Art In Action: Wieliczka Salt Mine
By Darla McCammon
Art can sometimes be found in the most unexpected and beautiful places.
Poland can claim one of these remarkable vistas. It is deep underground and is not widely known other than inside eastern Europe. My friend Lynda told me about this spectacular wonder. I am deeply grateful to her for introducing us to this magical place. This is the Wieliczka Salt Mine, which is easily the most unusual salt mine in the world. The miners of this salt were caretakers of something precious as they left behind astonishing crafted scenery while they also extracted the salt.
The salt part of the mine operation has been idle (except for the visitors who now swarm it to see the wonders) for 10 years now. The entrance looks rather ordinary, but well-kept outside. However, upon entering the depths, this salt mine holds special secrets for those visiting it. Today, it is an art gallery, a cathedral and an underground lake — all magnificent to see.
In the 12th century, the mine was opened by a local duke. The 20,000 citizens of Wieliczka supported this effort with the most heart-warming results. Not only did they carry out their salt duties but they created chapels, statues of religious and historical figures, and an incredible underground cathedral so carefully crafted one would have given credit to a Rembrandt or a Rubens.
I cannot print all the photos that depict this grandeur, but you need to search for Wieliczka Salt Mine and watch your screen populate with unbelievable craftsmanship and the obvious love that went into this underground miracle. Please do check it out and enjoy the slide show. It is unbelievable and it is undoubtedly a true work of art.
You will descend on your adventure by going down 150 meters of wooden steps. The size of the various caverns will impress you. As devout Catholics, this tribute is revered by the Polish people and their families today. This is a worship experience like none others and you will find even the chandeliers are constructed of salt. The rock salt was processed after being dissolved, then painstakingly cleaned of impurities, then turned into a reflective glass-like piece of the artwork that resulted. My words are inadequate to describe the luster, beauty and reverence with which these vaults, chambers, bas-reliefs and more were created.
The mine is open to visitors but the tours are restricted to four kilometers in length. This is only about one percent of the size of the entire mine, part of which is very slowly flooding. One of the slides you will wee is an incredible carving of Jesus reuniting with his disciples. He is showing Thomas, the doubter, the wounds on his wrists. The love and care that went into the variety of scenes and tributes is literally amazing.