Discover one of the oldest salt mines listed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List

Duration

3-4 hours

Highlights

• Visit underground galleries, chambers and lakes • Inhalate with salty air, and have positive influence on health • Discover one of the oldest salt mines listed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List • Admire St. Kinga Chapel

About

The salt mines at Wieliczka have been a part of Poland’s history for centuries. The mines have undergone several transformations as mining technologies changed and modern methods came into use. Today, the mine is a popular tourist site in Krakow, attracting thousands of people every month. Many parts of the mines have been able to preserve the old passages and shafts used by miners.

During your visit to the mines, you will also have the opportunity to visit two beautiful underground lakes which are a part of the mines region. The mines also include a chapel dedicated to the Blessed St. Kinga, who is the patron saint of miners of the region. Most of the decorative elements in the mines are carved out of rock salt. This includes the altar at the chapel and the intricately designed chandeliers in the chapel hall.

The magnificence of the chapel and the beauty of the place is hardly resonant of the historic past of the mines, which include miners digging for rock salt, Nazi’s converting the place into an armory and the flooding of certain levels of the mines. Today, what you notice in the mines is a preserved past of Poland’s proud history.

You will reach the mine level by taking a flight of 700 steps. But to return to ground level, you simply need to ride an elevator. On the ground level, there is a souvenir shop and a snack bar. You can rest for a while at the snack bar and have a quick snack before you return to your vehicle.

Important information

• Temperature in the mine is from 14 to 17 Celcius degrees. • Wheelchair not accessible on the group tour. • There are approximately 700 steps to go down. Moderate fitness level required.