Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The underground salt kingdom that became one of Europe’s strangest
attractions
First excavated in the 13th century, the Wieliczka Salt Mine in the
southeast of Krakow, Poland, is a historical salt mine. Though mining ceased in
1996, it still produces more than 10,000 tons of salt annually by evaporating underground
salt water. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, drawing as many as two
million visitors a year. They can descend 380 steps or ride an elevator to
labyrinthine passageways to preserved chambers hollowed out from the rock by
hand. Inside the mine, 99% of the rock is salt, and visitors are encouraged to
lick it to taste it. There are many chambers, sculptures, and displays, all
created by salt to allure visitors. Indeed, salt is essential to human life and
the economy. In the 14th century, revenue from extraction accounted for
as much as a third of Poland’s royal income. Today, the mine still produces
salt, employs nearly 400 miners for maintenance, and generates handsome tourism
revenues.
Read the article and see the amazing world of the salt mine.
No comments:
Post a Comment