The "Wieliczka" Salt Mine

The "Wieliczka" Salt Mine - a rock salt mine in Wieliczka near Krakow. From the 13th century to 1772, together with the "Bochnia" salt mine, it was part of the Kraków Saltworks. The salts mined in the mine come from the Miocene. In 1976, the mine was entered into the national register of monuments. Two years later, it was entered by UNESCO on the first World Heritage List. In 1989, the “Wieliczka” Salt Mine was added to the List of World Heritage in Danger, from which it was removed in 1998. Since 1994, it has also been a monument to the history of Poland. On June 30, 1996, mining of the deposit was completely discontinued. In 2007, the "Wieliczka" Salt Mine was recognized as one of the seven wonders of Poland in the "Rzeczpospolita" plebiscite, winning the largest number of votes. The underground tourist route of the Wieliczka mine was established at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. About a million tourists annually visit about 3 km of the route consisting of 20 chambers, located at depths from 64 to 135 meters (levels I - III). There are about 800 stairs to overcome on the route. Part of the route is wheelchair accessible. The tour lasts about 2-3 hours. On the official website of the monument, you can take a virtual walk around the object. #polandtravel #salt #mine