We are going to explore
the city from Westerplatte.

WESTERPLATTE

Westerplatte is the place where II WW started with a salvo from a German battleship "Schleswig-Holstein" at 4.45.

Westerplatte defenders under mjr Henryk Sucharski’s command (you will get to Westerplatte along this street) were very courageous. In spite of  the superior strength of the enemy, they fiercly put up resistance.

>See Westerplatte defence<

This area is available for visitors free of charge, for the whole year.

How to get there?

One can get to Westerplatte by 106 bus running every day for the whole year. It leaves from the bus stop next to the railway station. In high season ships  from the harbour by Zielona Brama (the Green Gate) put out to Westerplatte. They stop at the wharf above the peninsula. Motorized visitors are advised to take a route along the following streets: Podwale Grodzkie Street, Wały Jagiellońskie, Okopowa,  Podwale Przedmiejskie, Ułańska, Siennicka, Lenartowicza and mjr Sucharski’s Street. At the entrance to the Westerplatte area there are car parks, even manned ones. In newsagents and eating places one can buy publications, postcards, drinks and bar meals.

It is worth to see:

The Monument of Coast Defenders on Westerplatte.

A huge monument of Coast Defenders commemorates Polish soldiers who defended their country from the superior strenght of Nazi enemy. Situating of this monument is a very meaningful symbol because the defence of this very place was one of the most dramatic motives in the whole Polish September Campaign of 1939. The monument, the authors of which were Adam Haupt, Franciszek Duszenka and Henryk Kitkowski, is 25 m high. It is situated on a huge mould and was unveiled on 9 October 1966. It is formed from granite blocks of total weight of 1 150 tons and decorated with low relief and inscriptions immortalizing the drama of war.

- Guardroom number 1

A guardroom number 1 which is a branch of the Historic Museum of Gdańsk can be visited from 1 May till 30 September each year from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m. In high season opening hours are flexible. Admission is paid a nominal fee. Concessionary tickets are available for school children, students and pensioners. Admission tickets are sold at a newsagent’s in front of the guardroom. The duty at the exposition is hold by the Museum staff. They also sell publications and postcards concerning Westerplatte. Information about opening hours is given by the director with his seat in Gdańsk, 47 Długa Street, tel. (48) 58 7679162.  >see more<

- historical buildings connected with heroic defence of this outpost from 1939, i.e. barracks ruins, soldier graves, a T-34 Polish Armoured Brigade tank;

- a beautiful sea view;
- a ferry terminal of Polish Baltic Navigation;

From a ferry terminal on Westerplatte you go by sea to Gdańsk, Gdynia or Sopot.
> see more ferry connections <

In the neighbourhood of Westerplatte you can find
a Vistula’s Mouth Stronghold (Twierdza Wisłoujście) and a lighthouse.


THE VISTULA’S MOUTH STRONGHOLD
(TWIERDZA WISŁOUJŚCIE)

It is a well-preserved port defence complex which is unique in the world. The stronghold’s task was to protect Gdańsk from the enemy’s attack
(mainly from the seaside). 
> see more

The Vistula’s Mouth Stronghold
(Twierdza Wisłoujście)
1 Stara Twierdza Street

tel. (48) 58 343 14 05;
106 bus (from the railway station Gdańsk Główny and from Westerplatte).

A LIGHTHOUSE
(GDAŃSK NEW PORT)

A lighthouse in Nowy Port is one of the most beautiful lighthouses of the Baltic Sea. It started to work in 1894 and directed ships to the Harbour of Gdańsk till 1984. one can admire in its interiors beautifully preserved historical optical devices and an exhibition “ Gdańsk lighthouses throughout the centuries.”

One can also be amazed by the view from its top from where one one can see the Harbour of Gdańsk, Westerplatte and the whole Gdańska Bay, up to Gdynia and Hel.

This 27 metres high lighthouse was build in imitation of a famous Cleveland lighthouse erected in 1871. Its aim was triple: it was to serve as a lighthouse, the tower for harbour pilots and the base of the time sphere removed in 1929.

The latter one was an amazing instrument.

Its raising and falling down each noon let ship captains precisely adjust marine chronometres which was indispensable for a precise navigation.

THE OLD TOWN (STARE MIASTO) 


Długa and Długi Targ Streets

Długa and Długi Targ Streets are one of the most beautiful streets of Gdańsk. They form the Royal Route. They run perpendicularly to Motława from Złota Brama to Zielona Brama.

The richest patricians of Gdańsk lived there. Almost every tenement has its own interesting history. The oldest houses were build in Middle Ages but most buildings come from modern times.

Tenements along Długa Street are typical of this city. They have narrow facades crowned with splendid gables or attics, richly ornamented coats of arms, allegorical figures and ancient heroes.

By Długi Targ Street the most important secular buildings of the Main Town rise up, i.e. the Town Hall of the Main Town and Artus’ court.

MAIN CITY TOWN HALL

The Town Hall is situated at the junction of Długa and Długi Targ streets.

The interiors of the Main City Town Hall are available for visitors. One can also enter the tower from which a beautiful view for the city centre stretches.

Main City Town Hall was the most splendid and valuable secular building of former Gdańsk, the seat of its authorities. It was build from 1379 till 1492.

Tower dome, which was 80 metres high, created by Dirk Daniels, a master from New Zealand, is crowned by metal, gold-plated monument of Zygmunt August, the king.
 Three wings of a present courtyard were finished between 1593 – 96.

Towards the end of XVI century a sundial with a Latin sentence “Umbra sunt dies nostri ” was placed at one of the corners. It was burned out in 1945 but had been reconstructed until1970.

Now this is the seat of Historical Museum of Gdańsk.

The interiors of the town hall are of Netherlandish Mannerism.
The most impressive – the Great Council Hall, also called the Red Hall, is considered to be one of the richest modern town hall interiors.

Its decor is the work of such masters as Hans Vredeman de Vries, Izaak van den Blocke and Simon Herle. The hall ceiling is decorated by 25 paintings of Izaak van den Blocke of symbolic meaning.
The most well-known is “Gdańsk Glorification.”
<see panoramas

In the neighbourhood of the Main City Town Hall there is the Artus’ court.

ARTUS’S COURT

For many years it was one of the most splendid buildings of such a type in Europe. It functioned as a meeting place of the rich patriciate, merchants, craftsmen.

It was built on the pattern of the Round Table of King Arthur’s knights. The Artus’ Court was an important centre of social and commercial life of Gdańsk and the most democratic place in the country. Castellans, voivodes or heirs to the throne used to stay there.

After the fire of the building which was erected in XIV century, it has reached its contemporary shape in 1477. The fasade was rebuilt by Abraham van den Blocke.

The Artus’ Court is the part of the Historical Museum of Gdańsk.
> see more 

THE NEPTUNES’ FOUNTAIN

The fountain standing in front of the Artus’ Court is the symbol of Gdańsk.

Bartłomiej Schachmann, the mayor of Gdańsk, initiated its erecting.

The Neptune figure refers to the fact that Gdańsk is related with the sea.

It was modelled by Peter Husen and Johann Rogge and casted in 1615 in Augsburg.

Abraham van den Blocke projected the fountain. The beautiful lattice surrounding the fountain comes from 1634. Between 1757-1761 Johann Karl Tender transformed its bowl and base in the spirit of Rococo by adding an array of sea creatures.

According to one of the legends it was the very Neptune who contributed to the famous fruit liqueur Goldwasser.

He became outraged over the fact that people tossed coins into the fountain and he hit the water with his trident and smashed the gold into small flakes which since that time decorate this liqueor with their glitter.

THE YOUNG LADY FROM THE WINDOW

Every day at 1.03 p.m. (in Summer from 1 June till 15 September also at 3.03 p.m. and 5.03 p.m.) a figure representing a young lady of XVII century living in Gdańsk appears in the gable window of a tenement adjoining the Artus’Court – the New House of Ława.

The author of this project is Ewa Topolan, the sculptor of the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk.

The inauguration of the shows of “the Young Lady from the window” took place on 1 June 2001. "Plasir d'amour" by Martini il Tedesco played on the Main City Town Hall’s carillon accompanies the show.

A GOLDEN TENEMENT

The golden tenement is one of the most beautiful buildings of Gdańsk.

It was erected for the mayor of Gdańsk, Jan Speymann, a rich merchant and a patron of the arts and his wife Judyta of Bahr family.

It was built before 1609 according to the project of Abraham van den Blocke who was also the author of the part of the scupltures finished by 1618. The tenement is famous for the rich fasade.

The legend says that the ghost of Justyna Speymann whispering “ Be just, do not fear anyone” sometimes walks in the corridors.

UPHAGEN’S HOUSE

The Uphagen’s house stands in 12 Długa Street and is the only bourgeois tenement in Gdańsk reconstructed together with its decor.

In the end of XV century a masonry building was erected here. Its relics can be found in the cellars of the present tenement. In the following centuries the owners changed often and the house was transformed many times.

In 1775 Johann Uphagen, a merchant, an amateur historian and a bibliophile, bought and rebuilt it. After the owner’s death the tenement remained in the family and became almost unchanged until the beginning of XX century. In 1911 the museum of interiors was opened. It remained open until 1944 when all the equipment was evacuated and moved to Gdańsk vicinity because of military operations.

In 1981 the house was handed down to the Historical Museum of Gdańsk. After conservation works were carried out, the house became available for visitors on 7 June 1998. All the interior equipment which was not destroyed, i.e. wooden panelling and stoves, was installed.

Also fabric and curtain swaging were reconstructed.
The furnishings: furniture, musical instruments, paintings, pottery come mostly from the second half of XVIII century.


On every last Sunday of a month concerts titled “Musical Sundays at the Uphagen’s House” are given. 
> see more       
> see camera photos

GOLDEN GATE

PRZEDBRAMIE of Długa Street
(a dungeon and a prison tower)

How to get there? See bookmark: map

THE UPLAND GATE

It is situated near the Dungeon and the Prison Tower.

It opens the so called Rogal Route leading to the Green Gate through Długa and Długi Targ Street. It was built by Hans Kramer from Saksonia as an element of modern fortifications erected between 1571-1576 along the town western border.

Initially it was made of brick but in 1588 was rebuilt by Willem van den Blocke who was Flammish.

From the Upland Gate one can return to Długi Targ Street through the Golden Gate. You go straight on. Then you go through the Green Gate and there is Długie Pobrzeże Street.

Walking through Długie Pobrzeże Streey we can admire both historical tenements and Motława River. From this very street one can go for a trip by ship    
> see the timetable  

One can also visit nearby yacht marine called MARINA.

How to get to the yacht harbour MARINA?

 After crossing Długi Targ Street (the street with the Neptune fountain) one can cross the Green Gate going from the Main City Town Hall and then you go straight ahead and cross the bridge. After the bridge you turn left.

YACHT MARINE „GDAŃSK MARINA”

The yacht marine which was built and put into use in 1997 is one of the most modern marines in Poland. It is situated in the centre of the Old Town. The marine creates perfect conditions for sailing.

Perfect service and high standards of the base which consists of washing facilities, harbour authorities, the possibility to connect to the power grid and water intake on piers make the marine one of the best ones in Poland and abroad.

 After exploring yacht harbour we are coming back to Długie Pobrzeże Street (and are making for characteristic Crane).

THE CRANE 

It is the biggest harbour crane of medieval Europe, one of the most characteristic constructions of Gdańsk. Situated by Motława river, it served as a means of transshipment of goods and setting ship masts up.

It functioned also as a town gate. It took its modern form in 1442-1444. In its interiors there is a reconstructed and working propelling mechanism, i.e. a huge wooden wheel moved by legs.

In the further part of our journey we are going to explore Mariacka Street which is the branch of Długie Pobrzeże street.

It is undoubtely one of the most beautiful streets of Gdańsk.

It leads from Mariacki Church to Długie Pobrzeże and it is closed by medieval Mariacka Gate. It is a great example of old buildings of Gdańsk with special type of terrces  and narrow, richly decorated tenement fasades belonging to rich merchants and goldsmiths.

Picturesque scenery of this street has inspired writers and painters for ages. It was also a film historical exterior location.

 


THE ROYAL CHAPEL

Situated by Mariacka Street, nearby Mariacka Basilica.

It was built on the initiative of Jan III Sobieski, the king, as a temporary catholic chapel for the congregation of Mariacki Church which remained in the hands of protestants. It is the work of a builder from Gdańsk, Barthel Ranish.

The chapel was erected between 1678-1681 according to the projects of rogal architekt Tylman from Gameren. Baroque fasade sculptures were made by Andreas Schlüter.

MARIACKA BASILICA
Blessed Virgin Mary’s Chuch, the biggest brick church in Europe, was built in several stages from 1343 to 1502.

In its insides there are many excellent medieval and baroque works of art, i.e. the stone pietà from about 1410, the copy of the Final Judgement painted by Hans Memling in 1472, astronomical clock made between 1464-1470 by Hans Düringer or the high altar made in 1510-1517.

The building’s lenght comes to 105 metres; vaults come up to 29 metres above the flooring. 77, 6 metres high massive tower is crowned with a view gallery from which one can admire the town’s panorama. There are almost 400 steps leading to the gallery.

ST. MICHAEL’S CHURCH

How to get there?  See the bookmark: map

It is the oldest church in Gdańsk which was built at the close of XII century and in 1227 was made over to the Dominicans by pomeranian prince Świętopełek. The Dominicans were got there by St. Jacek Odrowąż. The church together with the order has existed since 1348.

This gothic building, as the only one, was not destroyed during the War. In the middle of XV century the church was covered with starry vault and the towers were made higher. Rich early baroque fittings survived in the interiors.

How to get there? See bookmark: map

The oldest parish church of the Old Town erected between 1227-1239 from the donation of Gdańsk-Pomeranian Dukes and was extended in XIV century.

Until 1944 the church delighted with its fittings full of gothic, mannerist and baroque monuments. In 1945 it was demolished. Now the building is being restored.

It is also worth to see Anton Möller and Izaak van den Blocke's paintings. One can also find there Jan Heweliusz’ gravestone from 1659, who was a famous astronomer.

On 76 metres high church tower a carillon is installed which has a beautiful sound. The Museum of Tower Clocks has its seat in the church tower.

THE GREAT MILL               

The Great Mill is situated nearby St. Katarzyna’s Church

 
The Great Mill was built about the middle of XIV century on RADUNIA channel. It was the biggest investment of Teutonic Knights in Gdańsk. It had three functions, i.e. mill, storehouse and bakery. It was equipped with 18 waterwheels with the diameter of 5 metres what was a great technical achievement.

BEACHES

Gdańsk means also beautiful and clean beaches.

Due to serious ecological investments the beaches of Gdańsk have been available for tourists for several years and the quality of sea water is very high. There are two supervised beaches: in Stogi and Brzeźno.

Other beaches one can find in such districts as Jelitkowo and Sobieszewo. Several stationary water slides are open: there are two of them in Stogi, one in Jelitkowo and one in Brzeźno.

One can also find inflatable slides for children. Basketball courts and football pitches wait for active leisure enthusiasts. There is also a walking and bicycle lane going along the sea shore from Brzeźno to Jelitkowo.

One of the attractions of the Gdańsk coast is 130 metres long pier in Brzeźno – a popular place where one can have some rest. It is estimated that the lenght of the beach near the pier in Brzeźno is visited by 50.000 people a day in high season! We encourage you to come and see our beaches also in Autumn and Winter – it is a wonderful place for relaxing walks.

How to get to the beaches  
/   Stogi – trams 8 and 13  
/   Brzeźno – trams 13 and 15

/   Jelitkowo – trams 2 and 6  
/   Sobieszewo – buses 112 and 186.

OLIWSKI PARK

The park is situated In the ditrict of Gdańsk called OLIWA.

Today’s Oliwski Park was created In XVIII century on the ground of former monastery gardens. One can see here plant specimens from all over the world and admire splendid rockery from 1920, an orangery, a cave and a cascade as well as hornbeam valley planted in XVIII century.

The park is a suitable place for romantic walks. In the summer season on the terrace of a nearby Abbots’ Palace and in a garden house outdoor concerts take place.  
> see more

OLIWSKA CATHEDRAL

The church dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St.Bernard was erected as a Cisterian church in XIII century. After the fire in 1350 it was rebuilt in gothic forms and it remained unchanged until today. Gothic fittings of the church were burnt in 1577. The fittings that we can see today come from the baroque.

The cathedral with three naves is a vaulted basilica built on the projection of the Latin cross. The cathedral is 107 metres high and is the longest church in Poland. A beautiful decoration of the cathedral is the rococo organ prospectus from 1763-1788. The organs were made by the master Jan Wulf and Fryderyk Rudolf Dalitz. When they were made they were considered to be the biggest organs in Europe.

> Oliwa – history, historical monuments, tourist routes

GDAŃSK-OLIWA ZOO

The ZOO in Gdańsk is now one of the biggest zoological gardens In Poland.

> see the map

It is one of the most well-known recreational and educational places of the Coast which is visited by masses of people each year, both from Trójmiasto and tourists. The idea of building a zoological garden in Trójmiasto was introduced at the close of the 40’s and was kindly supported by citizens.

Society’s enthusiasm was so great that contemporary town authorities, although initially reluctant to building z ZOO in Gdańsk, finally agreed. Woodland and park area were allotted for this purpose with 100 ha. It was situated in Dolina Leśnego Młyna (Leśny Młyn Valley), near the centre of Oliwa.

The choice of this very area was determined by outstanding topographical conditions and mild microclimate of the valley. Thanks to these very features a pension for people suffering from respiratory tract diseases and rheumatism functioned there.

> see more   -  Coast Zoological Garden  

THE MONUMENT OF SHIPYARD WORKERS KILLED IN ACTION

It is situated near the Railway Stadion and St. Katarzyna’s Church.

Three majestic crosses with anchors – symbols of hope commemorate bloody victims of workers’ strikes of December 1970. The consent to erect a monument at the gate of shipyard was one of the most important demands of shipyard workers in the August 1980. the crosses are 42 metres high and weigh almost 40 tons.

All the official delegations lay flowers at the bottom of the monument when visiting Gdańsk.

AMBER MUSEUM   

80-836 Gdańsk, Zespół Przedbramia ul. Długiej, ul. Targ Węglowy 26,
tel. 0048 (58) 301 47 33

Gdańsk, connected with sea and „baltic northern gold”, has cultivated amber arts traditions for ages. Amber craftsmen founded their own amber processing school and the quality of their products is unequalled on global scale.

Baltic amber called also “succinite” is petrified fossil resin containing much succinic acid. It comes from 40 million years ago. This admixture of succinic acid determines its exceptional healing properties.

As an important centre of extracting and processing this unique natural resource, both before and now famous for splendid works of art made of amber, Gdańsk is an important academic centre dealing in this subject. It is also the National Economic Amber Chamber and International Association of Amber Craftsmen, the host of the biggest amber fairs in the world, i.e. AMBERIF and AMBERMART and a well-known point on a historical and modern amber route. In the second half of XVII century first amber collections came into being.

The amber craftsmen specialized mainly in gathering inclinations. In recognition of “amber fame” of Gdańsk and the mastery of its amber craftsmen one of the varieties of amber was called “gedanit” from the name of the town. Many historical and modern amber routes lead to the world capital of amber – Gdańsk.   -    > see more