Sandomierz Underground Tourist Route

Although not very large today, quaint Sandomierz was once one of the largest and most important cities in Poland during the high medieval and early modern periods. Today, its historic center remains relatively unchanged from how it was centuries ago, and is entirely protected as a Historic Monument of Poland.

However, its heritage and former wealth extend beneath the surface too, as seen in the network of cellars built by merchants in the 14th and 15th centuries. Sandomierz is an ideal place to build such tunnels up to 15 meters deep, as the city's loess soil was easy to dig under. The cellars primarily served as warehouses for wine, salt, and fish, among other goods, and also doubled as bunkers during times of danger. Over time, as the city declined, the city's underground layer was forgotten completely.

When concerns grew in the 1960s that buildings in the city center were collapsing due to sinkholes, an investigation found that this was due to the lost network of cellars underneath the city. Stabilization efforts were able to save some of them, which opened to the public as the Underground Tourist Route in 1977.

Today, there are 34 interconnected rooms accessible by guided tour. Some of them contain exhibits related to local traditions and history. In addition, tour guides tell stories and legends related to the history of Sandomierz and the cellars. Perhaps the most famous story is how a girl named Halina Krępianka saved Sandomierz from Mongol invaders by trapping them inside these tunnels!