WONG:
And now we journey deep into the depths of the Earth in Ukraine. NTD’s Kyiv bureau takes us into the heart of a salt mine for a sight not often seen.

STORY:
This is the mine cage, an elevator that takes you down into a salt mine in Soledar, Ukraine. Before going down all the guests don helmets for protection.

The journey is fast—nearly 1,000 feet down in 90 seconds. You've got to plug your ears for the descent.

Down here it looks like the Snow Queen's Ice Palace. Everything is shining and glistening with salt crystals. The walls and ceiling of these corridors are like sea waves frozen in mid-air.

And this is the New Year's Tree. It's 40 feet tall, but it looks tiny inside this huge cavern, which is the height of a 9-story building.

This cavern—which is no longer an active salt mine—has played host to symphony concerts, fashion shows, and even flying hot air balloons.

[Zinaida Philippova, Tourist from Moscow]:
“When I came down into the mine, I found myself in heaven.”

Over at the Mine Café, there's a matinee show for children.

"One, two, three—be in the shining New Year Tree."

Father Frost and Snow Maiden are here, too. They're entertaining the children with a dancing, riddles and games.

Narine is a school student who came here with her class.

[Narine, Student from Antratsyt]:
“I like this place a lot, 'cause it's the first time in my life I've been here. It's really exciting and I feel great. I've never seen such a beautiful place.”

This mine has a unique microclimate. It has a stable temperature of 14 degrees Celsius—or about 57 degrees Fahrenheit. The air is saturated with salt ions, which are said to ease symptoms of asthma and stabilize the nervous system.

The installation of the New Year's Tree down here in 2007 was included in the Ukrainian Book of Wonders. It stayed looking fresh for 8 months, because the air in the mine is almost sterile.

NTD, Soledar, Ukraine.