Salina Turda: An Underground Theme Park in a Salt Mine

Salina Turda is an old salt mine located deep underground in the town of Turda in Romania. Salt was first extracted here during the antiquity and the mine continuously produced table salt from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. The extraction was stopped in 1932, after which the mines served various functions like bomb shelter during WWII and cheese storage. In 1992, the mine was opened to the public and turned into a museum cum amusement park with bowling lanes, amphitheater, mini golf, a ferris wheel, spa and even an underground lake with boating facilities. The elevators that were once used to transport salt now ferries people around. Strategically installed lights accentuate the textured surface. One of the most prominent features is a panoramic wheel that lets tourists see the stalagmites that have formed over the cave’s 1000-year history.

The museum actually includes three mines: the Terezia mine reaches the deepest at 120 meters followed by the Anton mine at 108 meters and the Rudolf mine at 42 meters, supported by various rooms and smaller chambers used during its operational days. The rooms are massive in size and were excavated all by hand which makes their size even more impressive.

Sources: Designboom / Nexttriptourism