The Wieliczka Salt Mine was built in the 13th century and produced table salt continuously until 2007, as one of the world's oldest salt mines still in operation. Commercial mining was discontinued in 1996 due to low salt prices and mine flooding. The mine's attractions include dozens of statues, three chapels and an entire cathedral that has been carved out of the rock salt by the miners. The oldest sculptures are augmented by the new carvings by contemporary artists. About 1.2 million people visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine annually. The Wieliczka Salt Mine reaches a depth of 327 meters (1,073 feet) and is over 300 kilometers (190 miles) long. The rock salt is naturally gray in various shades, resembling unpolished granite rather than the white or crystalline look that many visitors may expect. The mine features an underground lake and also houses a private rehabilitation and wellness complex. The Wieliczka mine is often referred to as "the Underground Salt Cathedral of Poland." In 1978 it was placed on the original UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. (after Wikipedia)

We had tried twice on our previous trip to Kraków to visit the mine, but our car broke down the first time and we ran out of time the second, so were determined to see it this time around. We descended 810 steps to the third level -- 135 meters below the ground and 200 meters above sea level since the mine is located in the mountains -- which is as far as tourists are allowed to go. There are a total of seven levels in this mine.

I complain about churches being too dark to photograph, but this mine was a new challenge entirely. The salt looks like granite, but it's hard to tell now what color anything really was at that depth and in varying kinds of light (or almost no light in some cases), so color may vary between pictures and from reality.