That's Strange: What Lies Beneath…

Bewildered, I touched and tasted one of the walls of the chapel. Bingo! The tour guide was right. Indeed, the chapel was made of salt. “Rock salt”, he corrected.

Most of the tourists who visit The Wieliczka Salt Mine in Krakow in Poland will know precisely what I mean. Tirelessly constructed from as far back as the 13^th century to 2007 by miners, this underground territory with a depth of 327 meters is divided into three levels. You’ll find many wells, sculptures, labyrinths, excavations - all cut out of salt here.

On my way to Wieliczka, I had heard plenty of tales around this renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site and why I shouldn’t even think of missing it! So, driven more by ‘what’s the big deal’ than by my usual love for sightseeing, I reached the famous Wieliczka Salt Mine after a 30 minute drive from Krakow. Honestly, at first glance I was a tad disappointed. The place looked like any ordinary house in Poland. However, as I stepped inside, my feelings transformed. It was a mystical black world I had walked in to. The dark colour was due to the rock salt present in its natural form. Up next was the staircase to go further down. After all, 380 steps is not a joke. For me, the only driving force to take these steps was a 17^th century constructed elevator Danilowicz Shaft that would bring me back up to the surface in a matter of 30 seconds!

I finally reached the chapel. There were remarkable statues like that of Pope John Paul II but it was the rendition of Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper that stunned me. Each expression and every detail in the famous painting was impeccably yet unbelievably etched in salt. Who knew that a mere food ingredient could be used to carve out such brilliant sculptures!
 

 

However, it were the chandeliers made from salt (again!) that completely took my breath away. True masterpieces in every sense of the word, these were something I had never imagined let alone witnessed. There was also an underground museum and a display of adorable dwarfs who had an uncanny resemblance to the ones mentioned in Snow White.
 

 

By the time my tour came to an end, I could feel salt on my skin. You just can’t help escaping it as it’s all in the air. Rightly said, there are some places that leave a mark on your mind but this one definitely left a mark on my tongue! 

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