Turda Salt Mine

I was very surprised when I went last weekend to the Turda Salt Mine. I expected just like in some other Romanian museums to see something in a bad condition. Instead, everything was renovated (for a whopping 5 million euros) there and it got just reopened in 2010. This is a view from the top of into the main Hall.

The place was quite packed with tourists (also to my suprise) and it takes quite some time till you reach the main hall. Inside there I was really exited about the light installations. It was only then that I realized that I had forgotten my tripod :( which is very bad when you plan to take pictures under these light conditions.

Salt mining in this area has a history that goes back till Roman times. In modern times mining startet at the end of the 17th century. The main hall has the shape of a bell and that's exactly the shape that was created by mining. For the museum it was extended with a gallery.

You can choose weather you like to use the newly installed lifts or to climb the stairs. The main hall is roughly 90m high.

As you can see there is even salt lake in the mine on which you can take a trip by rowing boat.

So there is plenty of stuff to see but what the mine actually lacks is a bit the museum side you don't get too much of the history of the mine nor how the salt was mined. There are some paper sheets at the entrance but in rest you'll probably need a guide or web research before ;)