The deepest tourist route in Europe and one of the deepest in the world. Moreover, it might be the one of a kind opportunity to see real miners extracting rock salt. Where? In Greater Poland! In Kłodawa precisely. The Kłodawa Salt Mine is our only deep mine. It’s unique because all its corridors and caverns were carved from solid salt.
Thanks to the discovery of vast deposits of rock salt, Kłodawa transformed from a small farming town into a mining center. Salt from the Kłodawa deposits has significant value not only for industrial purposes but also for culinary and medicinal use (it contains plenty of beneficial minerals). Kłodawa salt isn’t exclusively white as some deposits have a unique chemical composition and a pink hue, basically identical to that of the famous and very expensive Himalayan salt.
The first mineshaft was named “Michał”. Salt extraction takes place there on two levels: 600 and 750 meters below the surface. Although the mine is still operational and salt is still being extracted, the underground mine workings are open to visitors. The elevator travels at a speed of 6 meters per second and descends to the depth of 600 meters underground, which is several times more than in the most famous mine in Wieliczka. During the tour, you can see tunnels carved in salt, give a look to the now-disused workings, and admire the Chapel of St. Kinga, patroness of salt miners. One of the disused saltworks, a vast hall, has extraordinary acoustics and serves as a symphony concert hall.
Visiting the mine
Although the temperature during the tour, around 20 degrees Celsius, remains constant, it’s advisable to bring a jacket or sweatshirt and wear good, sturdy shoes. Importantly, the mine is open to visitors only during the week! Tours are conducted by guides who are often retired miners.
The tour lasts approximately 2 hours and begins at the specially built Visitor Service Center. Each participant receives a helmet and safety goggles. There is a cloakroom, restrooms and a well-stocked souvenir shop.
