World Heritage Identification Number: 32
World Heritage since: 1978
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇵🇱 Poland
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines: A Journey Through Time in Southern Poland
The Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, offer a unique glimpse into the rich history of salt mining in Europe. Located in the towns of Wieliczka and Bochnia, near Kraków in southern Poland, these mines represent one of the oldest and most significant industrial endeavors in the continent's history.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The deposit of rock salt in Wieliczka and Bochnia has been mined since the 13th century. This major industrial undertaking has royal status and is the oldest of its type in Europe. The site is a serial property consisting of Wieliczka and Bochnia salt mines and Wieliczka Saltworks Castle. The Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines illustrate the historic stages of the development of mining techniques in Europe from the 13th to the 20th centuries: both mines have hundreds of kilometers of galleries with works of art, underground chapels and statues sculpted in the salt, making a fascinating pilgrimage into the past. The mines were administratively and technically run by Wieliczka Saltworks Castle, which dates from the medieval period and has been rebuilt several times in the course of its history.
Encyclopedia Record: Wieliczka Salt Mine
The Wieliczka Salt Mine is a salt mine in the town of Wieliczka, near Kraków in southern Poland.Additional Site Details
Area: 1,104.947 hectares
Coordinates: 49.9791666667 , 20.0638888889
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© C messier, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
