Salina Turda

Turda, Romania, Romania

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Salina Turda in Turda, Romania, is an ancient salt mine transformed into one of the world's most spectacular underground tourist attractions, with mining operations dating back to Roman times in Dacia and first documented in 1271 under Hungarian rule. Salt extraction continued manually through the Middle Ages until closure in 1932, after which it served as a WWII bomb shelter, cheese storage, and halotherapy center before a €6 million renovation in 2010 turned its vast chambers—reaching 120 meters deep with rooms up to 90 meters high—into a subterranean theme park featuring a Ferris wheel, boating lake, bowling alley, amphitheater, and therapeutic microclimate. Located in Cluj County, Transylvania, this otherworldly site now draws over 600,000 visitors annually for its crystalline formations, echo chambers, and futuristic amenities amid stable 14°C temperatures.