Wieliczka Salt Mine - It was more interesting than I imagined
The excursion to the Wieliczka Salt Mine started on Saturday morning with some laughter but also with a bit of concern. Will all of the people make it to arrive on time? We had group tickets, as indeed it was more fun to share that experience together, as one group and one guide. Thanks to the one who had the idea of this excursion and bought the tickets in advance!
Some of the people from here already met at the train station and went together to the meeting point, where we had a cup of takeaway coffee and waited for everyone to arrive. There was a board on one wall, showing a glimpse of what was waiting for us to see, but I could not imagine how great the whole experience would be!
We got the guide and the wizard was the helper, always counting us and closing the doors in the corridors. But before reaching those passages and rooms in deeper levels of the mine we had to take a few stairs.
A few turned out to be around 370 or 380 stairs. I guess I messed up the counting part! I got a bit dizzy, and others could confirm the same feeling. When I took this photo we were somewhere in the middle of the descending part. It was a bit claustrophobic.
Every level was marked with a number. I don't know why I took the photo of this number, there is no special reason for 41. I said I was already dizzy from these wooden stairs, but if I remember well, the deepest level we arrived at was 53. Later we constantly went even deeper, but not with so many stairs as this first descending part.
Walking through the labyrinth of these corridors took us around two hours {I think it was around two hours, right? If someone from the group reads this post and remembers better - please, correct me if I am wrong}. We were also offered to see a museum that would take an additional hour but we voted (😂) not to do it in the end. The afternoon was promising more activities. (the whole afternoon and evening for #HiveBeeCon 😇)
According to the guide, the route we made was just 1% of all the tunnels and corridors in this salt mine. She said we would need three months, full day/night walking to go through the whole length of it. She mentioned more than 300km!
Oh, great. More stairs to take 😁
But these ones (maybe it is just a ramp, without stairs) over the water, are so gorgeous!
Being there and seeing this salt mine for the first time was more interesting than I thought it would be. Actually, I didn't know how it would be at all. I didn't imagine there would be so many corridors, and chambers filled with wood. And how many trees were needed for all of this...
Or for this beauty!! I took a photo with the board saying that this is Komora Michałowice. If you come, you can find it at 110 m below ground level! Believe me, it is worth coming here, to this salt mine, and to see all these elegant structures.
And look at the chandelier 😍
We can see that there were different types of beams. Some were painted in white, others were just kind of normal ones, but also there were some very old beams that already become petrified. The guide encouraged us to try to knock on these ones... the feeling was surprising - like knocking at a stone!
The Wieliczka Salt Mine was active for more than seven centuries. Can you imagine the quantity of salt that was mined there? No? I can't imagine it either, but it seems that this mine had a great impact on the country's economy for all that time.
That was a lot of hard and dangerous work for the miners, using some basic tools for the excavation, though later there were also horses that were used to help in the hard work.
During our visit, the guide told us information about the mine and its history and showed us many chambers, rooms, doors, and statues. Also from her, we learned that the statue representing Nicolaus Copernicus was made from several pieces and that it weighs 15 tons!
Carved stone doors - entrances to the little chambers and chapels:
There were some legends too that we heard, like about the dwarves that were working in the mine. This scene represents them and Snow White. Can you recognize which one is she?
Another legend was told about a Hungarian princess, Kinga. She lost (or threw away?) her engagement ring but according to the legend, it was found in this mine. This was a representation of the scene, with her ring.
The most beautiful chamber has the name of this same princess, but this is real and not a legend. A chapel in the salt mine, St.Kinga's Chapel, with marvellous carvings and statues all around it.
And the chandeliers again - simply beautiful! Even they were made from pieces of salt crystal!
Scenes from the Bible were carved into the stone walls. So many of them, all around the chapel. We had some 15 minutes to look around there... but I had the feeling that we would like to stay there longer (it was not possible as other groups were arriving too).
The statue of Pope John Paul II - also made from rock salt.
Tracks - but we didn't use them to get to the surface. This was at the end of our time there and we headed toward the small elevators. Each of those little metal boxes could take up to 8 people. It was also a bit claustrophobic.
Like a good tourist, I bought some souvenirs before we left the salt mine and the little shop at the exit. A key pendant (a little dwarf miner) for my son, chocolate with salt and a cloth bag. Although it would be hard to forget this excursion, with or without souvenirs!
The chocolate will be consumed...so just the bag and the key pendant stay :))
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This place is amazing!!! Exceptional conservative work has been done. Thanks for sharing !LUV
@mipiano, @stefano.massari(1/5) sent LUV. | connect | community | HiveWiki | NFT | <>< daily
! help(no space) to get help on Hive. InfoI think they indeed preserved very well the mine. And so many tourists visit it now 🙂
What an impressive trip. Without a doubt, it is one of your posts that I like the most. I am a lover of cultural heritage. I am stunned, shocked as if I had gone down the mine too. I was a little scared to be so many meters down, but it's worth it. The lamps are beautiful, the sculptures beautiful, the economic, social and cultural history. I loved the souvenirs, I usually collect souvenirs of that type. Thank you for sharing and taking us on that journey.
Thank you @yanerkidiaz 😇
The sculptures were so great, and the chandeliers - amazing!
I was not scared because it was very deep, but the stairs were demanding, too many of them. Luckily we got an elevator to go up to the surface again :D
Incredible that such a wonder exists beneath the earth 😍, and even more incredible are the works of art that you show us. Who could have imagined that there would be such an 'art gallery' underground? I had read about that mine, but reading your article is like being there😃. Thank you for sharing this dizzy experience😅. However, it's a tremendous exercise with so many stairs and so little space😐. I don't know if I could do it😅
Hey you! Glad to see you back :)
Dizzy experience, haha, too many stairs and we went too quickly. I had to slow down a bit 😇
Thank you for coming with us on this little excursion to Wieliczka, I am glad you liked it 🤓
Un saludo!
THe pictures are so nice! And this place looks really mysterious and quite fascinating :D
Besides, the chandelier is great and thinking that this place was crowded like an ant-farm, full of workers makes me wondering how that place got dismantled and why. It's always intriguing me thinking why some working places/houses are left behind abandoned
I didn't think about it as a mysterious place, but now when you say... there were those legends, maybe some of them were true 😅
The little elevator that we used to go to the surface was even more claustrophobic :D
We went in a group so it was also an additional thing I really liked about this excursion!
it seems like it has a great history.
It has indeed. Seven centuries and all that happened during that time
This is a wow, dear mipiano
380 stairs is a long one. I really can't imagine myself going that far, hehe. Well, your images were stunningly taken. I have been aware of how spacious wieliczca can be with many corridors. Seems like an amazing place to be
Sorry! Trying to figure out if you're a pianist. Hehe, well good to see your post, I'm lost here, just wandering all around the blockchain, looking for somewhere to settle. Currently crafting my intro post anyway!
The good side was that we had to take the stairs just while going down. Still, I felt the muscles in my legs the next day 😂
Yes, I am a pianist 🎶
Ouch! Sorry for the pain. Apart from that I'm sure it's a good thing you go with your hive friends.
Good to know, then.
I was waiting for someone to finally write about the salt mine. It's such a wonderful place and love reading that you found it just as awesome.
The stairs! The fear in me that we'd have to take it back up, I tell you 😆
I loved the Chapel. A 3 person mission. It is simply incredible. So much work and will power in that work.
Finally, I wrote it. Seems the first in this task lol :)))
It was a lot of work actually, to sort out the photos and organize and also remember some of the facts. The guide was great though, and how she remembered the name of @priyanarc 😂 Twice
That is still a question and I guess I won't find the answer :D... I was also curious how she remembered my real name actually :D
She was careful and attentive not to lose some people from the group she was responsible for. and she also remembered your smile :)
I must admit she was a good guide indeed and explained almost everything. The salt mine is worthy to visit, a well-preserved, clean, and historical location indeed.
Agree, she was good. Sometimes she talked just too quickly hahah, but we had to go fast, there were many groups, so it is understandable :)
Wow, interesting place. I would definitely like to visit this place ☺️ Thank you for sharing with us ☺️
It was cool. I can recommend visiting it 😇
A fascinating place, I had never heard of its existence... An article worthy of a specialized magazine.... Excellent! THANKS for sharing @mipiano friend!
!discovery 35
!PIZZA
Thank you so much for your opinion about this article, @jlinaresp 🤗
I enjoyed going on this salt mine excursion, mucho 😉
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This place is wonderful and it is looking quite scary to me even though I don't know why
I think I love the way they gave numbers to each level so that you will know the level you got to in that adventure
Yes, the levels had nu,bers, though you have to arrive all the way down to be able to walk in those corridors.
This journey into the depths of Wieliczka is extremely charming. Through it I can even imagine the smell of the place. I even know that your heart must have pounded a few times in there. I know, it would have been the same for me. You got dizzy! You were probably so impressed that you forgot to breathe for a moment.
Thank you for showing us so much wonder and always giving us great moments through your posts.
chocolate with salt? 😳😋 Bueno, cada vez que preparo mi leche con café o con chocolate siempre le pongo una pizca de sal. La sal es vida. Amo la sal. (of course, everything with measure)
Is it? Smell? There were people (well, one who told me that) who felt the salty feeling on their lips. The dizziness was because of those narrow stairs, and going down so many stairs and levels quickly. I had to slow down a bit - it was like a rollercoaster haha
There were also other types of chocolate, with more ingredients and all with a bit of salt. Of course, as we were in a salt mine 😌
Yes, I think it smells like wood and salt. But not like new wood smells, not like damp wood smells... it must be something like a half-sweet, aged smell.
El mareo muchas veces se debe a que el cerebro no recibe suficiente oxígeno o glucosa. 🤓 Los chocolates tenías que comerlos antes o durante. Jajaja...ha hablado la Dra. Chiringa.
This place is absolutely wonderful, I was crazy about it! I want to go!
I liked everything, I looked at the pictures and I felt like I was being transported to that underground world.... I have too much imagination.
The chandeliers on the ceiling are so beautiful, every tunnel, every corner. Absolute genius, I want more of this! Ahh it didn't stop.
I want chocolate.
Great @mipiano! I was delighted, thanks for the tour!❤️
You know now where it is ;))
First, you have to fly to Krakow and then there is a train that goes to Wieliczka. But in good company is better :))
For the moment I travel with your publication, later I will see hahaha but I loved it!❤️
I remember reading that you all were going to salt mine but I didn't realize at the time it would be this amazing with all the sculptures and other things. Oh holy cripes 🙏 on all the stairs, haha.
I didn't know it either. I didn't check how this mine would be, so it was a nice surprise :))
The stair's ride was crazy :D
I already forgot many information because of my short-term memory, lol... You have provided so many important details and wrote almost everything about the mine. I think there were 370 stairs (approx). Well, after 2 hours of excursion, most of us were hungry and tired :D
Thanks you for sharing such a great memory of Hivebeecon...
I bet there is a lot more to say, though I gave my best to bring it back to my mind and write it down here. My son is already using the little key pendant, a dwarf 😇
Yeah, a bit hungry, but the lunch in that restaurant in Wieliczka was really good!! 🤓
That's so sweet, I bought a nice souvenir and will share it later.
The lunch was divine and I took the delicious banana and chocolate crepe and it was good.
Ah, you had a sweet version.
We got that pumpkin soup which was delicious and a salty version of crepe, though it was too much for me, I gave away the half as I couldn't finish it (but it was tasty)
What a peculiar place. I don't think anyone would imagine finding such beauty in a salt mine so many meters underground. I would love to visit it. Although I would prefer the climb up the stairs, that elevator doesn't really tickle my fancy 😬. Thanks for sharing your experience and those images. The photo of the stairs makes me dizzy from looking at them 😵. Happy week.
I think it would be very hard to climb up so many stairs 😅
But yes, the elevator was a tiny metal box, like a sardine can - for 8 people 😁
All the more reason to climb the stairs!!!!🤣. Happy day.
😂😂😂
Feliz día igualmente :)
Walking those 370 stairs seem like a workout to me. The chandelier is magnificent. Impressive place with a great history.
Hahah, indeed, it was like a workout. The very next day we felt the effect of it in our legs 😁
You took so many photos! And you remember so many details even though you were sort of lost while going down 😂
We didn't buy any souvenirs as I hope to get there one more time, so I have a bit of motivation 😊 Have you tried the chocolate yet?
I took many photos, but still less than I wanted to hahaha 😂
The chocolate - we will open it when my friend who likes chocolate a lot visits us (she doesn't live in the same city as we do) 🍫
😇
It was nice to see the inside of the mine again. I visited it when I was a kid and still remember quit many things, the chandelier too but most likely a bunch of things has been added since then. That tote bad is 😍
Oh, you visited it as a child? Cool!
So you see a difference? I guess it is to make it each time more interesting to the tourists... 😅
It was hard to choose a bag, as they were all nice 😊
Going to such a place is more happiness than a person is thinking that it will be beautiful and will enjoy going there, when he reaches there, the place is very beautiful and there are many new things to see. Things to learn so glad you are having so much fun.
I was happy that it was positive surprise 😃
Thanks ❤️
A really wonderful experience. Thank you for sharing to us. Photos are really marvelous. ❤️
It was wonderful, indeed! I did not expect it at all 🤓
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