Нужен пересказ текста () near cracow, in southern poland, is the wieliczka salt mine. not much can be seen above the surface, but visitors are taken down into a hidden world of natural and manmade wonders. according to a 700-year-old legend, a princess called the blessed kinga threw her ring into a salt mine at marmaros in hungary. while travelling from marmaros to cracow, she stopped at wieliczka and her servants were told to dig a well. instead of water, salt was discovered - and in the first lump of salt which was taken out, kinga`s ring was found! the legend is just a story - but it is true that for over seven centuries salt has been mined from the rock below the town of wieliczka. the salt used to be dug out by hand, and until 1620 it was carried up to the surface by the miners. after that date, horses were used to carry the salt out, but the work was still very dangerous and many miners were killed or injured. the constant danger made the miners deeply religious and chapels were constructed undergroung where church services were held. after a chapel was destroyed by fire in 1697, miners were not allowed to take wooden statues into the mine, so they began to carve sculptures from rock salt. nowadays visitors are shown how salt was mined long ago, and can see the enormous chambers which have been dug out of the solid rock. they can also see pretty green lakes, and chapeles with beautiful carvings. the walls and floor of the chapel, as well as the lovely statues it contains, have been carved from rock salt. a special attraction is the chapel of the blessed kinga, which was made by the miners themselves in a chamber 100 meters undergroung. you will be amazed by these unforgettable sights, which should definitely not be missed by any visitor to the cracow area.
According to legend, a one princess threw her ring into a salt mine, then she stopped at Wieliczka and her servants were told to dig a well. Instead of water, salt was discovered and her ring was found!
After that salt has been mined from the rock below the town of Wieliczka. People were religious because the salt used to be dug out by hand or with horses and the work was dangerous, so that churches were constructed undergroung.
Nowadays visitors are shown how salt was mined long ago. They can also see pretty green lakes, and chapeles, which walls and floor have been carved from rock salt. So, everyone should see this beautiful place!