Into the Mines of Wieliczka

As the temperatures above ground are still stifling, I escape underground.

Salt has been mined in Wieliczka for over 700 years. Around 7.5 million cubic metres of salt have been mined. In 1978, the mine was included in UNESCO's first World Heritage List and salt was still being extracted from it until 1993.
During the guided tour we climb 135 m below the surface.
We are assured that a lot is made of salt down here. The floor and walls: made of salt
The stairs: made of salt
Chandeliers: made of salt
Sculptures: made of salt
The altars, chapels: made of salt
The supporting structures: of wood (very exotic material down here!)

Impressive what you can do with this material, if you use it for more than just salting food!

It is no exaggeration to say that human development can be seen here like under a burning glass:
As soon as we humans had a full (salted ) stomach, we were able to develop elements of high culture (pictures, statues, decor). ☝️🤓Read more