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The oldest salt mine in Poland
Bochnia is the oldest town of Małopolska. It was mentioned in a written sources for the first time in 1198 (at least up till that moment the salt had been extracted here). This mention was made by Monachus, the patriarch of Jerusalem, who confirmed that the knight, Nikor Gryfit passed some salt from Bochnia to the monastery in Miechów. This salt was worked and acquired from the saline sources which were numerous in this region. When the rock salt was discovered in 1248 by Wierzbięta Gryfit Bochnia was awarded civic rights on 27.02.1253 by Bolesław Wstydliwy. The settlement was called Bochnia and in the documents confirming its location we can find another name in German - Saltzberg, what means a mountain of salt. The salt mine in Bochnia is the oldest object of that kind in Poland and the oldest European industrial plant working since XIIIth century without a break. There is a legend of Saint Kinga’s ring connected with Bochnia: Bolesław, the Polish prince of Cracow and Sandomierz wanted to marry Hungarian princess, Kinga, and she asked her father not to give her any gold or jewellery as a dower because they are the ones that are followed by tears. She also didn’t want any servants because they seemed to be a sign of arrogance. She wished for herself only one treasure - salt, which she wanted to take as a gift for her future homeland. So the Hungarian king gave her the richest salt mine of Hungary. While she was assuming the mine, Kinga threw her engagement ring into the shaft and on her way to her husband’s land she decided to take experienced miners with her. She told them to look for a salt in Poland. When they finally found the salt in Bochnia, as it was written by Piotr Skarga "in the first block of salt was found a ring of Kinga”. The mine in Bochnia may be sight-seen along two routs: tourist and geological one.
TOURISTIC ROUTE: Covering the route takes about two hours and consists of: downhill run along the Sutoris Shaft, going through August (or through the Wernier level and then by Regis stairs), sight seeing Mysiur Stable, Dobosz and the Little Burnt Shaft, Chrystian chamber, treadmill chamber, Ważyn, St. Kinga’s chapel, Rabsztyn and Ważyn chambers. Departure from Cracow:9:00 a.m.
Return to Cracow: about 1:30 p.m.
Price: 120 PLN
Additional information: the price includes a cost of the journey, entrance charge, insurance and a guide.
Bringing customers from and back to the hotel. (Refers to the hotels in Cracow)
GEOLOGIC ROUTE: The oldest and the most mysterious parts of the salt mine were rendered accessible as a special tourist-geological route where you can get through severe parts of old pits and through the labyrinth of narrow rarely visited drifts. The expedition starts on the oldest level of the mine built in XIIth century and named Danilowiec(69 meters deep). Then it leads to Kalwaria descent which used to be a type of communicational connection between Sobieski level (212 meters deep) and having its end in a little 15 meters long shaft. This route is dedicated to brave, healthy and fit people. All the participants are going to get: a miner’s helmet, a torch, identity card.Hiking shoes required! Requirements for tourists!
Departure from Cracow:9:00 a.m.
Return to Cracow: about 1:30 p.m.
Price: 150 PLN
Additional information: the price includes a cost of the journey, entrance charge, insurance and a guide.
Bringing customers from and back to the hotel. (Refers to the hotels in Cracow)
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