Bochnia

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Bochnia

	(Coat of arms)


Country	Poland
Voivodeship	Lesser Poland
Mayor	Wojciech Cholewa
Area	29,89 km²
Population - city - urban - density	29,536 (2004 est.) 988.16/km²
Founded	12th century
City rights	27 February 1253
Latitude Longitude	49°59' N 20°26' E
Area code	+48 14
Car plates	KBC
Twin towns	Bad Salzdetfurth, Cavtat, Kežmarok, Roselle
Municipal Website

Bochnia ['bɔxɲa] is a town of 30,000 inhabitants on the river Raba in southern Poland, 35 km southeast of Kraków. It is most famous for its salt mine, the oldest still existing in Europe, built circa 1248. The former German name of the city, Salzberg, meaning "salt mountain", refers to the mine.

Since Poland's administrative reorganization in 1999, Bochnia has been the administrative capital of Bochnia County in Lesser Poland Voivodeship. Before reorganization it was part of Tarnów Voivodeship.

1 History
2 Town & sights
3 Salt Mine
4 Education
5 Famous people from Bochnia
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] History

Bochnia is one of the oldest cities of Lesser Poland. The first known source mentioning the city is a letter of 1198, wherein Aymar the Monk, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, confirmed a donation by local magnate Mikora Gryfit to the monastery of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in Miechów. The discovery of a major vein of rock salt at the site of the present mine in 1248 led to the granting of city privileges (Magdeburg rights) on 27 February 1253 by Bolesław V the Chaste.

[edit] Town & sights

The oldest salt mine in Europe and in the world (13th century), is an underground town today.
St. Nicholas Basilica
Old town and historical buildings
Statues of Leopold Okulicki and Casimir III of Poland
The Older parts of the cemetery at Oracka Street
The Jewish cemetery

[edit] Salt Mine

Underground church

Salt mine in Polish - Kopalnia Soli. The salt mine is one of the oldest salt mines in the world and the oldest one in Poland and Europe. The mine was established between the 12th and 13th centuries after salt was discovered in Bochnia. The mines measure 4,5 kilometres in length and 468 metres in depth at 16 different levels. Deserted chambers, shafts and passages form a so called underground town, which is now open to sightseers. The largest of the preserved chambers has been converted into a sanatorium.