STUDY ABROAD: Poland_Wieliczka Salt Mines
As I prepared to write today’s article, I realized I have reached the halfway point of my study abroad experience. So far, I've only discussed other places you can travel while abroad. As a result, you won’t hear about my Spring Break travels for a while, because Krakow deserves the spotlight.
Today's topic: Wieliczka Salt Mine. A half hour bus ride out of the city. While my plans for traveling abroad tend to focus on castles and historic architectural elements, I am very glad I included what might (on the surface) sound like a strange choice.
First, a brief history. Mining began in the thirteenth century, and workers hauled out rock salt, which would, with a little science, soon become table salt. It is one of the oldest salt mines not just in Poland, but in Europe. It is over a thousand feet deep [327m ≈ 1,073 ft] and has almost two hundred miles [287 km ≈ 178 mi] in passages layered on top of each other. The mine ran successfully for many centuries, using the newest technologies as they were developed – primarily wooden machines pulled by horses [horse treadmills] powering lifting and placing heavy rock salt blocks. Several chapels were carved into the tunnels along with many carved sculptures. There is even a lake, which can be seen on many of the tours available. In 1978, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and over the course of its long life has had many famous visitors, including Nicolaus Copernicus, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Fryderyk Chopin.
I was excited to purchase my tour ticket (64 PLN for students ≈ thankfully only 16 US Dollars), as they have guided tours – in English – every hour. The tour begins with a long descent down a small wooden staircase, and that still only put us on the uppermost of the three levels we visited while on the tour.
We walked through the original tunnels, which are surprisingly more spacious than expected. Only the very tall people had to duck occasionally, so I was very comfortable. The mine shafts connect a variety of small chambers, many of which were carved into chapels, complete with crosses and rock salt statues of famous biblical figures, typically the Virgin Mary. These were mere pit stops along the way, to the grand St. Kinga's Chapel. It is roughly as large as a medium-sized church [465 sm ≈ 5005 sf], and has been the location for many weddings and other important ceremonies. Murals, like da Vinci's The Last Supper, are carved into its walls, and the floor (also rock salt) is carved to look like ornate granite or marble.
The tour itself takes roughly two hours, and visitors have the option to take an elevator – about 30 seconds – back to the surface, or to visit/tour the Wieliczka Salt Mine Museum – about an hour. Most visitors opt to leave the mine, but I went to the museum. The main tour had consisted of perhaps fifty people, but the museum tour had only five, which made it much easier to hear the guide, and to take photos.
There are many interesting things to see in the museum. My favorites were the machines used in the process of mining, including the horse-powered mechanisms mentioned earlier, as well as a variety of tools used for excavation. There are also displays of the different types of salt found in the mine; even the infrequently-placed chandeliers are made of salt instead of glass. There is a large model (about 10 feet square) of the town as it existed when the mine was originally opened, and other smaller models are scattered throughout, usually depicting the large machinery used but sometimes displaying one of the smaller chambers.
Overall, it was a fantastic visit. Learning about the region’s history by learning about the mine itself didn’t feel like a history lesson, but it has helped me understand the city better. And if nothing else, you are allowed to lick the walls/floor/roofs of the passages because they are made of salt, although for sanitary reasons, I don’t recommend it. But I do recommend visiting the mine if you’re ever in Krakow, as it’s a great experience.
Allison’s Recommendations for the Wieliczka Salt Mines
If you’ve never been before, start with the tourist route – it allows you to see the most in the time you have. There are other routes available that explore other parts of the mine, but the tourist is a good starting point.
There is a museum in addition to the tour – so many tourists choose not to go to the museum, but your ticket covers the cost, and it is a fantastic experience. So go there.
It’s easiest to take public transportation to get there. It’s just a little ways out of the main city.
Take a lot of photos – but don’t expect all of them to turn out well since it’s dark inside. However, the more pictures you take, the more likely a few of them will be good.
Have fun! How often do you get to explore underground?
