Salt Cathedral

I was watching an old Rick Steeves Travel show on PBS this evening and he was visiting an amazing site in Poland and a place I'd never heard of. A salt-cathedral. I was amazed by the work done in these underground mines, which are around a mile underground. So, I thought I would check it out.

Built in the 13th century, the Wieliczka Mine in Poland, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, produced table salt continuously until 2007. Throughout its history as an active mine, miners were creating works of art and entire rooms hewn out of the salt rock, including the Chapel of Saint Kinga, 13th century daughter of a Hungarian king and patron saint of Poland and Lithuania. 

An entire Catholic Cathedral as been carved out of the salt rock. Note the floors and illuminated salt rock chandeliers.

Over time, artists were brought in to create more elaborate works, such as this re-creation of DaVinci's Last Supper in salt-relief.

Busy salt miners in St. Kinga's Shaft Bottom of the mine (photo by Adam Kumiszcza)

This rock salt chandelier at St. Kinga's Chapel rivals anything in crystal. Photo by DimitriB

Above photos courtesy of Wikipedia

Apparently, to make the "crystal" chandelier, the rock salt was melted down and impurities were removed. The salt was then reconstituted into glassy "crystals" and then electrified.

St. Kinga herself, holding a block of salt and behind glass for her protection.

Above photos by TeachandLearn on Flickr.

Have you ever seen anything like this in your travels? Would love to hear about it!

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