Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines

The Permanent Delegate of Poland sent a letter dated 12 September 1984 to the Secretariat requesting, on behAlf of his government, that the Wieliczka Salt Mine be placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. This request was
transmitted to ICOMOS for evaluation. 

It is recalled that the Wieliczka Salt Mine was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1978. Furthermore, in December 1982, Poland had presented a request for technical cooperation for the necessary preservation work at the Wieliczka Salt Mine: the Committee was not able to accept this request at its 7th session.

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NOMINATION TO THE LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE IN DANGER SUBMITTED BY Poland
Wieliczka Salt Mine

I. Description of the object
1- The mine was inscribed on the World Heritage List in September 1978.

2. The danger to the property consists of :
a) cave-ins

b ) subsidence

c ) water seepage

d) harmful atmospheric elements

3. The mine requires the following repairs :

a) the filling-in of 4.2 million cubic metres of galleries in an imperilled state, out of a total volume of 7.4 million cubic metres of galleries;

b) preservation of 23 groups that are unique in value, comprising 342 chambers and galleries;

c) the successive filling-in of thirty-two chambers in order to protect the town of Wieliczka from subsidence;

d) repair of 252 points where water is seeping in, at a rate of approximately 19.4 cubic metres per hour;
e) improvement of the ventilation system in the galleries, and installation of an air conditioning system.

4. The Wieliczka salt mine has hitherto not indicated the cost of the activities proposed above. It is now estimated that theoverall cost of the work, which will take some thirty years to complete will amount to 22.8 million zlotys.

II. Description of dangers to the property
The mine has been worked for seven hundred years. The installations, mining tools, and wooden shores that support the galleries and caverns are gradually deteriorating because of rock pressure, seepage and humidity in the air that circulates constantly in the galleries. An inventory of the chambers and galleries has brought to light such permanent deterioration as cave-ins caused by rock pressure and subsidence, as well as the destruction of vestiges of old work, of sculptures in the chapels and of commemorative plaques.

III. Nature of the danger to the property
1 Levels I to III of the mine, between 22 and 135 metres below ground, represent a threat to the old centre of the town. 

2. The very fragility of the salt directly threatens the historical authenticity of the complex of chambers and galleries.

3. The continual pressure of the terrain on the hollowed-out parts of the mine is becoming evident. 

The Committee considered that there was insufficient geological information at present to evaluate the dangers facing this property. The Committee therefore decided to defer a decision on this nomination until more information had been obtained and expressed the wish that in the meantime the national authorities concerned ensure the necessary protection.