The Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of the most important and well-known tourist attractions in Poland, visited by over a million people annually. It is a complex of underground corridors, chambers and halls carved into the salt rock, dating back to the 13th century. Today salt production looks completely different there. But you can still find out where the place of your underground walkis located with taking salt-therapy.
Exact location of the salt mine
This mine is considered one of the most important material culture monuments in Poland and was inscribed on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978.
Visitors are advised to come to the mine several times as each tour through the salt corridors offers completely new experiences and discoveries of interesting nooks and crannies.
Wieliczka is a city located near Krakow, one of the oldest cities in Poland, only 14 kilometers from its center. The mine itself can be found at 10 Daniłowicza Street, where visitors can admire the underground landscapes created by miners over 700 years ago to extract salt.
The route for tourists is open from 8.30am to 5.30pm. But if you want to sightseeing with a Polish-speaking guide it takes place as regularly as possible.
The offer includes an English-speaking guide from 9.00am to 5.00pm, and tours take place every hour.
Read also Wieliczka Salt Mine Tour
In total, there are almost 300 km of tunnels and 3,000 chambers, but only a few of the most important rooms are accessible to visitors.
The geographical coordinates of Wieliczka Salt Mine are 49.98348°N – latitude and 20.05477°E – longitude.
Health benefits of salt therapy
The salt mine have also health benefits. By visiting this place, we become participants in Halotherapy. It is type of salt therapy based on natural healing methods.
Going underground, we involuntarily start to benefit from the healing effects of the saline. It is an ideal place for people struggling with upper respiratory tract ailments or allergies.
Underground we can find a salt graduation tower. There, several people can simultaneously breathe in the sprayed saline aerosol. It has a positively affects on the functioning of the entire body, strengthening and immune system.
In addition, by breathing such air, we provide the body with essential minerals for healthy functioning.
The brine graduation tower is open to guests from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm.
How the salt production looks today?
Salt mining in Wieliczka ended in 1996. Today, white gold is no longer obtained by mining methods, but salt is still obtained from there.
Fresh water that seeps through the mine dissolves salt. For this reason, it cannot flow completely freely through the mine, uncontrolled by anyone.
Therefore, it is collected and discharged to designated places, from which it then lands on the surface to the saline water utilization plant, commonly known as the brew house.
It is there that since 2003 the production of salt consists in heating and evaporation of underground, already saline water.
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- Explore the Fascinating Wieliczka Salt Mine! Book your guided tour today and discover this UNESCO World Heritage site just outside Krakow. These tours are popular year-round, so book early to avoid disappointment and ensure your spot.
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Check our other articles about the Wieliczka Salt Mine:
So let’s visit the Wieliczka!
To sum up, now you know how to get to the place where you will experience perhaps your first adventure underground.
There are really few places like the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Or not at all. Being in Krakow, it is worth going there to diversify your trip around Poland.
