Salina Turda - Mina Sal - Underground attractions park - Romania. a very special place, unique in the world.

Brief history of the Salina Turda
It is believed that the extraction of salt in Turda (district of Cluj, Romania) since 1075, although the existence of the mine is not mentioned until 1271. The set of galleries, halls, tunnels and wells grew over time and towards the end of the eighteenth century it reached its current size; about 45 km2. However, by then the mine was already in decline and in 1932 its activity ceased forever. After decades of semi-abandonment or marginal uses (cheese store, for example), in 2010 the mine opened to the public as a wellness center ... and amusement park!
Visit to Turda Salina
The Turda salt mine is nowadays a very special place, unique in the world. For the local people it is a "wellness" center with a swimming pool, spa and a wide range of treatments, massages, etc., while for the tourist it stands out as a museum and theme park. Its small variety of attractions would not have anything peculiar on the surface, but who can say that it has been mounted on an underground ferris wheel or taken by boat through a salt lake 120 meters underground?

Salina Turda - Mina Sal - Underground attractions park - Romania

The Salina Turda is visited by free (without guide) and we recommend at least 2 hours to enjoy it calmly. At the end of the post we will talk about prices, schedules, how to get there, etc., so we go now with the visit. Next to the entrance ticket you will receive a small map with 15 points of interest located in three different levels. Following this itinerary in order, you will first visit the most "didactic" area, where the operation of the old salt mine is explained, and then you will descend to the recreational area, where the attractions are located.Before starting the visit, keep in mind that the temperature inside is about 12 °, so it is advisable to take some shelter. And it does not hurt a closed footwear that allows you to walk comfortably through wet floors. Once ready, the first thing we find is a first descent by stairs that takes us to the Franz Joseph Gallery, built between 1853 and 1870. Along this passage, almost 1 km long, are the main attractions of the Salina Turda, as well as access to the two visitable mines: Theresa and Rudolph.

Salina Turda - Mina Sal - Underground attractions park - Romania

The first area that we can visit is the Call Room, where formerly the miners met before and after starting the day. There stands out the presence of an altar carved on the wall and the "Ladder of the Rich", used by upper class people to access the mines. Following the gallery we will meet later with the Room of the Well of Extraction, where is the mechanism of 1864 with which the salt was transported vertically.

Salina Turda - Mina Sal - Underground attractions park - Romania

Just next to the Crivac Room, presided by a huge winch of 1881 moved by horses. The last visits, continuing through the gallery, are related to the Joseph mine. Although you can not go down to it, you can see part of it from a balcony-viewpoint in the Sala de los Ecos, whose nickname does not require explanations. After completing these visits we can go down to the next level: the Rudolph Mine. Of course, before we have to look out onto the balcony over the Theresa Mine, from where we will see the famous salt lake with its boats.
The Rudolph Mine (or Rudolf in Romanian) is the heart of the Turda Salina. It was built in 1867 and has dimensions of 42 m deep, 50 m wide and 80 m long. You can go down to it by descending 172 steps or by taking one of the overcrowded panoramic lifts. Before going down, yes, you have to enjoy the views from the upper gallery, which surrounds it completely on the highest part. From there you can see what awaits us: a ferris wheel, a bowling alley, a mini-golf, ping-pong tables, playgrounds, a basketball court and even a small amphitheater.
El precio de estas atracciones no está incluido en la entrada y se paga de forma independiente allí mismo, en la zona de venta de tickets. Como dijimos, no son atracciones que tengan nada del otro mundo (más bien son modestas), pero los precios van de 1€ a 3€ por persona, así que merece la pena probar alguna. La noria es bastante popular, aunque sin duda la palma se la llevan las barcas del lago de sal. Este lago de sal, que ya habíamos visto desde arriba, se encuentra a 120 metros bajo tierra, en la Mina Theresa (Terezia en rumano).

Salina Turda - Mina Sal - Parque atracciones subterraneo - RumaniaSalina Turda - Mina Sal - Parque atracciones subterraneo - Rumania

La mina Theresa puede verse desde un gran balcón-mirador ubicado en la mina Rudolf (están conectadas, aunque a diferentes alturas) y para acceder a la base, donde se encuentran las barcas y una pequeña isla en el centro, se pueden usar escaleras o ascensor. Nosotros, por supuesto, hicimos el paseo, pero aunque solo sea por ver el interior ya merece la pena bajar. Las vistas hacia arriba son espectaculares.
Y hasta aquí el recorrido por la Salina Turda, un lugar extraño, freak, futurista, diferente, espectacular… sin duda una de nuestras visitas imprescindibles en Rumanía.
Before starting the visit, keep in mind that the temperature inside is about 12 °, so it is advisable to take some shelter. And it does not hurt a closed footwear that allows you to walk comfortably through wet floors. Once ready, the first thing we find is a first descent by stairs that takes us to the Franz Joseph Gallery, built between 1853 and 1870. Along this passage, almost 1 km long, are the main attractions of the Salina Turda, as well as access to the two visitable mines: Theresa and Rudolph.

Salina Turda - Mina Sal - Underground attractions park - Romania

The first area that we can visit is the Call Room, where formerly the miners met before and after starting the day. There stands out the presence of an altar carved on the wall and the "Ladder of the Rich", used by upper class people to access the mines. Following the gallery we will meet later with the Room of the Well of Extraction, where is the mechanism of 1864 with which the salt was transported vertically.

Salina Turda - Mina Sal - Underground attractions park - Romania

Just next to the Crivac Room, presided by a huge winch of 1881 moved by horses. The last visits, continuing through the gallery, are related to the Joseph mine. Although you can not go down to it, you can see part of it from a balcony-viewpoint in the Sala de los Ecos, whose nickname does not require explanations. After completing these visits we can go down to the next level: the Rudolph Mine. Of course, before we have to look out onto the balcony over the Theresa Mine, from where we will see the famous salt lake with its boats.
The Rudolph Mine (or Rudolf in Romanian) is the heart of the Turda Salina. It was built in 1867 and has dimensions of 42 m deep, 50 m wide and 80 m long. You can go down to it by descending 172 steps or by taking one of the overcrowded panoramic lifts. Before going down, yes, you have to enjoy the views from the upper gallery, which surrounds it completely on the highest part. From there you can see what awaits us: a ferris wheel, a bowling alley, a mini-golf, ping-pong tables, playgrounds, a basketball court and even a small amphitheater.