WIELICZKA, a mining town in Poland, 220 m. by rail W. of Lemberg and 9 m. S.E. of Cracow. It is built on the slopes of a hill which half encircles the place, and over the celebrated salt mines of the same name. These mines are the richest in Poland, and among the most remarkable in the world. They consist of seven different levels, one above the other, and have eleven shafts, two of which are in the town. The levels are connected by flights of steps, and are composed of a labyrinth of chambers and pas sages, whose length aggregates over 65 m. The length of the mines from E. to W. is 21 m., the breadth from N. to S. is 1,o5o yd. and the depth reaches 98o ft. Many of the old chambers, some of which are of enormous size, are embellished with portals, candelabra, statues, etc., all hewn in rock-salt. There are also
two large chapels, containing altars, ornaments, etc., in rock-salt, a room called the dancing saloon, where the objects of interest found in the mines are kept. In the interior of the mines are six teen ponds, of which Przykos is 195 ft. long, Ho ft. broad, and 10-26 ft. deep. The mines employ over i,000 workers, and yield about 6o,000 tons annually. The salt of Wieliczka is well known for its purity and solidity, but has generally a grey or blackish colour. The date of the discovery of the mines is un known, but they were already worked in the nth century. The mines suffered from inundations in 1868 and 1879, and the soil on which the town is built shows subsidence. Pop. (1931) 8,668.