During our trips through Poland, we always look for those unique spots that hide stories, legends, and a chunk of history. Chełm, a charming, though perhaps not a large city in eastern Poland, close to the Ukrainian border, holds something truly extraordinary beneath its surface: The Chełm Chalk Tunnels.

This is a unique place – one could safely say, on a European, perhaps even world scale. It is a historic chalk mine, forming an extensive, multi-level complex of corridors and chambers. In the past, many similar chalk mines operated in the Chełm area. You can also find more information about the history of the Chełm Chalk Tunnels on the Wikipedia page. If you want to find out more or check opinions about the Chełm Chalk Tunnels, keep reading.

These underground labyrinths are the result of centuries of extracting a valuable raw material – writing chalk. Just the thought of descending deep underground to discover these secrets, you feel that characteristic thrill.

The Chełm Chalk Tunnels are more than just a story about historical mining. They are also stories about hidden treasures, about seeking shelter in difficult times, and of course, about the legendary White Spirit, who, according to local lore, guards this place.

When planning what to see in Chełm, you simply can’t miss this fascinating, white underground world. Want to find out more? Join us on this extraordinary chalk journey beneath the city of Chełm.

The History of the Chełm Chalk Tunnels – From the Middle Ages to the Present Day

The history of the Chełm Chalk Tunnels is deeply intertwined with the history of the city itself and its location. After all, Chełm lies on a chalk hill.

It is an area built mainly of chalk, limestone, and marl, and deposits of chalk can reach up to 800 metres deep underground. Mining chalk literally shaped the lives of its inhabitants and the development of the city for centuries, creating this extraordinary underground heritage.

Almost every resident, especially in the golden age of chalk mining, had their own ‘private’ entrance to the mine in their cellar and extracted the white raw material on their own.

The Beginnings of Chalk Mining – Traces in Historical Sources

The earliest mentions that bear witness to the extraction of chalk in Chełm date back as far as the 13th century. The Halych Prince, Daniel Romanovich, who rebuilt Chełm, contributed to the city’s development, and with that, an intensive period of mining began.

Initially, work was mainly carried out in the area of the castle hill. The unique aspect of Chełm was that miners began digging straight from their cellars. The workings extended downwards at roughly a 45-degree angle, usually extending beyond the outline of their own house’s foundations, until it reached solid chalk rock.

This extracted chalk was extremely valuable. We know from documents that it was transported, often over considerable distances. For example, to Krakow, where Krakow Academy used it… well, for writing!

Dr Władysław Grabski, conducting research in Chełm along with Prof. Wiktor Zin, came across a document confirming that in the 16th century, as many as 17 wagonloads of chalk were sent from Chełm to Krakow. Quite an incredible amount, wasn’t it?

Jakub Jan Susza, a well-known chronicler of the Chełm region and the Uniate Bishop of Chełm, also mentioned chalk being extracted in Chełm. City documents, particularly Chełm records preserved since the 17th century, provide a wealth of detail about this activity.

For example, a document from 1690 contains information about the sale of a house with underground passages by a certain townswoman, Marianna Zabierowiczowa. And in 1694, the mayor of Chełm, Teodor Leśkiewicz, sued Piotr Leśkiewicz for not paying him for chalk supplied for sale, which was sold… not by him, but by a deceased man named Krupa. (Quite complicated transactions, as you can see!).

In the tenement house belonging to Jerzy Krasuski and leased by Piotr Sidorowski in 1698, underground passages were also discovered. Similarly, in 1704, Stanisław Mateusz na Rozdole Rzewuski sold land with underground passages to Mikołaj and Anna Sidorowski. Marianna Kucharska’s will from 1721 and the description of Szymon Irszowicz’s house from 1728 also mention these subterranean passages.

Even in Trybowy Square, opposite the Chełm town hall, Szloma Lejzorowicz had a shop and underground passages beneath it in 1750. Beneath Szymon Zajwelowicz’s house, there was a cellar with underground passages.

The Kondycencjonal Office in 1752 leased Michał Wydżga’s tenement house along with a cellar and underground passages. Władysław Koczorowski also possessed such subterranean passages. The deed of sale for the house belonging to Frejdla Lewkówna and Benci Moszkowicz to Boruch Lewkowicz mentioned the property with all its appurtenances, including the underground passages.

The inventory of the palace – the starosta’s castle from 1770 mentions a “passage with a brick-lined shaft”. The deed leasing the income from the town hall by President Wojciech Nowicki and Landvogt Józef Boguchwalski also mentions a room with an underground passage.

Interestingly, officials delegated by the Chełm Magistrate, Stefan Siroczyński and Józef Dobrowolski, specifically inspected the underground passages beneath the Lejzorczyn house.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Cyprian Walewski mentioned in his notes the underground passages beneath Jewish houses, from which chalk was still being extracted – it constituted one of the largest trades in the entire city.

In 1911, the Chełm branch of the Polish Tourist Association organised the first trip to the Chełm underground passages. Engineer Denisov, who was conducting work there, recognised the historical and sightseeing value of the chalk undergrounds and made a significant contribution to making them accessible to tourists even before the war. Even Kazimierz Czemicki, in his book “Chełm – Past and Monuments”, wrote about the passages, while simultaneously warning visitors about the more dangerous sections. During the First World War, the passages served Chełm merchants as a hiding place for goods from Austrian soldiers. (A kind of historical hiding place.)

The Flourishing and Decline of Chalk Mining – How Did It Affect the City?

The period of the greatest boom in chalk mining was the 17th and 18th centuries.

Then the workings began to expand, extending far beyond the cellars, creating an extensive network. The extracted chalk had many uses – not only for writing in school, but also in dyeing or metal smelting. It was the region’s ‘white gold’.

Having an entrance to the underground passages directly from the cellars of a tenement house in the 17th and 18th centuries significantly increased the property price, which perfectly demonstrates the scale of the phenomenon and the immense importance of chalk for the city’s economy.

For centuries, Chełm lay in the centre of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the chalk trade flourished, sending it throughout the country, all the way to Krakow and the famous Krakow Academy.

Uncontrolled extraction work continued unabated until the 19th century. However, over time, as the city grew and the chalk undergrounds expanded beneath the Old Town buildings, problems arose. The threat to the stability of buildings became very real.

Therefore, in the 20th century, the city authorities made the difficult but necessary decision to ban chalk extraction.

However, the undergrounds still existed and unfortunately made their presence known in a dramatic way. For many years after the last war, the Chełm underground passages were the object of exploration by young, brave (though foolhardy) amateurs, the so-called “lochołazy”.

During the Second World War, these undergrounds became a refuge – residents of Chełm sought refuge here, including the numerous Jewish population at the time, fleeing from the Nazis, who were carrying out a horrific extermination at the time. The Germans even issued an order to the city authorities to eliminate the entrances to the undergrounds, which was partially done, but they were unable to cut off access to all corridors.

In 1936, a section of the corridors was explored during the construction of the city’s waterworks. After the war, the undergrounds became a topic of discussion in the 1950s, although it was a time that was not particularly conducive to exploring old legends and mysteries. In 1956, a tenement house on Lubelska Street suddenly collapsed. In 1960, a collapse of the underground passages occurred in the park of the former District House of Culture at 4 Lubelska Street. And in 1965, a part of Lubelska Street collapsed – the road surface, pavement, and even the front wall of a house.

The peak perhaps occurred in the 1970s when one of the corridors collapsed under the weight of a lorry, which vanished into a hole in the ground on Lubelska Street. (Can you imagine that?!).

These dramatic events necessitated action. Miners from Silesia were called in to secure the undergrounds. The first expert assessments and documentation were carried out by Krakow University of Technology, including its Department of Polish Architectural History and Department of Building Structures.

It was scientists and students from Krakow who began the systematic study of the city, analysing its structure, both above and below ground. It turned out that within Chełm’s medieval fortifications, almost the entire built-up area is situated on chalk workings.

On 16 and 17 December 1966, a scientific session was held in Chełm, organised by the Association of Polish Architects. In the detailed conclusions of this session, it was clearly emphasised that the Chełm undergrounds, unique on a European scale, should be used as an attractive tourist attraction. It was also suggested to establish a chalk mining museum, according to the proposal by the Chełm Cement Plant.

The long struggle by lovers of the landscape and history of the Chełm Region to save and make the chalk passages accessible ended in success, with the immense contribution of scientists from Krakow. This site was entered into the catalogues and official registers of Jagiellonian University (UJ) as a European-class monument.

Formal recognition came on 25 January 1995, when the Provincial Conservator of Monuments entered the multi-level complex of mining excavations located beneath the Chełm Old Town into the register of monuments.

I had the pleasure of visiting the famous Wieliczka Salt Mine, I was also in the yet-unfinished tunnel under the Dead Vistula in Gdańsk, and I’ve seen the intriguing cellars in Hrubieszów, but I must admit, the Chełm chalk mine is a completely, utterly different story.

The Underground Labyrinth – Exploration and Opening Up Routes

The Chełm Chalk Tunnels are indeed a true underground labyrinth, which extends beneath the entire surface of the city.

Exploration of this complex revealed extraordinary architecture and opened the way to making part of the tunnels accessible to tourists, creating this unique tourist route.

The Architecture of the Tunnels – Corridors, Chambers, Wells

The Chełm Chalk Tunnels are a unique trace of historical chalk mining. Beneath the city stretches a network of workings, which according to various estimates is between 15 and 40 kilometres long (if you’re ready for that scale!).

It was created in a rather chaotic way, by often small, individual workings joining accidentally. After all, it was the residents themselves who extracted the chalk, creating these essentially uncontrolled passages. These corridors, chambers, and mysterious wells create a truly fascinating underground architecture.

The workings are usually located about 25-30 metres below the market square surface. Some of the former ‘lochołazy’ spoke of discovering huge halls with chalk columns, and even finding stables or cowsheds underground. Unfortunately, only two printed accounts and the reports of the ‘lochołazy’ have survived.

In the undergrounds, we will see massive chalk pillars, whose purpose was to support the roof, but there are also collapsed sections, referred to as ‘chodniki’ (passages), where the roof has already collapsed under the weight.

In places particularly threatened by collapse, special brick lining was used, referred to as a ‘szyja murowana’ (brick-lined shaft). A prime example of such a mine entrance, featuring precisely such a ‘szyja murowana’, can be seen beneath the building at 27 Lubelska Street.

In the chambers, which are these larger spaces created by the joining of workings, traces of former activity can be seen. In one of them, an original inscription dating from before the outbreak of the Second World War has even been preserved: “Pomiary, Chełm 26.VII.1939”. Something that truly allows you to feel the history of this place.

Older stories also mentioned the existence of an underground lake in the very deep workings. Wells were bored into solid chalk, and below 10-12 metres, their walls are hewn from the rock. At a depth of 22.5 m to 24 m, a very sturdy oak timber lining was constructed, and the bottom was lined with sand, which acted like a filter. (Quite advanced technology for those times!).

Although there was once a belief that the Chełm passages were natural in origin, Prof. Dr H. Maruszczak from UMCS authoritatively stated that these corridors had no natural origins. Despite the fact that karst phenomena related to chalk are quite specific in this region.

Water is found in the fissures of cracked chalk rock deposits below the groundwater table, which, for example, greatly hindered the digging of sewage channels in recent years. Jakub Jan Susza, in turn, mentioned sinkholes on the main street leading towards the mill on the Uherka river, supposing that they were traces of a lost underground river.

These observations only confirm how complex the geology beneath the city is.

The Chełm Chalk Tunnels indeed form an impressive labyrinth of passages and corridors. A new entrance, built on Przechodnia Street, makes visiting easier and also serves as a draining tunnel for the undergrounds.

Thanks to a dense network of geological boreholes and new methods, e.g., ‘gravitational’ ones, previously unknown sections of corridors and dozens of ‘blind’ sections of the passages have been discovered. It is still a dynamic area of research.

The Tourist Route – Guided Tours and What Awaits Visitors?

After these, well, quite dramatic events related to the collapse of Lubelska Street and the disappearance of the lorry, fortunately, some of the corridors were made accessible to visitors.

In the 1980s, a tourist route was designated, which initially measured 1.5 km, and today is about 2 km long. The Chełm Chalk Tunnels as a tourist attraction are currently professionally managed and operated (it was formerly managed by, among others, the Federation of Polish Defenders of the Homeland Associations).

Guided tours usually last about 60 minutes. Information about entry times and tour duration is available at the ticket office. The ticket price for the Chełm Chalk Tunnels varies, and tickets can often be purchased online. Tours take place in groups of about 20 people.

The entrance to the Chełm Chalk Tunnels is located on Lubelska Street, beneath a building in a characteristic style from the PRL era. The undergrounds maintain a constant temperature of +9 degrees Celsius. It is a very pleasant feeling in summer, but in autumn or winter, it’s definitely worth remembering to bring warmer clothing. (Seriously, it’s worth taking a jumper!).

Plenty of attractions have been prepared for visitors along the tourist route. You can see archaeological exhibitions telling the story of extraction and life in the undergrounds. A mannequin in the hooded costume of a former miner shows how chalk was once obtained, reminding you of the hard work. Or perhaps, more accurately: the immense hardship of these people.

The biggest attraction, especially for the youngest, is the chance to meet the legendary figure – the White Spirit, ruler of the undergrounds and guardian of hidden treasures. Are you wondering where the White Spirit is? You’ll meet him on the tourist route!

Sometimes even intimate concerts or banquets take place in the undergrounds – a unique venue for such events! There is also a special theatre for children. Our guide, Mrs. Grażyna Biernacka, spoke interestingly about the unusual uses of chalk in everyday life.

After returning to the surface, tourists can sample delicious local dishes in local restaurants serving Polish borderland cuisine.

Although some of the stories about wells where candles were needed, dangerous gas and lack of oxygen, or about the need to ask the house owner for permission to enter are now just history, thanks to the accessible route, we can safely explore this ‘white gold heartland’.

Although Kazimierz Czemicki warned about dangerous sections of the passages, today’s route is completely safe for visitors. (Phew!).

Legends and Mysteries of the Chełm Chalk Tunnels – What Does the White Spirit Tell Us?

The Chełm Chalk Tunnels are fascinating not only for their mining history and unique underground architecture, but are also richly shrouded in numerous legends and mysteries.

It is precisely they that impart that extraordinary, even fairytale-like character to this place and really capture the imagination.

The White Spirit – Guardian of Underground Treasures and Stories

The most famous and perhaps the most beloved character associated with the Chełm undergrounds is the White Spirit.

This legendary guardian of the chalk undergrounds is, according to tales, the guardian of the mysterious labyrinth of corridors and small chambers with walls as white as snow. To awaken him and let him know of our visit, tradition dictates striking the massive door of the historic chalk mine three times with a knocker. (Apparently, it works!).

Legends say that the White Spirit scared away all manner of rogues and persistent treasure hunters wandering the undergrounds, allegedly protecting the valuables hidden within. It is also said that Bieluch is particularly friendly to children and gladly grants their wishes, especially those spoken in complete darkness.

It is a character that definitely adds magic to the tour, especially for the youngest explorers of the undergrounds.

Mysterious Stories and Local Legends – What Else Does the Earth Hide?

Besides the White Spirit, many other mysterious stories and local legends are associated with the Chełm undergrounds.

Tales circulate that the chalk passages stretched beneath riverbeds and swamps all the way to neighbouring castles and towns, reaching distances of even tens of kilometres, reportedly reaching even Stołpie. (Sounds like fantasy, doesn’t it?).

Another legend says that from an old well on Chełm Hill, fish released into it would emerge outside via an underground river…! This would suggest the existence of extensive underground watercourses. Jakub Jan Susza, in turn, mentioned sinkholes on the main street, which he attributed to a lost underground river.

As we’ve already mentioned, some of the ‘lochołazy’ spoke of discovering huge halls with chalk columns, and even stables or cowsheds. This suggests that the undergrounds were used not only for extraction but also as shelter for animals or places to store food. These accounts, though often difficult to verify, undoubtedly show the extraordinary, multifaceted role of the passages in the city’s history.

Let us also remember that the passages served as shelter during attacks and wars. This was particularly significant in the borderlands of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, known for unrest and invasions. Chełm’s Jewish residents hid in the chalk corridors during the Second World War – this is no longer a legend, but a painful piece of history.

For many years after the war, as already mentioned, the Chełm passages were explored by young ‘lochołazy’, which only reinforced their legend as a mysterious and dangerous place.

Although many of these stories may just be legends, they add to the Chełm Chalk Tunnels that extraordinary aura of mystery, which so strongly attracts tourists keen to personally discover these white labyrinths.

Chełm – The City on the Chalk Hill, Its History and the Present Day

Chełm is a city with an exceptionally rich history and cultural heritage, which are inextricably linked to the chalk subsoil upon which it was built. It is a city of borderlands and contrasts, where history and the present day intertwine, creating a truly unique atmosphere.

Chełm – A City of Borderlands and Contrasts, Rich History and Heritage

Chełm, picturesquely situated on the Uherka river, right on the border with Ukraine, has a very turbulent past.

Władysław Jagiełło granted the settlement city status, and Chełm for centuries lay in the centre of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, on important trade routes.

The history of chalk extraction is just one of many fascinating stories connected with this place. On the highest hill in Chełm, known as Górka Chełmska, stands an impressive cathedral complex with the former Uniate Basilica of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This monumental building, whose creators were outstanding Baroque artists such as the architect Paweł Antoni Fontana (who, it’s worth mentioning, also designed the late-Baroque Piarist church of the Sending of the Holy Apostles in Chełm, considered one of his most outstanding works), the sculptor Michał Filewicz and the painter Franciszek Smuglewicz, holds many secrets. It was here in 1795 that the coronation of the icon of the Mother of God of Chełm took place, although unfortunately the original was taken by the Russians to Lutsk in Ukraine in 1915.

The Marian Sanctuary is also located on Górka Chełmska, an important place of worship.

The Chełm Crypts are another unique monument on a European scale, where you can see the foundations of the cathedral church from the 13th century, which was reportedly built by King Daniel Romanovich himself.

The city can also boast other magnificent sights, such as the church of the Sending of the Holy Apostles, founded in the 15th century by Władysław Jagiełło to commemorate the victory at Grunwald, with beautiful polychromes by Józef Mayer, who was the court painter of Augustus III Wettin. There is also the charming Orthodox church of St. John the Theologian.

Chełm’s historical richness is evident practically at every step – from traces of the medieval gord on Wysoka Górka to historic buildings scattered throughout the city. Walking around Chełm, it’s easy to notice traces of its former multiculturalism – just walk past the former synagogue.

Chełm offers attractions and entertainment not only underground. The Chełm area also offers plenty of tourist attractions, such as the picturesque ruins of the castle in Krupe. In the vicinity of the chalk mine in Chełm, though not directly on the tourist route, you can also find an interesting viewpoint.

The Regional Museum in Krasnystaw, although located in the Krasnystaw district, to which Chełm once belonged, collects valuable exhibits related to the history of the city and region.

All this makes Chełm and its surroundings a truly fascinating region to explore. Lovers of the landscape and history of the Chełm Region will certainly appreciate its richness and complexity.

Chełm Old Town – What Lies Beneath and What Can Be Seen Above Ground?

Chełm Old Town is undoubtedly the heart of the city.

And beneath its surface, as we already know, lies this enormous, multi-level complex of mining excavations – the Chalk Tunnels. Almost the entire built-up area within Chełm’s former medieval fortifications is situated on chalk workings. Just think of the weight this fragile structure bears!

Exploring Chełm Old Town is like diving into history – literally and figuratively.

On the surface, we admire beautiful historic tenement houses, churches, and squares. And dozens of metres beneath us lie the same corridors which once witnessed the daily toil of miners, and later served as shelters.

The entrance to the Chełm Chalk Tunnels, located at 27 Lubelska Street (previously, I recall, 4 Lubelska Street was mentioned), serves as an ideal starting point for this underground adventure.

Edward Łuczkowski Square, which cars are deliberately not allowed to enter (precisely because of the undergrounds beneath), serves as a daily reminder of their existence just beneath the city’s surface.

The tourist route runs directly beneath the centre of Chełm, giving us a tangible sense of how fragile the ground upon which we build our cities can be.

Discoveries made thanks to geological boreholes and modern gravitational methods have shown the full scale of this underground labyrinth, which indeed extends beneath the entire Old Town.

Although, as already mentioned, very dangerous situations have occurred here, such as the collapse of a tenement house or the disappearance of a lorry on Lubelska Street, scientific research, including that conducted by Krakow University of Technology, has significantly helped in better understanding the structure of the undergrounds and developing effective methods for securing them.

Currently, the entrance to the undergrounds is located on Lubelska Street, and the exit is beneath the church slope on 3 Maja Street, which is a very convenient solution for visitors.

Visiting the Chełm Chalk Tunnels is simply a fascinating lesson in history and geology, which allows us to look at Chełm Old Town from a completely, utterly different perspective.

The Chełm Chalk Tunnels – Significance for Heritage and Tourism

The Chełm Chalk Tunnels are more than just a collection of corridors and chambers. They are a living testament to the history of the city, its inhabitants, and their deep connection with nature.

Their protection, research, and finally, making them accessible to tourists are of key importance for the preservation of this unique cultural heritage and the promotion of the Lublin region.

Protection and Research of the Undergrounds – Challenges and What’s Next?

The protection of the Chełm Chalk Tunnels is a complex and extremely long-term process, ongoing for many decades already. After years of uncontrolled exploitation and subsequent serious problems with sinkholes, it became clear that intensive research and stabilisation work were necessary.

Miners from Silesia were among the first to help stabilise the undergrounds in the 1960s and 70s. Krakow University of Technology played a key role in the research, whose Department of Polish Architectural History and Department of Building Structures carried out these initial, fundamental assessments and documentation.

Academic staff from this university, collaborating with students, began a systematic study of the city, analysing its underground structure. The scientific session organised by the Association of Polish Architects in Chełm in 1966 clearly highlighted the uniqueness of the undergrounds and the pressing need for their protection and use as a tourist attraction. The idea of establishing a chalk mining museum, put forward by the Chełm Cement Plant, was proof of the growing awareness of the value of this place.

This persistent struggle by lovers of the landscape and history of the Chełm Region to save the chalk passages, supported by scientists from Krakow, fortunately ended in success, and the site was finally entered into the registers of Jagiellonian University (UJ) as a European-class monument.

The formal culmination of these efforts was the entry into the register of monuments by the Provincial Conservator of Monuments in 1995, which was the official recognition of the value of the Chełm Chalk Tunnels.

Geological research, including this dense network of boreholes and new ‘gravitational’ methods, has allowed the discovery of previously unknown stretches of corridors and dozens of ‘blind’ sections of the passages. This only shows the scale of the underground labyrinth and the still existing challenges related to its full understanding and stabilisation.

In the future, unfortunately, only a few of the most impressive stretches of corridors will be made accessible or properly stabilised. The remaining sections are being filled with sand to ensure the stability of the surface above.

Karst phenomena, though present in the chalk, according to the opinion of Prof. Dr H. Maruszczak, were not the primary cause of the corridors’ creation – they had no natural origins. However, streams of groundwater in the fissures of cracked chalk rock deposits below the groundwater table pose a significant challenge, as evidenced by the water that once hindered the digging of sewage channels.

Jakub Jan Susza mentioned sinkholes, which he attributed to a lost underground river. Protecting this unique heritage requires constant research and monitoring to guarantee the safety of both the undergrounds themselves and the city on the surface.

One can safely assume that scientists will gather immensely interesting material in Chełm, which will become the basis for a major scientific study on the urban and architectural peculiarities of Chełm. This will only underscore the immense significance the undergrounds have for the city’s history and development.

The Chełm Chalk Tunnels as a Tourist Attraction – Development and Promotion

The Chełm Chalk Tunnels are today one of the most important tourist attractions of Chełm and the entire Lublin Voivodeship.

The unique character of this place – the only known underground writing chalk mine in Poland, Europe, and even the world – naturally attracts tourists keen to discover these white labyrinths.

The accessible tourist route, professionally prepared and led by excellent guides (such as Mrs. Grażyna Biernacka), allows for a completely safe way to learn about the history of chalk extraction, see the amazing architecture of the undergrounds, and immerse yourself in the world of legends, including, of course, stories about the White Spirit.

Attractions along the route, such as archaeological exhibitions, a miner-mannequin, a children’s theatre, or the chance to meet the White Spirit, make the tour interesting and engaging, regardless of the visitors’ age. (It’s really worth it!).

The stable temperature in the undergrounds, a pleasant +9 degrees Celsius, ensures comfortable visiting throughout the year.

Although the undergrounds themselves are of impressive length, estimated at 15 to 40 km, the accessible route is 2000 metres (or, as other sources state, 1.5 km) long, which is nevertheless sufficient to feel the scale of the place and discover its secrets.

The promotion of the Chełm Chalk Tunnels as the ‘white gold heartland’ and the place of the legendary White Spirit effectively attracts attention and builds recognition for the attraction. The only question is, does everyone believe the legends?

The possibility of combining a tour of the undergrounds with exploring Chełm Old Town and other historical sites on the surface, such as the Basilica of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the church of the Sending of the Holy Apostles, or the Chełm Crypts, creates a coherent and truly attractive tourist offer.

Local restaurants offering Polish borderland cuisine simply complete the positive impression. The development of tourism related to the undergrounds contributes to the revitalisation of the city and region. The residents of Chełm certainly gain a better understanding of their city’s rich history thanks to this unique attraction.

Although accessing the passages once required the owner’s permission and candles, and gas and lack of oxygen posed a real threat, today the Chełm Chalk Tunnels are fully prepared to welcome visitors, offering a safe and fascinating experience in the very heart of underground Chełm.

The Chełm Chalk Tunnels – Reflections on the Secrets Uncovered

The Chełm Chalk Tunnels are a place that truly stays with you. Discovering this underground world, with white walls hewn from chalk built of microscopic foraminifera, makes us realise how extraordinary and complex the history of cities can be, which at first glance seem familiar.

Walking through the corridors, you feel the coolness of the stone, and you can easily imagine the hardship of the miners who extracted this valuable raw material day after day.

The thought that these same passages served as shelter for residents, including Chełm’s Jewish population, during the darkest moments of history, evokes enormous respect and humility.

The legend of the White Spirit adds a touch of fantasy to this history, reminding us of the important role stories play in shaping our identity and how we perceive places. In fact, from another perspective, wouldn’t history be poorer without legends?

Chełm, a borderland city, built on a hill concealing such deep deposits of chalk, perfectly illustrates how significantly geology can influence the fate of people and urban development.

Scientific research that enabled the understanding and stabilisation of this fragile labyrinth is the best proof of how crucial knowledge and cooperation are in the field of heritage protection.

The accessible tourist route is truly a triumph of the work and passion of many people who fought for years to save the chalk passages. It is also an invitation for each of us to see something absolutely unique, touch history, and feel that special magic of a place where literally beneath our feet, the underground labyrinth pulsates with life.

The Chełm Chalk Tunnels are therefore not just an ordinary attraction. They are a powerful testament to the past, which, I am convinced, still hides many secrets, encouraging further discoveries and deeper reflection on the connection between man and the earth. As a friend of mine, who is a frequent visitor there, likes to say: “Time flows differently here, and every step is a journey deep into history… and chalk!”.