The Turda Salt Mines

In Turda, in Transylvania, there is a wonderful place that you absolutely must visit. It's a blend of history and magic, but to visit, you will need to take a journey to the center of the earth, in an old salt mine in Romania.

Salina Turda, as it is known in Romanian, now hosts the most fascinating underground playground in the world and is located just a few kilometers from Cluj, one of the most beautiful cities in Romania.

The ancient salt mine dates back to ancient times, existing as early as the 2nd century when the Romans began to dig for rock salt. The salt deposits in Turda formed about 13 million years ago due to the evaporation of an ancient sea. The first documents confirming the existence of the mine date back to the Middle Ages. After many years of operation, in 1932, the mine was permanently closed and was used as a bomb shelter during World War II. It wasn't until 2010 that the mine was renovated and opened to the public.

Today, the Salt Mine houses a Contemporary Art Museum as well as being a venue for numerous classical music concerts and exhibitions. Descending 120 meters underground, you can find a massive amphitheater, a Ferris wheel, a bowling alley, and a spa for respiratory care.

Miniera Terezia is the name of the most spectacular chamber for visitors. It is a conical or 'bell-shaped' mine. The extraction of salt in this type of chamber left impressive salt residue underground, and the pit is 112 meters deep.

The "salt waterfall" is an underground lake, with stalactites and saline efflorescences, which completes the inert balance of the giant bell. The water of the underground lake has a depth ranging from 50 cm to 8 meters, and it covers about 80% of the operational hall's surface area.

At the center of the lake, there is an island formed from the residual salt deposited here after 1880, when the salt deposit in this chamber was exhausted.

Boats allow you to explore the small salt lake of the mine (for about 2 euros), while a huge Ferris wheel permits you to admire the enormous stalactites formed over more than 1000 years of history.

To reach it, you will need to use typical elevators that were previously used for transporting salt.

From the balconies, the view is incredible: a dark chasm created by the salt walls descends to the underground lakes where the rides, the amphitheater, and the dock are located.

The Turda mines cover 45 square kilometers and reach a depth of 1.2 kilometers. The dimensions seem even more impressive when considering that every cubic centimeter was extracted entirely by hand or using machinery, never employing explosives.

Visiting the Turda Salt Mines will take you about 2 to 3 hours. There are two entrances to the salt mine, and you can arrive either from the Turda Nouă neighborhood or the Salina-Durgău tourist center.

It is open every day according to the following hours.

The cost of an entrance ticket is 30 lei, or about 6.44 euros. For more information, visit the official website of the Turda Salt Mine.