Wieliczka Salt Mine An Astounding Subterranean Salt Cathedral

I received these photos in email from my friend Rob Rose. And as you know, my policy is that anything received in email is fair game for posting.

Image Credit Flickr user magro kr 

Deep underground in Poland lies something remarkable but little known outside Eastern Europe . For centuries, miners have extracted salt there, but left behind things quite startling and unique. Take a look at the most unusual salt mine in the world.

Church of Saint Caterina a Formiello

Just off Piazza Garibaldi, behind Porto Capuana, is the unheralded 16th century Church of Caterina a Formiello. In the 19th century, it was turned over to the Italian Army and converted into a wool factory. It has since been re-consecrated.

The Saint Caterina of this church is Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The picture of her on the left is by Raffael; on the right, Caravaggio.

Formiello is a word that comes from Latin. It refers to the situation of the church and its formerly attached Celestine convent next to aqueducts, which have since been removed.

There is its cupola behind Porto Capuana.