Rudolph mine (Mina Rudolf). 투르다 소금광산(Salina Turda. Turda Salt Mine). 투르다(Turda)

Rudolph mine (Mina Rudolf).

투르다 소금광산(Salina Turda. Turda Salt Mine).

투르다(Turda). 루마니아(Romania)

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The Rudolph Mine (Mina Rudolf)

The opening works at the Rudolph mine started after 1854, at the same time when the opening works at the Giselle mine and the carving of the Franz Joseph gallery were carried out. Its name was given in the honour of Rudolph, Prince of Austria (21.8.1858-30.01.1889). After 1924 the chamber was renamed to "Saint Nicholas" due to legislation changes implemented that year.

The chamber has a parallelepipdeal shape. In the middle of the 19th century, salt exploitation using parallelepipedal chambers was considered far superior to the traditional bell shaped type mine (see the Theresa Mine). In order to increase the stability of the mine against the large pressure exerted by the rocks in the roof of the mine, the upper level of the chamber was cut to a trapezoidal shape. The salt was extracted using the downward horizontal slicing method. Salt blocks were cut from the base of the mine (underhand stoping). The base has a length of 85m, it is 50m wide, while the depth of the mine from the elevator level is 40m.

Access into the mine was ensured by means of two access chambers with pine-wood stairways, including 13 resting bridges. At each bridge the year the respective level was reached is carved into the wall. In 2009 a panoramic elevator was installed.

The undergrond carst includes a curtain of stalactites formed on the northern side of the roof, due to the slow infiltration of water.

The extraction of salt from this chamber continued until 1932, when the Turda Salt Mine was shut down.

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