The Wieliczka mine is located in the city of Wieliczka, in the metropolitan area of Krakow, Poland. The mine has existed for many centuries and was exploited by miners who went deep in search of a precious and abandoned element: salt. The peculiarity of the mine, in spite of what we can imagine, consists in the presence of large rooms, we can define them as halls for how large they are and how they are furnished. The most extravagant miners, spending whole days in the depths of the mine, in moments of rest or leisure have delighted in the creation of small works such as statues or candelabra or ornamental pieces composed entirely of salt.
The mine sinks over 300 meters below ground level and is made up of an intricate network of tunnels and alleys, so it would be easy to get lost if you proceeded without directions. Some rooms created and carved out of salt are so large and well appointed that I personally had a hard time believing that everything was made of salt. Nostalgia for home and family has encouraged the workers to create small objects that recall their home and their families, others have wanted to exaggerate in creating columns or monuments to imagine rich and powerful men, masters of an empire but of salt.
Living for many days in large aseptic caves would have driven many workers to insanity and depression, and taking the time to decorate their workplace has had enormous benefits for morale. The miners' ability to sculpt and work the salt in those conditions and with artificial light such as lanterns is impressive. The details are incredible and many monuments such as the columns really look like marble in both shape and effect, the shimmer of the salt looks identical to that of the marble stone.
The monumental columns therefore that embellish some large rooms seem to be in marble, so the craftsmen have been meticulous in the construction, creating some effects such as veins. Some salons appear to have been the residences of kings or wealthy lords and it is truly amazing to observe what the miners have created simply with salt. The routes are challenging but each room is a source of amazement to me for the beauty of the contents. The air, despite the ventilation system, is heavy and some rooms and corridors are a little narrow, a problem for those suffering from claustrophobia. It was truly amazing to discover this underground world made entirely of salt and underline how creative art can be despite the materials available.
