Monday, August 10, 2015

Czesc everyone,

 Next we went to the town of Wieliczka to see its famous salt mine. It was one of the most amazing places I've ever been to. Definitely a recommendation for vacationers!! The mine is over 800 yrs old and there are 2,000 chambers and almost 200 miles of tunnels. The local artisans and miners carved out elaborate art in each chamber, they did it for the local village and they even had cathedrals in the mine where locals held Sunday mass and also were married.  Many chambers in the mine took about a century to complete; 30 years to dig out and 70 years to carve out all the beautiful art and sculptures. All of the chambers are made entirely out of salt rock except the chandeliers(which were made out of wood and salt rock).  It is still a working salt mine however they stopped digging in 1996, they only process the brine now.  This is one of the original UNESCO World Heritage sites.  It was a great day filled with a lot of history!!! I'll keep you posted for more!!

 
 
<3 Lauren
 
 
 
Walking down the mine shaft to the first chamber

The St. Kinga's chapel chamber

One of the elaborate carvings

The Virgin Mary


Salt carving of the Last Supper

Princess Kinga receiving her ring; This is a carving of a polish folklore 
 
The Nativity
 

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