Discover the history of the Oldest Salt Mine
in Poland

The beginnings of the Bochnia mine as an extraction enterprise date back to 1248. As a royal enterprise, the mine brought enormous profits. In 1368, King Casimir the Great issued a document known as the Saltworks Statute. It defined the organizational and legal principles governing the sale of salt.

The oldest mining shafts in Bochnia are the Sutoris and Gazaris shafts. It is the Bochnia mine and the Sutoris shaft that are linked to the legend of Saint Kinga’s ring. The 15th and 16th centuries were a period of significant development for the mine. During this time, the Regis, Bochneris, and Campi shafts were established. In the 17th century, due to wars and economic decline, the development of the enterprise was halted.

The Bochnia Salt Mine is the greatest treasure of the Bochnia region. Thanks to its salt deposits, the city of Bochnia became one of the most important economic centers of medieval Lesser Poland. With each passing century, the Bochnia Salt Mine left a significant impact on the history of the city, its urban development, as well as the history of entrepreneurship, industrial growth, and society.

Currently, the mine operates as a modern center that combines tradition with innovative solutions. Since the 1990s, it has been engaged in tourism, welcoming nearly 170,000 visitors annually—a number that continues to grow. Tourists can explore both the tourist route and the historical route. The Bochnia mine stands out among other sites of its kind in Poland, being the only one to offer an underground boat crossing. Due to its unique historical and cultural value, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013.