Wieliczka - the myth

Once upon a time, hungarian princess Kinga was going to marry polish prince Boleslaw. She was a kind princess and wanted to make a gift to the polish people.

In those times, salt was more precious than silver and the kind princess decided to give to the polish people a salt mine. While still in her country, she dropped her engagement ring in a hungarian salt mine and then left for Poland.

Once in Poland she knew exactly where the polish people would find salt. The workers started digging and the first rock of salt they found had the kind Queen's engagement ring inside!

This is the story depicted by these salt statutes. The worker (on the right) presents Queen Kinga (on the left) with the first rock of salt they found. They are carved within the Wieliczka salt mine, south of Krakow. These and more statutes, were carved by mine workers on their free time. As we learned during the tour (highly recommended), the life of a salt mine worker wasn't always bad and the pay very was good.

More info and pictures to come!

cookie: licking the walls is permitted, but don't touch the statues!

Writen in stone

Education is a social good. It should be neither sold nor bought. So, in the area of the Jagellonian University in central Krakow you can find bookshelves on the walls.

Of course, sometimes knowledge might be very heavy! But our heroine, the mighty scholar, fears not! And here she is! Digging in stone for the next piece!

cookie: The Jagellonian University is the second oldest university north of the Alps.

cookie request: Does anybody know who is this kind couple who oversee the bookshelf?