Krakow with a pinch of salt
Wieliczka Salt Mine, Krakow
After having already spent a good week in Krakow, I was well used to seeing churches and chapels at almost every turn, but I certainly didn’t expect to see chapels 100 metres underground! We were on a visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, which is only 14 kilometres outside the city and which is oh so much more than simply a mine.
For a start, the scale of it is mind-blowing. In order to reach the first section, we had to descend 350 steps. I was quite dizzy by the time we reached the bottom of the stairs. Thank goodness I’m not a mine canary. I could have caused quite a panic! From that point, we covered about three kilometres of passages and chambers. It took us a good couple of hours and I was feeling quite chuffed about how far we had gone – until I heard that that was only about one percent of the entire mine.
I was surprised to see that the salt was not white, like me, but rather about 50 shades of grey, like the Oldies. The lakes we came across, on the other hand, were the most intense shade of green that I’ve ever seen in a body of water.
Another thing that surprised me was how hard the rock salt is. I know this mine has been worked since the 13th century, but it is still mind-blowing to think of the work involved in excavating hundreds of kilometres of tunnels, let alone the numerous huge chambers. The Stanisław Staszic Chamber alone is a phenomenal 36 metres high!
I’d have thought that all the tough work of mining the salt would be enough for anyone, so I was astounded by all the beautifully carved statues and monuments we saw along the way. I can’t imagine how many hours of work must have gone into them. Those chapels I mentioned earlier, however, were the highlights, especially the Chapel of St. Kinga. It is a huge cavern, chock-full of incredible carvings. Simply breathtaking. And talking about ‘high lights’: even the crystals in the chandeliers – up to 2,000 per fitting – are, of course, salt crystals.
I wasn’t surprised to hear that the mine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and that tourists have been coming here for centuries. The VIP visitors list includes Copernicus, Goethe, Chopin, Bill Clinton and Seamus the Seagull. The latter, of course, being a VIB – Very Important Bird.
The various displays along the tourist route showing how mining was carried out over the centuries were quite fascinating. I was particularly amazed by the ancient technology and equipment. I started to get a touch claustrophobic however, when I learned that once a horse was brought down into the mines to work, it had to stay down there until the end of its days. That’s when I decided that this bird is certainly no work horse and I was not going to be dallying around too much longer. So, lovely and all as the mine was, I wasn’t heart-broken when the Wingless Wonders finally decided to go back up for some fresh air. Whew!
What I didn’t expect was to get a lungful of sea air. Or at least the inland version of it. Yes, as on our campsite in Waldenstein last summer, there is a graduation tower in the grounds of the mine. But this one is on a grand scale altogether, with a central tower and high, curved walls topped with a wooden walkway.
Naturally enough, there is no shortage of salt water here. It pours over the walls of blackthorn branches, creating the seaside-like atmosphere. My goodness, it was wonderful – so refreshing and relaxing, with great views into the bargain. And, after spending the morning deep underground, I finally felt at home again!
