Creating Tourism Destinations of Underground Built Heritage—The Cases of Salt Mines in Poland, Portugal, and Romania

Salt mines, a significant category of local, regional, national, and/or European underground heritage, are becoming attractive tourism destinations. This paper examines three cases of salt mining in different European countries, namely Wieliczka in Poland, Campina de Cima in Portugal, and Turda in Romania. They are analyzed in the context of history, typical attributes of their attractiveness, and new uses after the salt extraction was or is going to be stopped, in order to detect their unique values as important assets for both Underground Built Heritage (UBH) and Salt Heritage Tourism (SHT). The results of their comparison show that despite a positive impact related to their protection as cultural and industrial heritage, there are also some negative aspects related to increasing costs of their maintenance and adaptation of salt mines to new functions and to meet the tourism needs. By putting in place measures to enhance the awareness of their values and for activating the local community, the three mines are showcases for the economic outputs for their sites and regions, as well as for increasing knowledge regarding UBH.

“SERVICES” OF KUZNETSK TOWN - SERVICE COSSACKS ON THE TERRITORY OF THE BYISK DISTRICT IN THE LATE 18TH - EARLY 19TH CENTURY

In the article the author used “Monthly Reports and Lists of Kuznetsk Town-Service Cossack Party Personnel Conditions” for 1812 to tell about missions of its members on the territory of the Byisk district. In this period in Western Siberia there were several fortified defense lines. They intended for protection the state territory from outward enemy. The district town Kuznetsk was a part of the structure of Siberian fortified defense lines. It had the permanent town-service Cossack party nearly from the early 19th century. By the facts according to 1812 the most members of the Cossack party did their service in the Biysk district. The Cossacks guarded the salt extraction territory on the territory of numerous salt lakes. Kuznetsk town-service Cossacks also did their service in towns and defense points of the district. Their responsibilities there were connected with guarding salt and other foodstuffs storages. By the facts according to 1812 the missions of the Kuznetsk Cossacks to Biysk district were continuous and lasted very often 5 and more years. There were some cases when Cossacks spent more than 15 years in such missions. Keywords: Siberian fortified defense lines, line-service and town-service Cossacks, near and distant missions, salt lakes, provision and salt repositories, salt storekeepers

Organization of salt extraction on Lake Baskunchak of Astrakhan Governorate in f the XIX century

The object of this research is the Baskunchak industry. The subject of this research is organization of salt extraction on Lake Baskunchak in the late XIX century. The chronological framework covers the period from the second half of the XIX century, i.e. from the beginning of regular state-ran salt extraction in the Baskunchak deposit until the abolishment of excise tax on salt, transfer of salt extraction to private Industrialists. The article provides detailed description of the methods of salt extraction on the lake, social composition of personnel engaged in the industry, transportation of salt on trucks and railways, statistical data on salt prices, salaries, and rent of salt plots by salt producers on Lake Baskunchak is given. The novelty of the research consist in comprehensive examination of the previously researched direction – development of salt industry on Lake Baskunchak in the late XIX century. As one of major salt deposits of Russia, Lake Baskunchak is of special value for the salt trade. In the second half of the XIX century Baskunchak was the large supplier of salt in Russia. The acquires materials can be used in educational process of the universities of Astrakhan Region in teaching general and specialized courses on the History of Russia.