Wieliczka is a town of approximately 20,000 people, located in Krakow’s metropolitan area in southern Poland. Though currently located in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (a province in Poland), it was previously a part of the Krakow Voivodeship between 1975 and 1998. Wieliczka was founded over 800 years ago, in 1290, by Duke Premislas II of Poland, who would later serve as king.

Wieliczka is primarily known for its salt mines, which have existed as long as, and probably longer than, the town surrounding them. Indeed the town sprang up primarily to accommodate the workers in the mine. It served as a major reserve for salt in Poland until just recently, and is among the oldest salt mines in the world, overshadowed only by a nearby mine in Bochnia. Unlike the mine at Bochnia, however, Wieliczka’s mine has closed operations (and has been closed since 1996, due mainly to drops in salt prices and some flooding problems) and is there primarily as a source of wonder for tourists.

The Wieliczka mine reaches a total depth of over 320 meters, stretching over 300 kilometers long with all caverns taken into account. Though the mine is open for tourists, however, not every part of the mine is accessible. Sight seers are mostly restricted to a three and a half kilometer trail through the mines, featuring a variety of statues and crystal chandeliers. Every sculpture found in the mine has been made from the same rock salt that was previously excavated from the mine for commercial purposes.

The mine (along with the Bochnia mine) is such a tourist trap because it is essentially an underground town. Composed of 150 levels, the Wieliczka mine is filled with a variety of chapels and a lake. At one point during the Second World War the mine was actually used as a facility for production plants by the occupying German army (Poland was captured in September 1939, effectively beginning the war), so vast were its tunnels. Its huge vaults and religious iconography have earned Wieliczka Mine the title of “The Underground Salt Cathedral of Poland”.

Because of the mine Wieliczka yearly plays host to over one million tourists every year. Also because of the mine a number of famous people have visited the town. Their numbers include astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, German explorer Alexander von Humbholdt, former Prime Minister of Poland Ignacy Jan Paderwski (in office in 1919), mathematician and BBC personality Jacob Bronowski (parts of his documentary, The Ascent of Man, were filmed in the mine) and former president of the United States Bill Clinton. The mines also served as inspiration for the historical novel Pharaoh, written by Boleslaw Prus, a Polish journalist.

As of 1978 the Wieliczka salt mine has been placed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. These sites are considered vital to maintaining the sense of culture of the country in which they exist, and as such are granted protection and funds for their upkeep. As the Wieliczka mine plays a huge part in Poland’s tourism industry, however, it’s unlikely that the government would ever allow the mine to go to ruin.