Wieliczka is the small city in Malopolska, with about 19 thousands city dwellers. Located 12 km from the South East of Cracow, lies in a valley between two hills of “Pogorze Wielickie”.
Useful communication infrastructure and beautiful monuments causes that Wieliczka is the second, after Cracow, the most willingly visited city of Malopolska. History of Wieliczka is closely connected with a discovery of rock salt in this region in XII-th century. According to archeological surveys a salt around Wieliczka was worked in 3500-2500 years B.C., but the first notification in documents is from 1123-1125 years period. The name of Wieliczka comes from Latin “Magnum Sal” (Big Salt, in Polish – Wielka Sól). During times it was stopped using of word “Sól” in the name of the city and the word “Wielka” was changed into “Wieliczka”.

In 1290 year The Prince Przemyslaw II allowed brothers Jesk and Hysinbold to settle a city in the „Big Salt” and he set them first village-mayors. Starting the history of Wieliczka Castle, the location of “Cracovian Żup” - connected salt works and salt mines in Wieliczka and Bochnia - is dated in XIII-th century. Increasing income from the salt mine was the third party of national income. It allowed not only to keep the king family, but also made Wieliczka famous all over the World. Income from the salt mine allowed to build and restore monasteries and churches, i.a. The Wawel Castle. The King Casimir The Great included Wieliczka into the Court of Six Cities, gathering: Cracow, Sacz, Bochnia, Olkusz, Kazimierz and Wieliczka. During his reign it was shaped a special chessboard building system and the city was surrounded by baileys. At the turn of the XV-th and XVI-th century there were come first visitors into the salt mine. One of them was Mikolaj Kopernik. XVII-th century was a time of many disasters for Wieliczka. First it was crushed and burned by Sweden, next there was an epidemic in the city. In 1772 year Wieliczka was occupied by Austrian and became independent just in 1918 year. In 1939 year there was started German occupation in Wieliczka.

The most attractive in Wieliczka is the salt mine, written by UNESCO in the first List of Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1978 year. A few years later, in 1989 year, Wieliczka was located in the List of World Heritage in Danger too. Salt Mine in Wieliczka is the one minor object in the World, which illustrates development of minor techniques, starting from medieval times, up to today. The oldest part in the salt mine becomes from XIII-th century. Located near the city the salt mine stretches into the area of 300 km and connecting 3000 workings, located in nine levels, which the digest is 327 meters under the ground. The Salt Mine is one of the most willingly visited tourist attractions in Poland, with about 1 million tourists every year.

Tourist route are stretched into three high levels, in which located are crystal caves, underground salt lakes, wonderful chapels, including huge and beautiful decorated Chamber of Princess Kinga with a huge amount of salt statues and reliefs. A big attraction is the Museum of “Cracovian Zup”, located in a complex of 13 rooms, in which are gathered many museum pieces in departments of material culture, history, archeology and geology. For visitors available are 20 rooms, located from 64 to 135 meters in depth and the time of visiting is around 2 hours.

The Salt Mine in Wieliczka has its own unique microclimate: a huge humidity and content of salt, fixed temperature (9-12 °C), a huge content of manganese, magnesium and calcium in the air and also pressure, ionization, light emission. These conditions are suitable for people with illness of respiratory tracks and allergies, so there are organized rehabilitation periods in the salt mine. There are also organized conferences, banquets, balls, weddings, concerts, sport events in the salt main.