Blog Post

World's Largest Underground Theme Park, Salina Turda Theme Park in Romania sets world record

October 23, 2024

Turda, Cluj County, Romania--Salina Turda, a former salt mine in the Durgău-Valea Sărată area of Turda in Cluj County, is nestled 120 meters below the surface of the Earth inside one of the oldest salt mines ever known; it contains attractions like an amphitheater with 180 (heated) seats, an underground lake that may be explored with paddles and rowboats, a Ferris wheel, spa treatment rooms with natural aerosols, bowling alley, mini-golf, sports field, table tennis, pool tables; it sets the world record for being the World's Largest Underground Theme Park, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

"Salina Turda is a salt mine in the Durgău-Valea Sărată area of Turda, the second largest city in Cluj County, northwest Transylvania. Opened for tourists in 1992, the Salina Turda mine was visited by about 618,000 Romanian and foreign tourists in 2017. Salina Turda was ranked in 2013 by Business Insider as among the "25 hidden gems around the world that are worth the trek".

"In 1992, Salina Turda reopened as a halotherapy center and a popular tourist attraction. In 2008, the salt mine was modernized and improved under the program PHARE 2005 ESC large regional/local infrastructure, worth €5,888,000. It was reopened for tourism in January 2010." (Wikipedia)

"With over 2,000 years of history, highly preserved galleries, and a futuristic underground attraction, Romania’s Salina Turda is the largest salt mine museum in the world, and easily the most incredible," the Atlas Obscura says.

"Located in Turda, Transylvania, the site is a large underground wonderland with a brightly lit modern art theme park nestled 120 meters below the surface of the Earth inside one of the oldest salt mines ever known.

"The innovative look of this gargantuan amusement park seems like something out of a science fiction movie. It contains attractions like an amphitheater, an underground lake that may be explored with paddles and rowboats, a Ferris wheel, spa treatment rooms with natural aerosols, bowling alley, mini-golf, sports field, table tennis, pool tables. Salina Turda is one of the most stunning places anywhere on or in the planet."

"Turda Salt Mine means spectacle, health, and experience. A spectacle of nature revealed to all through the work of the miners in Turda, endowed with modern facilities of recent years, an inexhaustible source of health, where you can enjoy a series of activities designed to help enjoy your time in the most pleasant way," the official website says.

"Turda Salt Mine is a place of relaxation and an excellent option to spend beautiful moments with family and friends. Everyone – families, children, young people, and pensioners – can take advantage of this extraordinary environment. Whether you come for the experience or to discover the legends and traditions of the place or to see with your own eyes a special place from a geological point of view. Or, simply, to recharge yourself with health."

Location A: Entrance Salina Turda through the street Salinelor No.54B, Turda, district of Cluj

(GPS : N=46.583742 E=23.776267)

Location B: New Entrance Salina Turda through the street Aleea Durgaului N0.7, Turda, district of Cluj

(GPS : N= 46.588833 E=23.787632)

website: https://www.salinaturda.eu/en/

"Besides the route prepared through the Salt Museum, the visit to Turda Salt Mine offers a tourist attraction: a mini-amusement park in Rudolf Mine and Theresa Mine. Turda Salt Mine also includes a generous amphitheater – with 180 (heated) seats, it regularly hosts shows, movie screenings," the official website says.

"Young and old, we can all benefit from a series of interactive activities, some of them unique in the world:

A trip on the panoramic wheel – the only panoramic wheel in the world that works underground. 20 m high, it offers a whole perspective on the underground richness;
Mini-golf – 6 different trails, with clubs for children and adults;
Bowling – two mini-bowling lanes;
Sports field – here you can play handball, football tennis, and badminton;
Billiards – 3 tables;
Table tennis – 6 tables, equipped with accessories;
Playground for children – with slides and mini-basketball backboards;
Boat ride on the lake in Theresa Mine – a relaxing ride in a unique setting

"With over 2,000 years of history, highly preserved galleries, and a futuristic underground attraction, Salina Turda is the largest salt mine museum in the world, and easily the most incredible," the University of Pennsylvania says.

"Located in Turda, Transylvania, the site is a large underground wonderland with a brightly lit modern art theme park nestled 120 meters below the surface of the Earth. inside one of the oldest salt mines ever known.

"Regardless of its history, this salt mine is not just a huge museum, but an epic tourist attraction. It was even ranked by Business Insider as the most beautiful underground place in the world. The innovative look of this gargantuan amusement park seems like something out of a science fiction movie. It contains attractions like an amphitheater, an underground lake that may be explored with paddles and rowboats, a Ferris wheel, spa treatment rooms with natural aerosols, bowling alley, mini-golf, sports field, table tennis, pool tables."

"Featuring everything from a bowling alley, an underground rowing lake and a Ferris Wheel to a mini golf course and ping pong courts, the cathedral-like space is so impressive in scale that its experience can only be hinted at with words and images," the Architizer says.

"Seymour’s series of images renders the majesty of millennium-old matter framing the organic setting for an unexpected tourist attraction. “Photographing this space was a challenge due to its sheer scale,” he explains. “Humans are put into perspective, and the difference between nature and manmade features is blurred.”

"The salt mine, which dates as far back as the 17th century, was used for everything from a cheese storage center to a bomb shelter in WWII after excavations stopped in 1932. Today, it has been transformed into an incredible underground theme park," the Business Insider says.

"When you visit, you'll head down about 400-feet before reaching the submerged wonderland. Once inside, you'll find an amphitheater, a bowling alley, an underground lake with paddle and row boats, and even a Ferris wheel. You'll also find a mini golf course and ping pong courts.

"It's easy to get distracted by the stunning rugged caverns, the result of mining that carved out over three billion tons of salt. Salina Turda is open year-round. Costs vary based on your preferred package, but will typically be around 15 lei (about $4) for adults."

"Following what it seems to be a growing trend of turning old mines into touristic attractions, a defunct salt mine in the Romanian region of Transylvania has opened as an underground amusement park, history museum and spa. After operating as a mine since the Roman Empire times until 1932, the former Turda Salt Mine (or Salina Turda) closed down to reopen for tourists in 1992," the Mining.com says.

"Offering a unique climate, the mine is free of allergens and bacteria, which makes it idea for sufferers of hay fever or asthma. At 80% humidity it maintains a steady temperature of 11 to 12 degrees Celsius. Its current attractions include a Ferris wheel, billiard tables, a mini-golf course, ping-pong, a bowling alley, and an underground lake with paddleboats. It also holds a180-seat amphitheater to host the occasional concert.

"To offset the darkness, bright lights hang vertically on strings from the 50-metre ceiling, illuminating dripping stalactites with a blue-tinged glow. As the complex has grown in popularity over the last 20 years, Salina Turda has recently announced it will extend operations hours and schedule regular guided visits, beginning August 15."

Main attractions

The Iosif Mine can be visited through the balconies carved in salt. It is next to the Franz Josef Gallery. This mine is a conical chamber 112 metres (367 ft) deep and 67 metres (220 ft) wide at the base. Because of its shape and lack of communication with the other major mining points, this mine has a powerful echo, leading to it being called the "Echoes Room".

Crivac room

The octagonal room hosts a winch called "crivac" or "gepel", rudimentary machinery used to lift salt rocks on the surface. It dates from 1881. This machine replaced another, smaller in size, that was installed in 1864. It is the only machine of its kind, in all the salt mines in Romania and probably in Europe, that remains in its original location.

Terezia mine

This is a conical mine (bell mine). Salt mining in this type of room left behind underground halls of impressive dimensions: 90 metres (300 ft) height and 87 metres (285 ft) diameter. The depth from the mouth of the shafts to the base of the mine is 112 metres (367 ft). A "cascade of salt", an underground lake, stalactites, and salt efflorescences complete the inert equilibrium of the giant bell. The underground lake is between 0.5 and 8 metres (1.6 and 26.2 ft) deep and occupies about 80 percent of the operating room hearth area. In the center of the lake there is an island formed from residual low-grade salt deposited here after 1880, the year when salt mining ended in this room.

Rudolf mine

42 metres (138 ft) deep, 50 metres (160 ft) wide, and 80 metres (260 ft) long, Rudolf mine is the last place where salt was mined in Turda. Through the compartment of access, 172 steps lead to the mine hearth. On the walls of each of the 13 "floors" is marked the year when the respective level was opened. Formed over the years on the northwestern ceiling are salt stalactites, some even 3 metres (10 ft) long. The panoramic elevator offers tourists an overview of the whole mine.

Gizela mine

The Gizela mine and technical rooms in the northeastern extremity of the salt mine are similar to those of the Rudolf mine but much smaller because the salt exploration stopped shortly after the opening of this mine. Currently this mine serves as a spa treatment room with natural aerosols.

The underground gallery of this mine constitutes a geological reserve, with no access allowed to tourists. It is 15 meters (49 ft) above the transport gallery (Franz Josef gallery). Infiltration of water in the extraction pit determined the deposits of efflorescences and formation of stalactites, and in the lake that partially covers the hearth of the room are salt crystals. The room has received the tourist name of Crystal Hall.