See also
See more
Saltworks Castle in Wieliczka
The Saltworks Castle in Wieliczka was the historical seat of the mine’s management board between the 13th century and 1945. Currently, the facility is made available to tourists (partially) and is the official seat of the Cracow Saltworks of Wieliczka.
See: history of the Saltworks Castle
Exhibitions in the Saltworks Castle in Wieliczka:
1. Central Castle: the oldest structure of the castle complex, called “The House Amidst the Salt Mine”, was built at the end of the 13th century. It is currently open to tourists. This part of the castle houses three permanent exhibitions devoted to archaeology, history of the city, a collection of saltcellars and the Gothic Room (representative room) and a room with temporary exhibitions.
Archaeological exhibition: located in the original castle cellars. It presents the history of settlement in Wieliczka and its neighbouring region (from the Middle Stone Age to the Middle Ages), a maquette showing the Central Castle in its initial period of existence and the history of the place in photographs.
Historical exhibition: presents a number of issues related with the city’s history: guilds that operated here, profiles of outstanding inhabitants of Wieliczka, history of the local mining school and a dazzling maquette presenting the city in the middle of the 19th century.
Gothic Room: the most representative room of the Saltworks Castle, also known as the “Municipal Chamber”, with a ribbed vault supported by a single pillar with original elements incorporated into the structure.
"Saltcellars: Tiny Masterpieces" - New Exhibition in the Saltworks Castle in Wieliczka
An eagle carrying away a small cup on its outstretched wings, angels riding a richly decorated swan sleigh or holding salt cups high up as if they were Olympic torches, a beautifully adorned throne with a sentence engraved on the seat, a funny monkey holding salt containers in its hands, a cornucopia, shells with spoons also shaped as beautiful shells: these are only some examples from the numerous group of saltcellars, presented for the first time at the newly-opened largest Polish exhibition entitled “Saltcellars: Tiny Masterpieces” in Wieliczka The Cracow Saltworks Museum (specifically in the Saltworks Castle in Wieliczka). New exhibits joined the group of those which have formed a part of the collection for a while: gilded ships with sailors, a sleigh with a little boy, a shell with an angel, a car, a plane, a locomotive, an entire group of stunning and valuable figural Meissen saltcellars and numerous others.
In the new exhibition, attention is drawn to the huge saltcellar in its very centre, with two containers for spices. This is an original display cabinet used to present valuable saltcellars from the museum collection. This is a starting point from which visitors commence admiration of unique shapes and meticulous execution of these tiny items which fully deserve the name of masterpieces. They adorned tables and provided an exceptional “vestment” for salt - a spice that gave dishes their excellent taste. Therefore, it is not surprising that they became a very rewarding collector’s item.
2. Northern Castle: formerly known as “The Salt Mine House”, established in the 14th century, not open to tourists.
See: history of the Saltworks Castle
3. Central Castle: built in the 19th century. It used to house utility rooms, the living quarters of the janitor and a fire brigade headquarters, as well as a storage of fire-extinguishing equipment; it was adapted for the Museum’s purposes and the “Królewska” Restaurant, which operates here.
4. 14th century tower: the only facility of this type preserved in Medieval urban fortifications. During the reign of Casimir the Great, the city was surrounded with walls with two gates and nineteen towers. Currently, the tower is open to tourists. Inside it is possible to see photographs presenting its former and current appearance. The windows provide a view onto the castle and a panorama of Wieliczka.
5. Shaft: the oldest mining shaft in Wieliczka from the middle of the 13th century. Its floor projection is in the shape of a rectangle with dimensions of 3.4 m x 2.4 m. Its actual depth remains unknown (research was stopped at a depth of 7 m); it is assumed that its deepening was completed before it reached the salt deposit.
6. Walls of the former Saltworks kitchen in Wieliczka (15th century): the walls of the first “mass catering facility” were reconstructed in the castle courtyard; the administrators of the Saltworks and the salt buyers who transported it over land received free meals here.
7. Defence Wall from the end of the 13th century, open to tourists.
|