We started today with a tour to the Wieliczka Salt Mines. In fact we started with a bit of a sleep in after our long day and drive yesterday as we had received an email last night from the tour company saying they wouldn’t be picking us up until 9.50am for the tour. So we had a nice breakfast in the hotel and were packed up ready to go when the phone in our room rang – the pickup was a bit early.
We had 6 others in the bus – 4 from the USA (which we later found out was New Hampshire) and 2 ladies from unknown origin (they were on the “English speaking” tour but spoke another language between themselves). After a drive of about 25 minutes, our driver left us with the tour guide and we set off down the mine. The mine opened in the 13th century and produced table salt continuously until 2007, as one of the world’s oldest salt mines in operation. The mine includes dozens of statues and four chapels carved out of the rock salt by the miners. The older sculptures have been supplemented with new carvings made by contemporary artists. Overall, the mine reaches depths of 327 metres and is 287 kilometres long.
Salt sculptures in the mine
Poland’s favourite son – carved in salt
The cathedral room – carved from salt – more than 90 metres undergound
Everything carved from salt – except Adrienne of course !
The section we did went down to about 135 metres – about 800 steps down in all – and only covered about 1% of the total mine area. Thankfully, there was a lift up at the other end ! The salt in its natural form is a greyish colour. We didn’t know what to expect from the tour – certainly not the grey colour – however it was very interesting and some of the sculptures quite amazing. When we finished the tour, our driver was waiting to take us back into town.
After a quick stop at the hotel, we set out on Adrienne’s Krakow walking tour. The crowds had died down a bit from yesterday, however as we found during the walk, Sunday is “make a lot of noise and get drunk” day and Monday is “school excursion” day – there were thousands and thousands of kids on excursions around the town ! Our first stop was the St Mary’s Basilica. The interior is Gothic in style and quite magnificent with its rich blue ceilings. One quirk we have found is a lot of places charge you an entry fee and then they also charge you an additional fee if you want to take photos/video – a bit bizarre ! St Mary’s was worth the extra charge though.
Inside St Mary’s
From St Mary’s we looked around the square a bit more – it was a bit more visible today without the markets and number of visitors – and then headed to the main attraction of the city – Wawel Castle. But first we passed St Francis Basilica which was Pope John Paul II’s home church before becoming Pope. His original residence – his “home away from Rome” – was across the road and he used it when he visited Krakow whilst Pope. On the night he passed away in Rome, 10,000 people were in the street outside this residence listening to a broadcast of Mass from Rome. When his death was announced, everyone simultaneously fell to their knees in silence and for days after, thousands continued to pay homage to the man they considered to be the greatest Pole.
Pope John Paul II’s former home – still a place of pilgrammage
Wawel Hill and the castle which stands on it is a symbol of Polish royalty and independence and is considered sacred territory to all Polish people. A castle has stood here since the beginning of recorded Polish history. The massive cathedral – the Polish version of Westminster Abbey – has vast additions with visible changes in style from the 12th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th century.
At Wawel Castle – the statute is of Tadeusz Kosciuszko – of Mt Kosciuszko fame !
The various changing styles of the additions over the centuries
The castle grounds are also huge with remnants of additional churches and fortifications as the castle was taken over by various invaders over the centuries. Its high point overlooks the Vistula River, which flows through Poland and has been important through its history for trade and culture.
View over the Vistula River – the high point just left of centre is “Kosciuszko Mound” – he already used his “mountain” on us !
With our legs beginning to get weary, we headed back into town and the Old Town Square to find a restaurant for an early dinner and to people watch for a while. We then made our way back to the hotel after an energetic day.
A big head in the square – “say no more” !
Tomorrow is likely to be much more sombre as we visit the memorial of Auschwitz – Birckenau Concentration Camp…
Today’s “Tour Trivia” – The Fiat was the first mass produced car in Poland.