General information
Destination |
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Krakow, Poland |
Program details
This breathtaking Unesco World Heritage Site stretches over nine levels at depths between 64 to 327 meters below the surface of the Earth. A maze of almost 2,400 chambers is connected by paths with a total length of 245km. You will also visit one of the largest open-air museums dedicated to mining, where the ’white gold was extracted.
This 700-year-old mine just a few minutes drive south of Krakow features more than 300km of eerie tunnels, all carved by hand from salt blocks, though only a few kilometers are open to the public. The underground trail leads through numerous underground lakes, shrines, and salt monuments as well as drifts, galleries, and chambers, where traces of mining activity have been preserved, as well as examples of sacred art, theme compositions relating to the history of the mine, and legends. Behold the spellbinding Chapel of St King and marvel at how every one of its features, from chandeliers to the altar, is made of salt.
Wieliczka is also the world's largest mining heritage museum with a collection encompassing unique pieces of mining equipment reflecting the development of mining techniques from the Middle Ages until today. Moreover, the mine’s microclimate has a beneficial impact on visitors who suffer from asthma and allergies.