At a distance of about 20 km from Krakow there is a salt mine "Wieliczka", which is another point of interest. It is the only continuously operating mining facility in the world since the Middle Ages and one of the most famous tourist facilities in Poland.

In 1978 the mine was inscribed on the first UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. In 2007, in a poll of the Rzeczpospolita daily, readers recognized Poland as one of the seven wonders of Poland, thus casting the largest number of votes for it. The visit in this place is intended for everyone and everyone individually. For big and small. With family and in a group of friends. Calm or exciting. In the Wieliczka Salt Mine there is something for everyone.

All those who would like to visit the mine, which, according to legend, was founded thanks to the Hungarian Princess Kinga, the wife of Prince Boleslaw the Shameful. When she threw the engagement ring into the Hungarian salt shaft, and when the wedding procession was approaching Krakow, she pointed out the place where she ordered to dig up the jewel. This is how the huge salt deposits in Wieliczka were discovered. In the times of King Casimir the Great, the income from the Cracow Saltworks, the sale of salt was a huge financial injection for the country. They covered 1/3 of the revenue of the state treasury.

In the mine you can see the beautiful Chapel of St. Kinga. The most magnificent and richest in its form underground temple. Founded in 1896, located at a depth of 101 meters. Its length is more than 54 m, width 15-18 m, height 10-12 meters and can accommodate up to 500 people! In the Chapel of St. Kinga are salt monument and relics of the Holy Father John Paul II, sculpture and relics of St. Kinga and the bas-relief "Last Supper" according to the frescos of Leonardo da Vinci. The chapel is a peculiar art gallery and a place of religious cult. The mine has 9 levels and reaches a depth of 327 meters. The Eiffel Tower, which is 3 meters shorter, would fit into it. In addition, one of the largest salt excavations is the Warsaw chamber, and the highest is the Staszic chamber (the first underground balloon flight, entered into the Guinness Book of Records, took place there). More than 100 m underground, in the chamber of Barącz there is one of the most beautiful salt lakes: it has an amazing green color, and its depth reaches 9 m. At a depth of 200 m there is a constant temperature of +13 to +15 degrees and air humidity to 92%.

Wieliczka salt deposit occupies an area of 7km2 . At the beginning of the 20th century, exactly the same amount of space was occupied by the city of Krakow, while throughout the history of the mine has been exploited from it almost 7.5 million m3 of deposits. From such a quantity of salt could be built as many as three pyramids of Cheops!

Discover Krakow!
Book your apartment now!