Summary
Poland’s largest port thrived during the Medieval period as a trading hub for Baltic amber. In the 20th century, significant events occurred in Gdańsk that would influence global history.
On 1 September 1939, the Wehrmacht initiated their invasion of Poland at the Westerplatte peninsula north of the city. More than four decades later, in 1980, Lech Wałęsa would establish the Solidarity movement.
As the first independent trade union within the Soviet Bloc, Solidarity was instrumental in ending communist rule in 1989. Both the war and Solidarity are commemorated with esteemed museums. Gdańsk’s Old Town, reconstructed after the Second World War, features an intricate network of streets flanked by tall patrician and merchant tenements, while robust gates protect both landward and waterside entries.
Let us examine the notable attractions in Gdańsk:
1. Trakt Królewski (Royal Way)
To experience Gdańsk’s essence and view numerous prominent monuments in a single stroll, follow this horizontal path eastward toward the Motlawa River between two city gates.
The Royal Way, traversing Ulica Długa (Long Street) and Długi Targ (Long Market), received its royal designation in 1457 when King Casimir IV Jagiellon entered Gdańsk.
Commencing at the Upper Gate and concluding at the Green Gate, the route is bordered by tall, narrow patrician tenements adorned in vibrant colors and topped with gables.
This avenue offers more attractions and remarkable sights than can be encapsulated in one paragraph.
However, at Długi Targ 44, pause for a photograph of the Artus Court, a Renaissance gathering place and stock exchange, which now serves as a branch of Gdańsk’s Historical Museum.
2. St Mary’s Church
This enormous Gothic church commenced construction in the 14th century and is among the world’s three largest brick-built churches, with a volume of up to 190,000 cubic meters.
Upon entering the 66-meter-long nave, one must take a moment to comprehend the scale of this impressive structure, which can accommodate 25,000 attendees.
A significant reconstruction was necessitated following the Second World War, yet all of its valuable furnishings were preserved.
Visitors can admire treasures such as an astronomical clock from the 1460s, the high altar constructed in the 1510s, and a splendid Gothic stone pietà carved at the dawn of the 15th century.
For those willing to ascend nearly 400 steps, a challenging climb leads to the apex of the monolithic 77.6-meter main tower.
3. Neptune’s Fountain
Situated on Long Market, just a short distance from the Artus Court, this enduring emblem of Gdańsk stands proudly.
Neptune’s Fountain is a Mannerist monument, cast in bronze in the city in 1615, although the installation occurred 18 years later.
The sculptor, Abraham van den Blocke, hailed from present-day Kaliningrad but had Flemish parentage.
Positioned adjacent to the opulent townhouses where Polish royalty would take residence in Gdańsk, the fountain’s sculpture depicts Neptune, slightly bowing his head in a gesture of respect.
The basin below features ornamental fish and cherubs.
Interestingly, the fig leaf covering his private parts was not part of the original design, but was added during a restoration in 1988.
4. Golden House
Remaining on Long Market, two doors to the right of the Artus Court, lies a building often acclaimed as the most exquisite in the city.
It is challenging to dispute this claim upon viewing its white and gold facade.
The Golden House, showcasing Mannerist architecture, was constructed for Jan Speyman, the mayor of Gdańsk in the early 17th century.
Designed once again by Abraham van den Blocke, this house exemplifies Gdańsk’s characteristic narrowness and height.
Its distinctiveness lies in the intricately sculpted friezes, featuring 16 busts on its pilasters representing Polish kings, as well as the statues of Achilles, Antigone, Cleopatra, and Oedipus atop its balustrade.
5. Main Town Hall
The Main Town Hall was designed by a group of Dutch architects in the mid-16th century.
One must tilt their head back to glimpse the life-sized gilded statue of Sigismund II Augustus, the reigning king of the time, perched 83 meters above street level.
The interior, overseen by the Historical Museum, features opulent state rooms in the Dutch Mannerist style.
Rooms such as the Small Council Hall, Great Council Chamber, White Hall, and Winter Hall are adorned with gilded stucco, coffered ceilings, marble flooring, frescoes, sculptures, and tapestries. Visitors can access the observation gallery for an aerial perspective of the city while enjoying the sound of the 37-bell carillon chiming every hour.
6. Ulica Mariacka (St Mary’s Street)
Beginning at St Mary’s Church and extending eastward toward the Motlawa River and St Mary’s Gate, Ulica Mariacka is an enchanting cobblestone street lined with narrow merchants’ houses, each boasting grand portals.
This charming street is frequently selected as a filming location for period dramas, and like much of Gdańsk, it required extensive restoration following significant wartime damage.
All entrances to these homes are accessed by small terraces set a few steps above the street, and the restaurants along the route feature outdoor tables in these appealing spaces, often adorned with decorative reliefs on their low walls.
7. Gdańsk Crane
A notable symbol of the city, the Gdańsk Crane along Motlawa’s Long Embankment dates back to the 14th century.
This historic machinery recalls the era when Gdańsk was part of the Hanseatic League and was capable of loading or unloading four tons of cargo, elevating it to a height of 11 meters.
The crane’s power was derived from humans; groups of individuals would walk inside two large wooden wheels, reminiscent of hamsters in a wheel.
Furthermore, the crane served as a waterside city gate and remained operational until the 1800s.
Now preserved by the National Maritime Museum, visitors can explore the interior to see the machinery wheels and an exhibition concerning the work and daily life at the port from the 1500s to the 1700s.
8. Dlugie Pobrzeze (Long Embankment)
Prior to the relocation of the port to the mouth of the Dead Vistula River in the 19th century, this quay served as the site for all of Gdańsk’s loading and unloading operations.
During this period, security was paramount, resulting in the construction of a “water gate” to protect the entrances to each street running perpendicular to the river.
The presence of seven gates, the old warehouses on the opposite bank, and the characteristic narrow gabled houses facing the water evoke a sense of old maritime charm.
However, while the modern scene appears quaint, these docks once bore a nefarious reputation, plagued by thugs lurking along the quays.
This popular tourist pathway boasts ample outdoor seating, making it an excellent choice for dining by the water.
9. Museum of the Second World War
This significant museum was inaugurated in March 2017 and occupies a site that was devastated during the war.
It is fitting that Gdańsk is home to a museum of this significance regarding the conflict, as the invasion of Poland commenced in earnest in the Free City of Danzig on 1 September.
Many of the museum’s 2,000 display pieces were generously donated by families who experienced the war, providing a human perspective on the devastation.
The exhibits are creatively designed in an unconventional manner, making them challenging to summarize in a single paragraph; many feature immersive walkthrough installations.
One particularly poignant exhibit is a reconstruction of a Warsaw apartment, featuring rooms from before, during, and after the war.
Additonally, two tanks, a Sherman M4 Firefly and a Soviet T34, are situated within war-damaged street scenes that had to be constructed around them.
10. Westerplatte
Afterwards, one can take a brief trip to the peninsula that encircles the final bend of the Dead Vistula.
This location marks ground zero for the Second World War.
A Polish military transit depot was established here in the 1920s with approval from the League of Nations, viewed by the Germans as a crucial initial point for their invasion.
Despite dwindling supplies and an inability to effectively counter the assault, the depot withstood bombardment from the sea for seven days before capitulating on 7 September.
Following the war, one of the guardhouses was restored and converted into a museum, while the remaining structures have been left in ruins.
At the highest point of Westerplatte stands a memorial to the “Coast Defenders,” erected in 1966, composed of 236 granite blocks ascending to 25 meters.
11. Golden Gate
Located at the western terminus of Long Street, this stunning Mannerist gate is part of an extensive series of fortifications preceding the formidable Prison Tower and High Gate.
The Golden Gate, constructed in the 1610s, was built to replace a previous Gothic gate.
Abraham van den Blocke, the designer behind both Neptune’s Fountain and the Golden House, conceptualized this structure.
The gate features a balustrade on its roof, and on either side stand four allegorical statues symbolizing the attributes of an ideal citizen, based on classical cardinal virtues: Peace, Freedom, Wealth, and Fame on the western side, alongside Harmony, Justice, Piety, and Prudence facing Long Street.
These figures are positioned atop four Ionic columns adorned with golden capitals.
12. Oliwa Cathedral
The church you see today, situated in the Oliwa District approximately 10 kilometers northwest of the Old Town, dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries.
A fire devastated the interior in 1577 during the city’s rebellion, resulting in the predominance of Renaissance, Mannerist, and Baroque ornamentation.
The entrance displays a solemn Baroque portal from 1688, flanked by two slender towers, each measuring 46 meters in height.
The nave, chancel, and 23 altars are adorned with paintings by Gdańsk’s premier artists from the 17th century.
There are two principal altars: one “Old” altar exemplifying the Late Dutch Renaissance style from 1605, and another “New” altar from 1688, regarded as the finest piece of Baroque art in Pomerania.
13. European Solidarity Centre
Solidarity was a trade union and civil resistance movement established at the Lenin Shipyard in 1980, led by future president Lech Wałęsa.
To gain insights into the context and evolution of Solidarity, visitors can explore the six exhibition rooms at the Solidarity Centre located in its namesake square.
The center opened in 2007, and its rusted façade signifies Solidarity’s industrial origins.
The exhibition possesses substantial content, utilizing innovative design elements to ensure that visitors are not overwhelmed by facts.
Attendees will learn about key figures, discover Solidarity’s fundamental philosophy, understand the church’s role in the movement, and appreciate how its impact quickly resonated across other Soviet satellite nations.
14. Amber Museum
The Prison Tower, towering over the Golden Gate, houses a museum dedicated to Gdańsk’s association with amber.
The amber deposits in the Baltic Sea are the most abundant globally, and the gemstone catalyzed the city’s economic growth following the establishment of a guild for this resource in 1472. Poland’s first museum solely dedicated to amber chronicles this history, illustrating its extraction in Medieval times and the mystical and medicinal properties attributed to it.
A stunning collection of amber artifacts from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries is displayed, alongside modern, artistic contemporary jewelry crafted in Gdańsk.
Examine the Jurassic Park-style “inclusions,” featuring insects preserved in this fossilized tree resin for millions of years.
15. Jelitkowo Beach
Following a day or two exploring the streets of Gdańsk, one may desire to unwind on a beach by the Baltic for an afternoon.
The closest beach is located along the waterfront of the Jelitkowo District, just northwest of the Old Town.
This beach features a clean stretch of fine sand, bordered by a series of parks and extending several kilometers to the west.
Behind the shoreline, a paved cycling path invites those wishing to venture even farther from the city.
Nevertheless, you will always be within a short walk of a beach bar during the summer months, and children can enjoy attractions like bouncy castles and trampolines.
Access to Jelitkowo can be obtained via trams 2, 6, or 8.
