Kulturka

Wieliczka The Jewel of Poland

There is a salt kingdom, hidden deep beneath the ground. Over 300 kilometers of corridors, three thousand chambers, nine levels, cha pels and lakes ? all subterranean traces of miner toil. Seeing it all would require over two hundred hours. Unusual and unique artif act of Polish culture possesses unspoken historical and natural value. It is one of the world?s very few mining preserves and living museums, and since 1978 on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is full of art. There is even a monument to John Paul II. The undergr ound teems with life. Close to a million tourists come through here annually. Wieliczka is a priceless gem. It has got no equals any where in the world. Just as Wieliczka is permanently connected with St Kinga, the town?s history goes hand in hand with the mine. Th roughout the centuries Wieliczka continued bringing great wealth to the Polish Republic. This volume shows the beauty and uniqueness of both, the aboveground city, and the one chiseled in salt below. The photographs of Adam Bujak, made with the help of the latest digital technology, wonderfully and faithfully capture the site?s magic and beauty. What is even more difficult, they capture the tr ue colors of this salty abyss.