Educational Pathway “Zrobotyzowani” in cooperation with Bochnia Salt Mine Ltd. – Bochnia Salt Mine “Technically” – that is, 9 hours of a shift with Zrobotyzowani ⚒️
Can you combine a love of photography, industrial heritage and the thrill of exploration? Zrobotyzowani prove that you can! On Saturday, 15 November 2025, a group of enthusiasts of technology and industrial tourism set off with us on an unforgettable journey 307 metres underground – to the Bochnia Salt Mine, the oldest salt mine in Poland (its origins date back to 1248). As part of the “Salt and Light” event, participants explored the secrets of Level V “Podmoście” of the Bochnia mine, an area normally closed to tourists. It was an exclusive expedition packed with unique attractions – from historic mining machinery, through an underground lake with the salinity of the Dead Sea, all the way to a ride on a mining train in age-old tunnels. All this unfolded in the raw, authentic atmosphere of a working salt mine, where history meets modernity 😃. Join us for a recap of this extraordinary photo walk that delivered impressions we’ll remember for a long time!
In short – the most exciting attractions we experienced underground:
- Access to normally closed areas:
We visited the engine room of the Campi shaft (normally off-limits to tourists) as well as historic corridors and chambers on Level V (“Podmoście”) – parts of the mine where darkness and silence usually reign. It was a truly unique opportunity to see much more than on the standard visitor route! - An underground boat trip:
We sailed by boat on a hidden underground lake in Chamber 81, 120 metres below ground. It is the only underground boat crossing of its kind in Europe – a brine lake with a salinity of about 32% (like the Dead Sea) that made a huge impression on us. - A ride on an authentic mining train:
We felt the wind in our hair (despite the helmets 😉) while riding several hundred metres through the mine’s tunnels in an original mining train. The clatter of steel wheels and the lights flickering in the darkness created a one-of-a-kind atmosphere! - The magic of salt and light in the lens:
The entire photo walk was an opportunity to capture incredible shots 📸. We framed lamplight dancing on salt crystals, historic locomotives covered in patina, spectacular salt chambers and raw, untouched corners of the mine where no regular tourist ever goes. - Lunch in the Ważyn Chamber:
We had a hot meal 250 metres below ground in the mine’s largest chamber – Ważyn. This impressive “grotto” is 255 metres long and houses, among other things, an underground restaurant, a dance floor, a sports field and up to 300 beds for guests! A break in such a unique place is an attraction in itself.
Mining lamps ready to go – in the lamp room of the Bochnia Salt Mine, each participant received their own set: a helmet, a battery-powered lamp and an escape apparatus in case of smoke. It made us feel like real miners before we even started our descent.
Before we went underground
From early morning that day, there was a buzz of excitement over Bochnia. Our meeting point was the building at the Campi shaft, where we quickly gathered, checked tickets, did a headcount – and then we just had to wait for our guides.
When, after a short wait, the staff of the Bochnia Salt Mine arrived – the people who were to be our guardians during the visit – it turned out that the tour plan they had with them differed slightly from the one we had agreed with the mine. That could mean only one thing: even more surprises ahead!
We began our exploration in the engine room of the Campi shaft – a place closed to the public and the only spot on the entire route where photography was not allowed. But what our camera sensors couldn’t capture, our memories did. Fortunately, questions were very welcome, so thanks to the hoist operator we learned a lot of details about the construction, drive, power, speed, durability, maintenance and emergency solutions used in the drive and braking systems.
For balance, on the other side of the shaft (it had been “rotated” at some point in its history) we saw a former steam engine that once worked the cages in a way similar to the current electric hoist. Interestingly, it is now coupled to an electric motor that can “spin it up”. There is no longer hot steam billowing everywhere, but even so, seeing the machine “at work” makes a strong impression. Here, photography was allowed, and it took us a good dozen minutes for everyone to capture the most interesting details.
No fun without safety (and the triangular tag)
Before we could go down, we had to become part of the mining crew. Because our plan involved leaving the standard tourist route and entering areas subject to strict mining regulations, we first completed mandatory training in the use of escape apparatus (a simple carbon monoxide filter which, under specific conditions, is designed to provide an hour to exit the danger zone). The rescue miner assured us that there had been no need to use them for a long time (here there is no risk of spontaneous combustion of the deposit, as can happen in hard coal mines). We also “interrogated” him about his work and saw his professional gear: a breathing apparatus with a 400-litre oxygen cylinder, which should allow about two hours of rescue operations. On the way out, some of us took photos of the detailed map of the mine hanging on the wall. Just in case…
Next came the lamp room – the magical moment of transforming into miners. We collected:
⛑️ Helmets (safety first!),
🔦 Mining lamps (without them you go nowhere in the dark),
🏃 Escape apparatus,
▲ A mining tag – a special triangular metal token with an identification number that is sacred in the mining trade, and at the same time signs you onto the “list of miners going underground”.
Do you know what a mining tag is? It’s a small metal plate stamped with a number. Each shape had its meaning in the mine’s hierarchy. A round tag – descent underground, a polygon – blasting authorisation. But the most important rule was the “clean board”. A tag still hanging on the board after the end of a shift shouted louder than any siren: someone stayed down below. That’s when the alarm was raised. That little piece of metal decided whether the rescue team would go after you.
Into the darkness – the start of our underground journey
Once we had our full kit from the lamp room, a mine road vehicle took us to the Sutoris shaft (Latin: the Shoemaker). As it was Saturday, the hoisting machine in this shaft was resting. What does that mean for Zrobotyzowani? Of course – a walk! We went down the stairs on foot to the “Danielowiec” level, located 70 metres below the surface. There, our guide outlined the history of the mine.
At its peak, the mine consisted of as many as 44 shafts, many of which turned out to be “unsuccessful” (they did not reach salt, so they were closed and secured). Over the years, some shafts were decommissioned, because today’s hoisting machines can reach great depths and miners no longer need to “change shafts” on the way down. Currently, the mine is served by three shafts: Campi and Sutoris (shafts handling traffic and “exhaust” ventilation – air escapes from the mine that way) and the Trinitatis shaft – the “intake” shaft (supplying fresh air into the tunnels; unfortunately we didn’t get to see it).
