings The salt from Wieliczka was well known and appreciated far and wide the underground corridors have been toured by many famous people Even today it is possible to meet royalty and Hollywood stars there 250 kilometres of corridors and 9 levels the "Wieliczka" Salt Mine resembles a mythical labyrinth with various traces and marks dating back centuries such as the Crystal Grottoes created in the Miocene salt deposit A setting 64-135 metres underground is one of the most valuable and beautiful areas of the mine hundreds of unique events are held there - including balloon flights and bungee jumping The "Wieliczka" Salt Mine Health Resort is a must try for those on a health kick filled with salt aerosol bringing relief to many suffering with respiratory system diseases      (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/448278/Wieliczka_Salt_Mine_biggest_underground_chapel_in_the_world.jpg )      (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/448279/Wieliczka_Salt_Mine_Secondary_salt_crystalization.jpg ) Video:       http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8002151-wieliczka-salt-mine-record-breaking-tourists Do not sell or share my personal information: it carries out as many as 300 cycles per day It is a movement comparable to the most efficient mines so drive and safety systems must meet the highest requirements,” explains Krzysztof Burski Shift Foreman from the Electrical Maintenance Department in the Wieliczka Salt Mine the salt mine located near Krakow was visited by more than 1.8 million people This was another record year in the history of this facility This means that nearly five thousand people went underground every day and there are holidays when twice as much tourists visit this site for many years the mine has been constantly upgrading its technical infrastructure to keep it at the highest level of safety so that any saved and earned money would contribute to further investments investments and retrofits performed by the mine underground and on the surface allow for increasing the level of safety of the facility and people staying on its premises a decision was made a few years ago to upgrade the drive systems for lifting machines in the Danilowicz and Kinga shafts The works were carried out by MWM Elektro from Trzebinia which specialises in such retrofits and has carried them out for many coal mines and copper ores “As far as the Wieliczka Mine and other active mines are concerned there is no difference in the safety of the operation of lifting machinery since all mining plants are subject to the same restrictions,” says Jarosław Długaj there is no longer mining work carried out and vertical transport is used to carry tourists additional requirements are imposed on the equipment related mainly to the riding comfort and reliability guarantee the discontinuation of production does not mean that the mines are no longer working underground Several hundred miners daily ensure that the mine is a safe place and survives in the best possible condition for future generations fill the so-called post-operational voids in its non-historical parts New tourist attractions are still in the course of preparations: historical chambers corridors and shafts are subject to restoration and retrofits the motors were replaced and ABB frequency converters were installed “A total of four squirrel cage induction motors supplied by the frequency converters were installed,” says Andrzej Olszenko of ABB “Their application allows smooth motor control and significant energy savings three of them ensure the possibility to return energy to the grid which in the event of a blackout allows to continue to operate and evacuate all of the mine mentioned earlier by Jarosław Długaj: they make the lift ride very smooth so that acceleration and braking is practically unnoticeable by guests when the machine was powered by resistance the motor was controlled via a mechanical keyboard and contact system; the rod deflection resulted in rapid acceleration and braking which was felt in the lift as a slight jerking there was a clear jerking that could be sensed,” Krzysztof Burski admits such a situation does not occur with the inverter because it brakes smoothly to the speed of zero especially for people with no experience with mining lifts A similar function is the emergency power supply which eliminates downtime even if there is a blackout the staff working at the mine will remain calm but tourists could feel uncomfortable,” Jarosław Długaj explains we always make every effort to ensure that the components that create the lift elements are manufactured by renowned companies All devices should be designed in a way that it is possible to quickly and safely switch over to the standby system.” ABB inverters were also placed into the ventilation system which was retrofitted by MWM Elektro as well The devices adapt the fan speed to the air demand at the bottom and although they are not too often adjusted they save a lot of energy and can be controlled remotely by the head dispatcher of the mine the signalling system was also upgraded on the basis of ABB instrumentation “The Wieliczka Salt Mine expected the use of reliable components and the choice of ABB device and instruments arose from many years of our experience with this company We started our cooperation in the 1990s from the use of thyristor converters in our projects and even simple components such as ABB circuit breakers or relays,” says Jarosław Długaj “We build and upgrade machines that must meet the highest safety standards so the established contacts and professional relations among ABB employees bring benefits later on in the most complex and responsible projects in the form of reliable support provided by the company’s technical staff ABB's website uses cookies. By staying here you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn more I agree DestinationsPlanningInspirationShopSearch SavesOpen main menuGetty Images/iStockphoto the Wieliczka (vyeh-leech-kah) salt mine has been welcoming tourists since 1722 and today is one of Poland's most popular attractions It's a subterranean labyrinth of tunnels and chambers – about 300km distributed over nine levels the deepest being 327m underground – of which a small part is open to the public via two-hour guided tours First-time visitors take a standard 'tourist' route of the main sights while return visitors can opt for a more-immersive 'miners' route The salt-hewn formations include chapels with altarpieces and figures while others are adorned with statues and monuments – and there are even underground lakes The climax of the tour is the vast chamber (54m by 18m and 12m high) housing the ornamented Chapel of St Kinga (Kaplica Św Kingi) It took over 30 years (1895) for three men to complete this underground temple and about 20,000 tonnes of rock salt had to be removed Other highlights are the salt lake in the Erazm Barącz Chamber and the awe-inspiring 36m-high Stanisław Staszic Chamber Included in the entry price is a further one-hour tour of the Kraków Saltworks Museum accommodated in 14 chambers on the third level of the mine but most visitors appear to be ‘salted out’ by then Here you can visit the underground restaurant after which it's another 15-minute walk to the lift that takes you back up to the real world Visitors are guided in groups and the tour takes about two hours In July and August English-language tours depart every half-hour from 8.30am to 6pm During the rest of the year there are between six and eight daily tours in English A second touring option is aimed at repeat visitors who have already seen the main sights The 'miners' route bypasses the mine's highlights in favour of a more immersive experience – visitors wear standard mining clothes and gear (including respirators) and set off in groups of 20 to live the life of a salt-miner for the three-hour tour It's great for older kids and more adventurous adults To reach Wieliczka, both trains and buses depart regularly from the main train and bus stations. The trip costs around 4zł and takes around 30 minutes. Several tour operators, including Cracow City Tours ContactAddressul Daniłowicza 10. Wieliczka 12 278 7302 https://​www​.kopalnia​.pl​/ Wawel Cathedral Wawel Cathedral has witnessed many coronations funerals and burials of Poland’s monarchs and nobles The present cathedral is basically a Gothic St Mary's Basilica is dominated by two towers of different heights The first church here was built in the 1220s… Wawel Royal Castle As the political and cultural heart of Poland through the 16th century Wawel Royal Castle is a potent symbol of national identity Collegium Maius is the oldest surviving university building in Poland Museum of Pharmacy The name of this museum doesn’t sound that exciting but the Jagiellonian University Medical School’s Museum of Pharmacy is one of the largest museums of… Church of SS Peter & Paul after they had been brought to the city in 1583 to do battle with supporters of the… Schindler's Factory this museum covers more than the story of Oskar Schindler the Nazi German industrialist who famously saved the lives of members of his… Kościuszko Mound dedicated to Polish (and American) military hero Tadeusz Kościuszko (1746–1817) View more attractionsNearby Kraków attractions1. Płaszów Labour Camp The former Płaszów forced-labour and concentration camp was built by occupying Germans during WWII to facilitate liquidation of the nearby Podgórze Jewish… 2. Church of St Bartholomew shingled Church of St Bartholomew dates from the mid-15th century which makes it Poland’s oldest surviving three-nave timber church 3. Cistercian Abbey The Cistercian Abbey consists of a church and monastery The Cistercians came to Poland in 1140 and founded abbeys… 4. Liban Quarry This abandoned limestone quarry was used by the occupying Germans during WWII as a labour camp It was later employed extensively in the film Schindler's… 5. Krakus Mound Nobody knows the exact origins of the 16m-high mound that towers over Podgórze it was the burial site of the city's founder 6. Podgórze Museum More interesting than it looks at first glance this museum tells the story of the district of Podgórze which for centuries operated as an independent… 7. Old Podgórze Cemetery This largely forgotten burial ground dates from the late 18th century and was once Podgórze's most prestigious cemetery 8. Church of St Benedict Tucked into a wooded hillside above Podgórze, this mysterious little church is one of the oldest in Kraków. Historians are not certain of its origin,… No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission The enthusiastic audiences and returning performers suggest that the Misteria Paschalia is becoming a festival circuit favourite. Viol maestro Jordi Savall, Les Musiciens du Louvre and Marc Minkowski, as well as the aforementioned countertenor, Frenchman Philippe Jaroussky, are all regulars. Easter is a good time to visit Kraków, because, in this predominantly Catholic country, the city is famed for being home to the late Pope John Paul II. Crowds gather in front of the Bishop’s Palace, decorating the area with flickering candles in coloured glass holders. The 10-acre medieval Grand Square, dominated by a Renaissance covered market, is festooned with flowers and filled with stalls selling painted wooden Easter eggs. Kraków’s century-old buildings might have provided inspiration for the Misteria Paschalia Festival, but its darker 20th-century history has also been turned to artistic advantage. Off-beat venues such as Vladimir Lenin’s Steelworks, a chemical tinning plant, even Oskar Schindler’s factory provide the backdrop for its sister event. One of the world’s leading new music festivals, Sacra Profanum takes place each September. This year it will mark the tenth anniversary of 9/11 with the London Sinfonietta and Steve Reich’s Bang on a Can All-Stars (below). www.sacrumprofanum.com Highlights of the 2011 festival include Bach’s Mass in B minor, and a salt mine excursion courtesy of the Venice Baroque Orchestra. misteriapaschalia.pl Pergolesi’s L’Olimpiade and Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso and Alcina are in the diary for 2011. An offshoot of the Misteria Paschalia Festival, Opera Rara focuses on productions of rare 17th- and 18th-century operas. www.operarara.pl The Szymanowski Philharmonic Hall, named after the Polish composer, is home to the city’s resident symphony orchestra. This year the 80-strong ensemble performs music from Bach to Górecki. www.filharmonia.Krakow.pl Kraków Opera Created in 1954, the city’s opera company moved into a new purpose-built opera house in 2008. The current season includes Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and Verdi’s Rigoletto. www.opera.Krakow.pl Why Elton John burst into tears after recording a songThe musician explains a heavy moment thinking about the lyrics of a song from his forthcoming album. Listen to the 'earliest known country song' ever recorded A wax cylinder containing the oldest recorded country song was discovered in Pennsylvania. 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'#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0 location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null "\/the-silence-of-a-holocaust-photograph-shattered-by-the-eyewitness\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=hIAzIxzM9HmOpJreKqpu6SjeQ0tISsQyEd2iUfo7YMg-1746542416-1.0.1.1-LrpB491SY6gBL412_oi.EEGrn_0D6j72YG4swtQcb0M" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}()); worlds away from Kraków10 February 2011ShareSaveMarika McAdamFeatures correspondentShareSaveThe intricately detailed sculptures in the mine were meticulously hand carved from salt over a period of 30 years (Krzysztof Dydynski/LPI)Not far from Poland’s capital are two historical sites the Wieliczka salt mine and the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum both of which transport travelers to a different time but worlds away from the unending charm of Kraków Both attract dense crowds each day and both are portals to alternate realms of experience The Wieliczka salt mine is 10km from Kraków and descends 327m underground. The Auschwitz-Birkenau museum is 40km from Kraków and descends into one of the darkest crevices of human history The Wieliczka Salt Mine is an intricate ant-farm of passages Enormous cavities dug or discovered by miners and explorers since the 13th Century interlink to form an underground city with bulging grey boulders for clouds and bible-black tunnels for roads Less than 1% of the mine's 300km is open for public exploration but this tiny fraction is large enough to include restaurants chapels and halls that regularly host balls music concerts and even soccer tournaments The three hour journey through the spooky labyrinth of chambers and corridors begins after a dizzying descent down a wooden scaffold of 380 steps tattooed all over with "I was here" scratchings As you clamber up and down skewed staircases and along imperceptible gradients you lose all sense of how far you are trespassing below normal human habitation The zenith of the salt mine's underground experience is the Chapel of St Kinga the first glimpse of which shocks reverence into even the most devout atheist chandeliers and tiled floors in this 54m long 12m high place of worship are all the more impressive for having been meticulously hand carved entirely from salt over 30 painstaking years The tour ends with caged lifts hurtling up a 135 metre shaft to the surface of the earth which to bewildered visitors seems slightly altered by their new knowledge of what lies beneath Few sites in the world can inspire advertising executives to quit their jobs to become humanitarian workers but the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum is one of them A shudder rips through your core when you pass under the callous words "Arbeit Macht Frei" (work brings freedom) and never quite leaves To get a sense of the scale of what happened in the town of Oświęcim start in the Birkenau section of the museum It was here where more than 300 horse stables were used as prison barracks for a turnover of up to 200,000 people at a time who with calculated efficiency were exterminated in purpose-built gas chambers Many of the barracks were destroyed by the retreating Nazis thick with time-trodden dust and heavy with eerie air Walking below the iconic watchtower and along the train tracks which delivered so many to evil images flash to mind of the mass pandemonium and private terror that took place at this site over and over again as families were severed and their members sorted for labour the scale of the atrocity - 1.6 million deaths - is unfathomable The machinery of murder sprawls out before you to the skyline What becomes quite vivid are stories of the individuals who left evidence that they were once alive here on this brutalized piece of earth Some of the surviving brick buildings of the Auschwitz complex now house exhibits documenting what happened between 1940 and 1945 battered suitcases are unceremoniously heaped each bearing the name of the person who was stripped of their possessions and their dignity upon arriving at the death camp Shoes piled harrowingly high tell stories that ended here; a conservative leather lace-up perhaps for a conservative middle-aged man a red high-heel for a well-groomed woman and a tiny palm-sized shoe with a rusted buckle The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and Wieliczka Salt Mine are both reachable by train  Visitors are well-advised to buy tickets in Kraków in advance Marika McAdam  authored the latest Lonely Planet guide to Poland. 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The rare medieval street about to reveal its secretsOne of Europe's oldest residential streets hides in the heart of the English countryside. Tutankhamun: The first ever view inside the tombOne month after the famous discovery, photographer Harry Burton recreated the first view of Tutankhamun's tomb. The millionth visitor was a 70-year-old tourist from the Czech Republic, who arrived with her daughter and granddaughter. The tourist was given a VIP welcome by the mine’s management and offered several gifts, including a sculpture carved in salt, a miner’s helmet and a voucher for a stay in the Wieliczka underground spa. The mine’s CEO, Paweł Nowak, said: “One million visitors in 331 days is a big cause for celebration." He told the media that, after a record 2019, which saw 1.8 million visitors, there were "two lean years" caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year has seen a 55-percent increase in the number of visitors compared with the same period in 2021, he said. Poles account for 58 percent of the visitors this year. Among foreign visitors, those from Britain, France, Germany and the United States top the list. The Wieliczka Salt Mine was founded in the middle of the 13th century. Its underground corridors are almost 300 km long and reach a depth of 135 metres. The mine was opened to tourists at the end of the 18th century. At present, they are taken along a 3 km route that includes 20 chambers chiselled out in rock salt, magnificent statues sculpted in salt, a large chapel, and a lake. There is also an underground spa, which is located far from the tourist trail. In 1978, the Wieliczka Mine was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Every year about a million tourists from all over the world visit the famous Wieliczka Salt mine to admire the historical chambers hewn from the living rock salt A legend assigns the discovery of salt in Wieliczka to Kinga wife of Kraków monarch Boleslaus the Modest (Bolesław Wstydliwy) They say that the Hungarian princess received a salt mine as a dowry while still based in her homeland she dropped her engagement ring into its pit and they retrieved the ring in the first lump of salt that was mined from there salt had been already been mined in Wieliczka between 3500 and 2500 BC The 13th century marked the most vibrant development of the mine it was already providing not only a plentiful source of income The list of visitors opens with the astronomer Nicholas Copernicus while later guests included Fryderyk Chopin and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe one of the world’s few mining sites in continuous operation since the Middle Ages is visited by around a million tourists a year The historical chambers lying at depths ranging from 64 m to 135 m (210 to 444 ft) connected by about 2 km (1.2 mi) of passageways allow us to marvel at natural decorations: stalactites and stalagmites including the most famous one: that of St Kinga the Wieliczka mine was inscribed on the original list of UNESCO World Heritage Practical informationVisits only in groups with a guide. Having purchased tickets, individual tourists await the assignment of a guide.Individual tourists: for ticket prices and opening hours check here.Groups should make a reservation in advance for guide services in Polish or foreign languages via the Tourist Traffic Organisation Division by phone Covering the entire tourist route lasts around three hours Follow our profiles on portals to find out the latest Kids in Kraków news Carved hundreds or even thousands of feet deep underground many of the world's salt mines are ancient dating back to the time of the Roman Empire when salt was a luxury enjoyed only by the wealthy Today many of those same mines – some of which are miles long and contain hundreds of miles of roads and tunnels – have been turned into museums and draw thousands of tourists every year Colombia's Nemocon salt mine – just a short drive from the nearby Zipaquira salt mine famous for its Salt Cathedral chapel and religious effigies – is the perfect example the mine today offers daily tours through its tunnels and chambers which are lit with dramatically colored lights and feature a giant salt crystal carved in the shape of a heart MORE: 800 million years in the making The salt reserves here in the mountains of northern Pakistan are believed to have originated some 800 million years ago when shallow seas evaporated and left behind a salt range that stretched for nearly 200 miles including the underground cavern known today as the Khewra mine Located just over 120 miles from Pakistan's capital city Islamabad the Khewra salt mine spans more than 40 square miles underground and reaches some 2,400 feet into the mountain from its entrance It was first discovered by Alexander the Great's invading troops more than 2,300 years ago and today it doubles as an operating salt mine and museum where visitors can board a train to travel into the mine and see a small mosque built with lit-up salt bricks inside MORE: A place of protests since the 1970s This onetime salt mine near the Elbe River in northern Germany has been a lightning rod for protests since the 1970s when it was first identified by the government as a possible long-term storage facility for nuclear waste Germany has announced plans to phase out its nuclear reactors by 2022 and shift toward renewable energy sources but the remaining nuclear waste and spent fuel rods (estimated at more than 17,000 tons) must still be stored somewhere Gorleben has been planned as a deep geological waste repository site a place where nuclear waste can be stored away from humans for very long periods of time MORE: Suffer from asthma? Try spending a week underground salt therapy – which involves spending a week or more living inside a salt mine to breathe in salt-infused air – has caught on in some countries for treating respiratory illnesses particularly in some of the former Soviet bloc nations of eastern Europe which lies more than 1,000 feet under the surface of a small town in western Ukraine patients spend days or even weeks convalescing inside the mine's tunnels and caves But while the Ukrainian Allegological Hospital touts its benefits many doctors disagree and even think it unsafe especially for children exposed to dripping salty water from the ceilings inside the mine MORE: In Transylvania, one of the world's oldest salt mines Now a museum that tells the history of salt mining here in the central Romanian region known as Transylvania the Turda mine was used for salt extraction as long ago as the time of the Roman Empire and produced table salt all the way up to the 1930s The mine was turned into a museum in the early 1990s and today visitors can ride a boat on the salt lake deep inside the mine The seasons are largely irrelevant for tourists here – the temperature inside the mine stays constant between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius (50 to 53 Fahrenheit) while humidity ranges between 75 and 80 percent MORE: Mountain bike racing, deep inside the Earth Named for the traditional miner's greeting – "Glueck auf" means "I wish you luck in opening a new lode [of ore]" – this pit in the former Sondershausen mine in eastern Germany has long shed its mining past and today serves as the site of an annual mountain biking race that takes place more than 2,600 feet underground A few dozen cyclists make the trip here each year for the race through the mine where temperatures remain constant around 30 degrees Celsius (about 86 degrees Fahrenheit) with low humidity The mountain biking race isn't the only event held here among the 230 million-year-old salt deposits which local officials market as the "Sondershausen Adventure Mine." There's also a ballroom and a concert hall that can accommodate up to 300 people MORE: See a symphony perform 1,000 feet underground With walls inside as high as a nine-story building the Soledar salt mine in eastern Ukraine has been used for performances by the Donetsk Philharmonic Orchestra as well as some unusual stunts like flying hot air balloons some 1,000 feet underground The mine and the town became a center for rock salt production in the 1880s (the town's name Soledar translates in English as "gift of salt") it is a tourist attraction only and draws visitors year-round MORE: Exercise classes in a salt mine? the Wieliczka salt mine stretches nearly 180 miles long and lies more than 1,000 feet underground near Krakow The mine is often called the "underground salt cathedral of Poland," for its beautiful salt murals carved into the walls and the chandeliers that hang from its ceilings the Wieliczka mine has attracted a "who's who" of visitors through the ages from Copernicus and Goethe to President Bill Clinton and Pope John Paul II MORE: An underground Catholic church made entirely of salt As many as 3,000 worshippers make a pilgrimage some 600 feet underground every Sunday for services at the "Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira," located near the town of the same name in central Colombia the mine is part of a museum complex known as "Salt Park," which tells the story of mining and geology here in this south American nation Zipaquira's history as a place of religious worship dates back to the 1930s when miners set up a makeshift altar as a place for daily prayer before work The salt deposits here are believed to date back much further than that – as long ago as 250 million years MORE: Where flamingos dance on volcanic salt flats The Bolivian salt flats known as Salar de Uyuni are the world's largest, spanning more than 4,000 square miles in the country's southwest near the Andes Mountains. They're so big they can be seen from space, as in these photos taken by NASA's MODIS satellite Flamingos wading through shallow salty water volcanoes and colorful ponds can all be found at the Uyuni flats which no doubt help make them one of Bolivia's most popular tourist attractions home to the "carcasses" of trains that were brought to Bolivia in the late 19th century to transport minerals They were abandoned in Uyuni after steam locomotives became obsolete MORE: Lost Underwater City Found in the Mediterranean We recognize our responsibility to use data and technology for good We may use or share your data with our data vendors The Weather Channel is the world's most accurate forecaster according to ForecastWatch, Global and Regional Weather Forecast Accuracy Overview many of the world's salt mines are ancient dating back to the time of the Roman Empire when salt was a luxury enjoyed only by the wealthy.  Today many of those same mines – some of which are miles long and contain hundreds of miles of roads and tunnels – have been turned into museums and draw thousands of tourists every year Colombia's Nemocon salt mine – just a short drive from the nearby Zipaquira salt mine famous for its Salt Cathedral chapel and religious effigies – is the perfect example.  MORE: 800 million years in the making > Located just over 120 miles from Pakistan's capital city Islamabad and reaches some 2,400 feet into the mountain from its entrance.  It was first discovered by Alexander the Great's invading troops more than 2,300 years ago MORE: A place of protests since the 1970s > but the remaining nuclear waste and spent fuel rods (estimated at more than 17,000 tons) must still be stored somewhere.  as long as tens of thousands of years.  MORE: Suffer from asthma? Try spending a week underground > salt therapy – which involves spending a week or more living inside a salt mine to breathe in salt-infused air – has caught on in some countries for treating respiratory illnesses patients spend days or even weeks convalescing inside the mine's tunnels and caves MORE: In Transylvania, one of the world's oldest salt mines > The seasons are largely irrelevant for tourists here – the temperature inside the mine stays constant between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius (50 to 53 Fahrenheit) MORE: Mountain bike racing, deep inside the Earth > Named for the traditional miner's greeting – \\\"Glueck auf\\\" means \\\"I wish you luck in opening a new lode [of ore]\\\" – this pit in the former Sondershausen mine in eastern Germany has long shed its mining past and today serves as the site of an annual mountain biking race that takes place more than 2,600 feet underground The mountain biking race isn't the only event held here among the 230 million-year-old salt deposits which local officials market as the \\\"Sondershausen Adventure Mine.\\\" There's also a ballroom and a concert hall that can accommodate up to 300 people MORE: See a symphony perform 1,000 feet underground > The mine and the town became a center for rock salt production in the 1880s (the town's name Soledar translates in English as \\\"gift of salt\\\") MORE: Exercise classes in a salt mine? The mine is often called the \\\"underground salt cathedral of Poland,\\\" for its beautiful salt murals carved into the walls and the chandeliers that hang from its ceilings the Wieliczka mine has attracted a \\\"who's who\\\" of visitors through the ages from Copernicus and Goethe to President Bill Clinton and Pope John Paul II.  MORE: An underground Catholic church made entirely of salt > As many as 3,000 worshippers make a pilgrimage some 600 feet underground every Sunday for services at the \\\"Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira,\\\" located near the town of the same name in central Colombia the mine is part of a museum complex known as \\\"Salt Park,\\\" which tells the story of mining and geology here in this south American nation Zipaquira's history as a place of religious worship dates back to the 1930s The salt deposits here are believed to date back much further than that – as long ago as 250 million years.  MORE: Where flamingos dance on volcanic salt flats > The Bolivian salt flats known as Salar de Uyuni are the world's largest, spanning more than 4,000 square miles in the country's southwest near the Andes Mountains. They're so big they can be seen from space, as in these photos taken by NASA's MODIS satellite which no doubt help make them one of Bolivia's most popular tourist attractions.  home to the \\\"carcasses\\\" of trains that were brought to Bolivia in the late 19th century to transport minerals MORE: Lost Underwater City Found in the Mediterranean Log in and download the free e-publication of the latest A&B The printed version is available for sale online in our store and press salons throughout Poland unique e-mail [will also be used as login in the portal] Only name - check the correctness of the data Only the last name - check the correctness of the data password must be at least 8 characters long * fields required for registration; data can be completed in account settings after logging in ** establishment of a student account follows verification of the validity of the student ID card Please try later or let us know: contact Technology: aitnet.pl Ⓒ AiB Publishing House 2025 The 14th-century Cloth Hall hosts a market that sells Polish crafts and curios cafés—and a centuries-old salt mine: everything comes together in this Polish city At the stroke of every hour, a melodious trumpeting from St. Mary’s Basilica echoes throughout Krakow’s Old Town, a legacy that dates back seven centuries. Tradition is important in Polish culture, but Krakow is a city that perpetually looks forward Its most storied neighborhoods host trendy cafés and buzzing bars alongside centuries-old buildings explore the labyrinthine chambers of Wieliczka Salt Mine and follow in the footsteps of kings on Wawel Hill Here’s how to make the most of your stay in this city on the banks of the Vistula River where you’ll have a prime view of the bustling square while dining on Polish specialties like pork chops with sauerkraut and fried potatoes a tangy rye soup with sausages and quail egg As the day progresses, Rynek Główny transforms into a melee of activity: street performers, horse-drawn carriages, and diners galore. Soak it in before ending the night at Piano Rouge an upscale basement restaurant decked out in chandeliers and plush red carpets Live jazz transports you to the 1940s while you order from the extensive wine list The menu features everything from citrus-doused prawns to mini meat-stuffed samusas and Polish specialties like grilled sheep’s cheese One of the highlights of Old Town is the opulent It took three miners 70 years (1896–1963) to complete the 5,000-square-foot chapel and chandeliers made with the purest salt crystals hang from the ceiling Visitors can also dine underground at the Miners’ Tavern in the Budryk Chamber where everything is seasoned with Wieliczka salt Polish specialties such as cabbage soup and pierogi are on the menu At the southern edge of the Old Town, the Royal Castle and Wawel Cathedral looks over the city. It’s worth stopping atop Wawel Hill to take in the view of the Vistula River before exploring the castle Polish monarchs took up residence on Wawel Hill in the 11th century the castle has been built and rebuilt in Romanesque Spend a few hours exploring the castle’s ornate state rooms The curious little Godfather-themed pub is frequented by locals and features plaques with film quotes and Marlon Brando’s visage Polish specialties such as cabbage soup and pierogi are on the menu."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"inline-3","cntnt":{"aspectRatio":"4x3","cmsType":"photogallery","id":"inline-3","media":[{"caption":{"credit":"Photograph by Jon Hicks/Corbis","text":"\nCafé patrons enjoy a view of St Mary’s Church across Kraków’s picturesque Rynek Główny one of the largest public plazas in Europe Dating to the 13th century and home to examples of Gothic and Renaissance architecture the Old Town’s market square is a popular shopping and dining destination for locals and tourists Mary’s—the world’s largest brick church—looms above neighboring buildings in Gdańsk a thousand-year-old seaport on Poland’s Baltic coast that has been ruled in turns by Teutonic Knights \nHikers in the Tatra Mountains climb a trail above the twin pools of Black Tarn and Sea Eye Tarn the mountains lie in Poland and Slovakia and are distinguished by their high-altitude lakes and well-marked trails \nYoung dancers in colorful folk dresses leave the stage after a performance in Poland the country derives its name from the Polanie or “plains people,” a Slavic group that settled in northern Europe before the birth of Christ \nKraków’s Royal Wawel Castle and Cathedral is illuminated behind a World War II memorial by sculptor Bronisław Chromy the 14th-century cathedral houses 18 chapels buffer the southern border of Central Europe’s largest country a vast plain with no natural protection to the east and west vaulted ceiling soars over the elaborately painted interior of St The Gothic church was rebuilt on a foundation of ruins in the 14th century when the nation was formed from a group of small principalities \nTwo women pause before a photo of the late Pope John Paul II at an open gallery in Kraków Born Karol Wojtyła near the southern village of Ząb the first Polish pope was revered in his home country where more than 90 percent of the population is Roman Catholic a 19th-century memorial raised in honor of Polish national hero Tadeusz Kosciuszko A panorama of surrounding Kraków awaits those who reach the top \nBuilt by knights of the Teutonic Order in the 13th century massive Malbork Castle’s red brick and Gothic style make it unique among medieval castles in Europe is now a museum with guided tours and exhibitions It became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997 \nAn expanse of rippled sand dunes resembles a desert landscape in Poland’s Słowiński National Park about 71 miles (115 kilometers) from Gdańsk In addition to the remarkable moving dunes the ecologically diverse park includes forests and marshes that are home to a variety of wildlife \nA sunbather relaxes on one of Poland’s many Baltic coast beaches The country’s coastline stretches across much of its northern border meeting Germany to the east and Russia’s Kaliningrad to the west and includes the major port city of Gdańsk \nVendors offer traditional Polish fare at a cultural event in Kraków Unauthorized use is prohibited.","caption":{"title":"Hikers Tatra Mountains","credit":"Photograph by Karol Majewski My Shot","source":"","text":"\nHikers in the Tatra Mountains climb a trail above the twin pools of Black Tarn and Sea Eye Tarn Unauthorized use is prohibited.","caption":{"title":"Folk Dancers","credit":"Photograph by Michael Drabik My Shot","source":"","text":"\nYoung dancers in colorful folk dresses leave the stage after a performance in Poland Unauthorized use is prohibited.","caption":{"title":"Royal Wawel Cathedral Kraków","credit":"Photograph by Guy Edwardes/Getty Images","source":"","text":"\nKraków’s Royal Wawel Castle and Cathedral is illuminated behind a World War II memorial by sculptor Bronisław Chromy Unauthorized use is prohibited.","caption":{"title":"Tatra Mountain Range","credit":"Photograph by Jan Wlodarczyk/Photo Library","source":"","text":"\nThe Tatra Mountains Unauthorized use is prohibited.","caption":{"title":"St Kraków","credit":"Photograph by Qiu Tianshu Unauthorized use is prohibited.","caption":{"title":"Art Gallery Kraków","credit":"Photograph by Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images","source":"","text":"\nTwo women pause before a photo of the late Pope John Paul II at an open gallery in Kraków Unauthorized use is prohibited.","caption":{"title":"Kosciuszko Mound Kraków","credit":"Photograph by Henryk Kaiser/Aurora Photos","source":"","text":"\nVisitors climb the Kosciuszko Mound Unauthorized use is prohibited.","caption":{"title":"Malbork Castle","credit":"Photograph by De Agostini Editore/Photo Library","source":"","text":"\nBuilt by knights of the Teutonic Order in the 13th century Unauthorized use is prohibited.","caption":{"title":"Dunes Słowiński National Park","credit":"Photograph by Iook Galeria/Aurora Photos","source":"","text":"\nAn expanse of rippled sand dunes resembles a desert landscape in Poland’s Słowiński National Park Unauthorized use is prohibited.","caption":{"title":"Baltic Coast","credit":"Photograph by Isabelle Eshraghi/Agence VU/Aurora","source":"","text":"\nA sunbather relaxes on one of Poland’s many Baltic coast beaches Unauthorized use is prohibited.","caption":{"title":"Folk Art Fair Kraków","credit":"Photograph by Ashok Sinha/Getty Images","source":"","text":"\nVendors offer traditional Polish fare at a cultural event in Kraków Stop at ",{"type":"i","content":[]},{"type":"b","content":[{"type":"a","content":["Wedel"],"attrs":{"href":"https://wedelpijalnie.pl/pl","target":"_blank"}}]}," Polish amber and ceramics are world-renowned You’ll find delicate jewelry and decorative items at galleries such as ",{"type":"b","content":[{"type":"a","content":["World of Amber"],"attrs":{"href":"http://www.worldofamber.pl/en.html","target":"_blank"}}]}," ",{"type":"b","content":[]},"For popular blue-and-white patterned Bolesławiec ceramics ",{"type":"b","content":[{"type":"a","content":["Mila"],"attrs":{"href":"http://mila.shop.pl/","target":"_blank"}}," "]},"and ",{"type":"b","content":[{"type":"a","content":["Kobalt"],"attrs":{"href":"http://top-poland.pl/listings/kobalt-pottery-store/","target":"_blank"}}," "]},"are good bets."]},{"type":"h2","content":["Day 3: Castles and cathedrals"]},{"type":"p","content":["At the southern edge of the Old Town the ",{"type":"b","content":["Royal Castle "]},"and ",{"type":"b","content":["Wawel Cathedral "]},"looks over the city It’s worth stopping atop ",{"type":"b","content":[{"type":"a","content":["Wawel Hill"],"attrs":{"href":"https://wawel.krakow.pl/en","target":"_blank"}}," "]},"to take in the view of the Vistula River before exploring the castle and art collections."]}],{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"Ad","props":{"ad":{"type":"fitt-article-inline-box","className":"fitt-article-inline-box"},"className":"natgeo-ad","placeholders":{"compact":{"size":[300,250]},"regular":{"size":[300,250]}},"initSelf":true},"context":{},"config":{"gridDisplayMode":"none"}}},[{"type":"p","content":["Twenty minutes from the main square lies the historic Jewish district of ",{"type":"b","content":["Kazimierz"]}," which featured prominently in Steven Spielberg’s ",{"type":"i","content":["Schindler’s List"]}," the area was a buzzing center of Jewish life Kazimierz bore the aura of a ghost town for many years the district has been reinvented as one of Krakow’s trendiest enclaves The district maintains a large part of its Jewish heritage ",{"type":"b","content":[{"type":"a","content":["Oskar Schindler’s factory"],"attrs":{"href":"https://www.muzeumkrakowa.pl/branches/oskar-schindlers-factory","target":"_blank"}}," "]},"is now a museum devoted to Jewish experiences under Nazi occupation."]},{"type":"inline","content":{"name":"Image","props":{"link":{},"caption":{"title":"","credit":"Photograh by Dagmar Schwelle laif/Redux","source":"","text":"Wawel Hill overlooks the Vistula River Unauthorized use is prohibited.","alt":"the Vistula River in Krakow The Emilia-Romagna region is populated by numerous hilltop castles The construction of Basilica di Santa Croce took over 140 years to complete Nicholas' Church and the Landtag (Parliament) of Brandenburg in Potsdam The work following the deal with US arms company Raytheon will be performed at a site in the US with a completion date for the systems of November 2025 The United States on November 23rd also announced a new $400 million arms package for Ukraine’s defence against Russia White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said at the time that the new security assistance package would include additional munitions for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) and heavy machine guns Poland qualified for the last 16 of the World Cup Poland qualified instead of Mexico based on a superior goal differential so Szczęsny’s role as goalkeeper was crucial – especially in view of his spectacular save from a Messi penalty Several memes made references to Ronaldo – Szczęsny’s team-mate in Juventus (2018-2021) and Messi’s main rival for many years Szczęsny is currently second best goalkeeper out of Europe’s top leagues The millionth visitor was a 70-year-old tourist from the Czech Republic who arrived with her daughter and granddaughter The tourist was given a VIP welcome by the mine’s management and offered several gifts including a sculpture carved in salt a miner’s helmet and a voucher for a stay in the Wieliczka underground spa The site has had an increase in visitors of 55% compared to 2021 with Poles accounting for just over half of the visitor numbers The mine was founded in the 13th century and has over 300 km of corridors reaching depths of up to 135 metres 10 unlicensed firearms were recovered from the property where the 24-year old man died after opening fire on police with an automatic weapon The incident occurred during co-ordinated raids across Poland by the country’s organized crime unit – CBSP Officers recovered 146 firearms and detailed 15 people 13 of whom have been charged with firearms offences Today will be a cloudy and grey day in a gentle breeze with temperatures of 0 degrees centigrade (32 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day and -3 degrees overnight Tomorrow will remain cold and dull in a gentle breeze with chances of snow and temperatures of -2 degrees during the day and -2 degrees overnight Dotacja celowa z Ministerstwa Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego zgodnie z art.31. ust.2. ustawy o radiofonii i telewizji. View the discussion thread. IN CITIES large and small around the global there’s a whole other world lying beneath the streets that you don’t usually get to see Followed categories will be added to My News there’s a whole other world lying beneath the streets these underground cities are fascinating foundations and reflections of life above While many of these subterranean worlds have long since become obsolete MORE: Underground cities are the future of business If you’re intrigued by what lies under your feet check out our picks for the top 10 underground cities around the world More than a quarter of a million people use Montreal’s underground city — known as the RESO network — each day metro stops and many other services runs underneath the streets of the city This mega underground shopping centre makes it easy for locals and visitors to cover a lot of ground of Montreal without being outside — a huge benefit in the freezing winter Montreal’s RESO consists of 32 kilometres of tunnels spread out over 10 square kilometres of the downtown area There are more than 120 exterior access points you’re probably close to a way into the RESO #Montreal favourite building/location #14: The Underground City of Montreal #RÉSO pic.twitter.com/5EPa8Fc9rM the Wieliczka Salt Mine in Cracow only stopped mining operations in 2007 after more than 700 years in production Each year the mine is visited by more than one million tourists from around the world the mine was transformed from a series of dark caves into something beautiful statues and monuments all carved out of salt There are about 300kms of tunnels over nine levels with the first three levels open to the public Here guided tours that last about two hours take visitors through the accessible parts of the mine One of the best parts for many is seeing the Chapel of St which took 30 years to build and every aspect of which is made of salt The Pilsen Historical Underground is a unique attraction below the streets of Pilseň that’s well worth going underground for cellars and wells that once acted as food storage and as an escape route in case the city was ever attacked Another legend has it that there’s treasure buried in the walls of the cellars found in the underground The sleepy city of Moose Jaw is home to a series of tunnels that have two separate stories The tunnels were once used as a means of transporting prohibition-era booze to the US and through Canada There are even rumours of an Al Capone connection to all the bootlegging The other story to the tunnels involves early Chinese immigrants who were forced underground to escape negative treatment There are two tours you can take that deal with both aspects of the tunnel’s history The Cappadocia region of Turkey is known to be home to many underground cities There are 18 stories that descend down 85 metres and it’s said that the city could have held more than 20,000 people The subterranean network of tunnels and rooms consists of separated living quarters Toronto also has a vast network of underground tunnels beneath the city streets this underground walkway covers 29kms of shops and services making it the largest underground shopping complex according to the Guinness Book of World Records More than 50 office buildings are connected through PATH as well as six train stations eight hotels and approximately 1200 shops and services PATH is a convenient way for pedestrians to quickly get around without worrying about cars and it serves as a welcome refuge from the biting cold in winter 20141003. Looming lighting in the #Toronto underground #PATH system. #blackandwhite #urban pic.twitter.com/9pobHER3gK Portland has its own underground city known as the Shanghai Tunnels (or Portland Underground) This network consists of tunnel passages linking Portland’s Old Town (Chinatown) to the central downtown area These tunnels were made up of a series of bar and hotel basements linked together and to the Willamette River docks They were used for both legal and illegal activities visitors can take a walking tour of part of the Portland Underground to get a sense of the intricate links and networks Through this tunnel is an underground criminal city no one knew existed. Dare to explore? https://t.co/BhbJdLkppo pic.twitter.com/xGvGz7Naya Underground Atlanta opened in 1969 and is known as the “city beneath the streets” This network below is a shopping and entertainment area in the Five Points neighbourhood of downtown Atlanta The complex covers six city blocks and includes shopping visitors to Underground Atlanta can try a scavenger hunt wherein clues are collected that lead to different historic landmarks Guided walking tours are also available that last 50 minutes and highlight 11 historic sites in the underground Those who prefer to explore solo can opt for a self-guided history tour by picking up a brochure at the information booth Beijing’s underground city (Dixia Cheng) was built in the 1970s and was meant to serve as a shelter during invasions often referred to as the “underground Great Wall” was dug by hand by citizens and is said to stretch across more than 82 square kilometres Rincón olvidado de "la ciudad bajo tierra" (Dìxià Chéng) China. pic.twitter.com/BFEu5QKvA1 While the tunnels were opened to the public in 2000 they closed again in 2008 for renovations and it’s not known when they will reopen the tunnels had almost 100 hidden entrances and were supposed to be able to hold nearly half of the population It’s also said the tunnels were built complete with schools and other services for citizens should they need to seek refuge there #DìxiàChéng (#Pekín, #China), un gigantesco laberinto de galerías de 30 km. bajo el suelo de la capital. #AsiaOnline pic.twitter.com/Ic6Y5lWqON Unlike some of the other places on this list a small town in Spain with a population of around 3000 isn’t necessarily underground — but it is under something It’s built under a massive rock face The town’s various buildings are nestled into and under the rocks making for a uniquely cavernous atmosphere Read more travel inspiration at Cheapflights.com.au Fast-acting tradies have stepped in to restrain a couple who police allege robbed a CBD tobacco shop before attempting to carjack a getaway vehicle weapon crime and car theft will be front of mind for victims attending an upcoming crime forum in Cairns hosted by a former Queensland prison boss Never mind the smell of salt–the Wieliczka Salt Mine is not your average traveling experience and lengthy tunnels lurk in the depths of the Earth roughly eight miles away from the well-known Polish city of Kraków Miners have exploited the ancient salt deposits at Wieliczka since the 13th century when the site gradually started to gain prominence–today it is a cultural heritage site where you can see some authentic monuments sculpted out of salt blocks miners of the past made an extra effort to hand-sculpt the interior of the mine an accomplishment that produced a rare landmark site At least 20 chambers and galleries are open to visitors who can use a guided tour to explore the beauty and strangeness of the place the mine reaches about 1,000 feet below the surface It took centuries for the Wieliczka Salt Mine also called the Underground Salt Cathedral of Poland As a landmark and a place of interest to visit when it was recognized both in the List of Historic Monuments in Poland and as a UNESCO World Heritage Site At some 440 feet underground is a health facility where people who struggle with chronic allergies can try out the therapeutic benefits of the saline chambers what brings the flocks of tourists to the Wieliczka Salt Mine all year long is the artwork left by its faithful miners Much of the monumental work displayed embraces religious motifs these Polish mines counted for one of Europe’s most lucrative businesses bringing treasures and wealth to the kings of the day as the popularity of salt as a resource established itself The late 18th century saw a turning point for the administration of the mine and a time when novel technologies to advance the mining work were introduced as well These changes followed after Austria gained control of the region It was also during the Austrian reign when the mine shafts were first opened as a public attraction Kinga is among the most famous chambers to be seen Dubbed as the “crown jewel” of the Wieliczka mine the chamber walls are covered with huge biblical reliefs Kinga is a saint and patroness of the country The enormous chandeliers made of salt crystals that hang from the ceilings and warm the chamber interiors with their light are dated from the end of the 19th century Besides the generation of miners who left their imprint in the saline chambers professional artists have also found refuge here at least to seek inspiration for their artwork but writers and painters have drawn influence here One example is the 19th-century Polish painter Jan Matejko noted in Polish history for his artistic depictions of significant national events for the country one of which shows an attempt to save the site from fire The mines have suffered from flooding in the past after which preservation measures were set to protect from anything similar in the future contemporary artists are able to have their work exhibited at some of the galleries at the Wieliczka Salt Mine the mines also chronicle the advancement of salt mining technology Some of the items displayed inside the venue include older machinery some of which helped workers drag the salt rock out of the caves hundreds of years ago Related story from us: The Wawel Dragon Statue in Kraków, Poland, breathes fire on demand, sometimes by text message visitors can also check out the Kraków Saltworks Museum formerly the building of the office which managed the mine from medieval times until World War Two And if you are not too much into salt-related memorabilia you can at least enjoy the museum building itself Stefan is a freelance writer and a regular contributor to The Vintage News He also runs a blog – This City Knows Join 1000s of subscribers and receive the best Vintage News in your mailbox for FREE