Rent a tourist guide
Gdansk – Stare Miasto (Old Town)
When visiting Gdansk, you may feel that you are carried back to the Middle
Ages, and even though substantial parts of the town consist of
reconstructions from after WWII, you will still find plenty of authentic,
genuine old buildings. Most streets are located where they were in medieval
times, and more than 30% of the streets have had the same names for more
than 500 years. The old town is one of Europe’s largest historical centres,
and the medieval centre is around twice the size of the corresponding centre
in Krakow. For those who have visited Krakow it is definitely worth trying
to compare the styles; the way of building is quite different, influenced by
the functional needs of a harbour town where the basements were used for
storerooms and warehouses lay side by side, and obviously you also feel that
this is an old Hanseatic town.
Dlugi Targ
Gdansk does not have a “Rynek” – or main square – as most other Polish
towns. Instead the town has been equipped with a wide pedestrian street,
Dlugi Targ (the Long Market), which runs from Targ Weglowy (Coal Square) to
the channels. It’s something in between Las Ramblas in Barcelona and Regent
Street in London. From an architectural point of view Gdansk resembles
Copenhagen, Hamburg and to some extent, Amsterdam. A trip around Gdansk
often makes me think about the canals in my native Copenhagen, but only
until I get the bill for my beer. A pint of lager is substantially cheaper
in Gdansk than in Copenhagen.
Dlugi Targ lies where it has been lying since the Middle Ages, and from day
one this has been the centre of trade and important decisions in Gdansk, no
matter if the town has been under German or Polish jurisdiction. The route
through Dlugi Targ is also referred to as the Royal Route.
As
previously mentioned, the street starts by Targ Weglowy. The fence post is
Zlota Brama (the Golden Gate) that was erected in1612 and designed by the
Dutch architect Abraham van Blocke.
By
and large the street was totally destroyed during WWII, but most buildings
are exact reconstructions of the original houses. The street is a mixture of
late Gothic style and baroque, with substantial influence from Dutch
architects and artists. Buildings in the same style are seen in South German
and Dutch towns; normally they should have become slightly sloping as time
went by,
so
the ruler-straight walls make it obvious that the buildings are rather new,
but even then the architecture gives you a thrilling experience and allows
your imagination to move back to ancient times.
Dlugi Targ ends at Brama Zielona (the Green Gate), which leads to the
channels. The palace dates back to 1568 (a reconstruction), and was erected by Regnier
from Amsterdam in Dutch style. The palace was originally designed to serve
as a residence for Polish kings, but no Polish king ever stayed overnight in
the palace. Today the building is used by the National Museum in Gdansk, and
former President Lech Walesa has an office in one of the premises.
At
Dlugi Targ something will be happening all the time. Tourists as well as
locals meet up in the bars or gather around the street performers, who are
active from April to September. It’s a good feeling to sit in the square
enjoying the atmosphere, but to find a place with more local character you
may want to turn into the side streets and walk down into the cellars.
Even if Dlugi Targ is crowded during the day and in the evening it empties
before midnight, where nightlife should be found is in the above-mentioned
side streets and cellars.
On
the way along the street you will among other things notice the Gothic town
hall, the Neptune fountain and a wealth of impressive town houses. In
particular it is worth paying attention to:
The
City Hall. The construction of the
present Town Hall was initiated in 1379, when the town was dominated by the
Teutonic Knights. In the following centuries Gdansk returned under Polish
jurisdiction, the town flourished and the Town Hall was enlarged. The style
is Gothic, with elements from the renaissance, which have been added later.
It is an impressive building, including 5 tall storeys and a tower rising 83
meters into the air; at the very top stands a gilt statue of King Sigismund Vasa
(1548-1572),
who stands there taking a look across the town.The building was badly
damaged during Soviet bombings in 1944, but the walls were saved and after
the war the town succeeded in reconstructing the destroyed parts. The Town
Hall is today the headquarters of the Historical Museum of Gdansk, and it is
open to visitors. A walk through the magnificent halls is absolutely worth
it.
The
Neptune Fountain.
The
Neptune Fountain of 1633 was commissioned by the city council of Gdansk,
which wanted to equip the town with a representative fountain connected to
the Town Hall. Like many other of the town’s architectural masterpieces, the
fountain came into being thanks to a group of artists of Dutch origin
(whereas the architecture in Warszawa and Krakow tend to be rather inspired by
Italian architects). The fountain and Neptune himself were designed by
Abraham van den Blocke, while the moulding was made by Piter Husen and the
actual bronze casting was carried out at a local foundry in Gdansk.
The
Neptune Fountain is situated right in the middle of Dlugi Targ and no doubt
belongs to the most often photographed objects in Gdansk.
The
Green Gate – the Royal Castle.
The
Green Gate dates back from the 12th century, when it was one of the gates
leading to the water line. In 1568, a magnificent palace designated for
Polish kings was built at this place, but no king ever stayed overnight at
the castle, as they preferred to be treated by local dignitaries when
visiting Gdansk.
Dom
Uphagena (the house of Uphagen).
The merchant Jan Uphagen acquired the building in 1775, whereupon he spent
the next 12 years renovating the building – indoors as well as the facade –
with the help of the architect Jan Benedykt Dreher. The result was a
magnificent town house, which the childless merchant transferred to a
foundation, which was supposed to keep the building unchanged. Since the
year 1900, the building has been open for the public, and even if it was
destroyed during WWII, around 40% of the original interior was saved,
enabling the reconstruction with the use of elements that survived the war.
A visit to the house will thus show you how wealthy burghers lived in the
18th century.
Stagiewna Street – the Marina - Dlugie Ogrody – Lower Town
After having walked past the Green Gate, you may choose to continue straight
ahead past a small channel bridge that leads to the newest reconstructions
of the old Gdansk. On the one side you will see a row of beautiful old style
small town houses erected in 1999, and at the end of the street, a genuinely
old, round defence tower from the 15th century.
There are lots of hotels, shops and small restaurants in the area, and if
you turn left, you will reach the most charming marina, where you will also
find the microbrewery, Brovarnia Gdanska.
Instead of turning left, you may decide to walk straight ahead down Dlugie
Ogrody (the Long Gardens). This area was until a few years ago known as one
of the rather tough places in Gdansk, and the atmosphere is also still more
local than in Main Town. Grey communist concrete mixed up with modern
architectural gems and a few brick houses from before WWII. The whole
street, from the beginning of Dluga Street to the end of Dlugie Ogrody may
be considered as one, long route, and this was also the way the streets were
considered in the middle ages.
On
the right you will find the Lower Town (Dolne Miasto) – an industrial area
from the 19th century. By and large the quarter was not affected by WWII;
for this reason you may see a large selection of factory buildings and
blocks of flats from after 1850. The area wasn’t well maintained after 1945
so many of the buildings are in a state of decay, which obviously influences
the rent to be paid as well as the local dwellers. You can easily take a
walk through the area, but you had better not provoke others by looking too
much like a tourist, or click the camera non-stop – this may not be well
received by the local residents. Nevertheless, you will also find well-kept
buildings, and a walk through the area gives a good impression about the
town before the war.
The
Channel
Back at the Green Gate. If we arrive from Dlugi Targ, we can also turn left,
which brings us into the channel area. The old buildings are absolutely
marvellous and the atmosphere is relaxed. Even though the harbour side is
dominated by tourists, it all seems real, which shows that they have
succeeded in creating an authentic harbour front.
Along the channel you find the authentic gates leading you into the Old Town
of Gdansk. The old crane of 1444, flanked by two historical towers, is
especially worth seeing. The crane has a lifting capacity of 4 tons, thus
belonging to the most powerful cranes of its epoch. From the pedestrian area
along the channel you can look right over at the other side, where you will
find the philharmonic and the marina, and obviously you can also have a look
at the ships in their own element. During the summer season there is a ferry
connection to Sopot, Gdynia and Hel.
Mariacka Street
Several minor streets take you from the channel area towards the centre; one
of them is Mariacka Street, often referred to as one of the most beautiful
places in Poland. The narrow, cobbled street is surrounded by narrow
three-storey town houses in a variety of discrete colours and the
street itself is closed off by an old brick house with a gothic arcade leading to the
channel area. At the other end of the street, the impressive Mariacki Church
rises up towards the sky. At street level, the ground floor premises and the
basements have been converted into cosy cafés and boutiques selling amber, to
such an extent that the street is said to be Poland’s amber centre.
Without special equipment it is almost impossible to determine whether amber
is real or fake, as a lot of “amber” is being produced with synthetic
materials. When buying amber from street stands and such like, you should
always be sceptical, but the shops in Mariacka Street live by their
reputation and it will probably be impossible to buy imitations here. In any
case – even if you don’t want to buy anything – it is worth spending a bit
of time studying the beautifully made amber handicraft products, often
produced by creative specialists with a sense for detail.
The
street’s beauty does not originate from a special beauty of its buildings,
even though obviously the amber shops give a bit of splendour. The main
characteristics are the closed form and the view to the massive church, and
then the traditional houses, all equipped with a small terrace in front of
the building, formerly a distinguishing feature in the architecture of
Gdansk, but now only preserved in a few places in town.
St.
Mary’s Church – the Gdansk Cathedral
With 82 meters to the highest spire, the church rises up in the landscape
amongst the small streets and squares surrounding the cathedral. The church
has a surface area of 5,000 square metres, and so it belongs to some of the
largest churches in Poland, and it is actually the world’s biggest brick
church in the Gothic style. It is a formidable church, which must be
experienced to get the right impression of its dimensions.
The
church was built as a Roman cross, with high, oval leaded panes. In spite of
several reconstructions, the Gothic architecture remains, and the red bricks
bear witness of another epoch.
The
inside of the church looks relatively modest, taking into consideration that
it is one of the most well known churches in Poland, but if you walk around
and take a good look at the individual parts, you will experience unusual
riches in the detail and beauty. The slightly less grandiose adornments might be
a leftover from the many years when the church used to be protestant in the
mainly German Gdansk.
There has been a church at this place since (it is believed) 1266; the
present church was built from 1343 but the building has been enlarged
several times, and it was finished in the form it has today by 1502. In
1945, the building was partly destroyed by artillery fire, and it had to
come through extensive reconstruction before it was once again ready for use
in 1955.
Targ Weglowy (Coal Square)
The
main pedestrian street – Dluga – leads into Zlota Brama and Targ Weglowy. It
is one of the most dynamic squares in Gdansk, with several fashionable bars,
a theatre and a medieval prison.
Katownia (the dungeon) – the medieval prison used to
serve as a courtroom, prison and an area where corporal punishment was
executed. In addition, a pillory was placed in front of the prison, where
also death penalties were carried out. The prison is now converted into a
museum.
Zbrojownia (armoury) – maybe the most conspicuous
building in the square. The armoury was ready in1605 and was the answer to
an ever increasing threat from the Swedes. It was erected with Dutch red
bricks, richly ornamented and equipped with gilded figures on the top of the
building. It burned down in 1945 but was re-erected in the original style
after the war. Right next to the armoury, one of the old defence turrets is
placed, and later on this served as a storehouse for gunpowder.
Drzewo millenium - (the millennium tree) marked the 1000th anniversary of
Gdansk in 1997. The tree is made in metal by the artists Wojciech Schwartz
and Leonard Dajkowski and it symbolizes the solidarity between the countries
of the world.
At
the square you will also find a theatre as well as the Academy of Fine Arts
in Gdansk and the square is a popular place for organizing concerts, markets
and other arrangements; in general a great place for a walk and for meeting
new people.
The
Shipyard
The
Gdansk Shipyard has become a symbol of the town – it started functioning
just after WWII on the area formerly occupied by a German shipyard, and it
quickly became a symbol of Poland’s resurrection from the destructions of
the war. During its existence under communist rule, the shipyard built a
large number of different ship types, from cargo vessels and trawlers to
ferries and yachts, and this way it became a plant with strategic importance
for the country because of the significant export, bringing foreign currency
to the country – a much needed commodity in Poland at that time.
The shipyard workers were relatively well treated
in communist Poland, where workers in strategic industries like mining and
heavy industry had the best working conditions. Maybe this is the reason why
these groups seemed to possess particular self confidence at least it was
here that the political unrest arose in post-war Poland. The workers at the
Gdansk Shipyard had several serious fights with the government when economic
crises limited their spending power. One of the more serious clashes with
the government was in 1970, when military units opened fire and killed a
number of striking shipyard workers. Ten years later, workers under the
leadership of Lech Walesa occupied the shipyard and won the right to form
the free trade union Solidarity, which was not controlled by the government.
This happy state of affairs lasted
until martial law in 1981, but Solidarity and Lech Walesa had already
established themselves as political opposition, and the leaders of the
country did not have the necessary political strength and will power to
extinguish them. The political activity that spread into all parts of Polish
society had its roots at the shipyard, and it was also from this place they
succeeded in forcing through the democratic changes in 1989. The strike in
1980 was depicted in the extraordinary movie The Iron Man, by Andrzej Wajda
in 1981.
When passing the shipyard from the main road, the railway or the channel you
will clearly see the enormous heavy weight cranes standing one next to
another in immovable majesty, giving a clear impression of the activity
which once took place on this huge terrain. In front of the main entrance we
notice a number of historical symbols from the labour disputes, and in front
of the shipyard we find an old residential district with original bricks
from around 1900. This is an area with a lot of charm, and it gives a
fantastic impression of the city’s life, also the period before WWII.
After 1989, the shipyard has lived through hard times and several bailouts,
which have often been included in the national political plans because of
the shipyard’s symbolic significance in the breakdown of the communist
system. The activities taking place at the area have now been thoroughly
diversified, the workforce has been decimated, and the company has stopped
producing ships. However, they have started to sell off parts of the land
for different purposes, and also a number of cultural activities take place
in the area.
The
main railway station
The
main railway station in Gdansk is located on the edge of the old town, a
10-minute walk from the shipyard, and at a very short distance from some of
the largest hotels in Gdansk. The building was burned by the Red Army in
1945, but they still succeeded in saving the outer walls, and the Main
Station anno 2013 reminds us very much of the grandiose station that was
finished in 1900. It was erected in a mixture of renaissance and baroque,
and this mixture of styles gives the building a very special look.
The
building and the area around it is the main junction in Gdansk, with the bus
station placed just above the rail station and local buses plus trams at the
main road in front of the station. And last but not least, the urban railway
connecting Gdansk with Gdynia and Sopot has its terminus here. The public
transport is quite efficient, and if all the rolling stock were modernized,
transport would be really tempting, which is not always the case at the
moment.
The
area around the rail station is filled with life, from the distinguished
visitors at the luxury hotels to less distinguished groups united in a
common interest in cheap, locally produced drugs; but most people are local
residents on their way to and from their everyday doings.
Hala targowa (the market hall)
The market hall in
Gdansk is situated right behind Targ Weglowy (Coal Square), a few minutes
from Dluga Street. It is a specific building from 1896 with red tiles,
arched doors and windows as well as several turrets. In the middle ages, a
church was situated right here and archaeological excavations have
established that this was a popular burial place. The actual market building
survived the drastic events of the 20th
century almost without any damage.
The
building has recently been through a profound renovation, and in 2005 it
reopened with a beautifully refurbished facade, new stalls and a cool image.
Outside, stalls stand as before, one beside the other and very close to each
other, selling groceries and other products of daily consumption at a level
just slightly below the level inside.
I
must admit that I liked the old market hall better when it was distinctly
marked by the ravages of time and the booths were much more primitive than
today, as in a way it was more human. Even though there is still a
difference between them, in my opinion the market hall now resembles the
huge shopping centres that can be found anywhere. But it still has an
atmosphere, and if you are in Gdansk, it is something you must take a look
at, at least because of the architecture.
The
market hall has been arranged in three stories, with the basement being the
most interesting, containing excavated parts of the church that stood at
this place in the 13th century. It constitutes an interesting contrast to
the modern, streamlined look of the shopping area. At the back we find a
large number of flower shops specialising in elaborate bouquets for formal
occasions.
The
post office
The
old post office in Gdansk has been immortalized by Gunter Grass in his
master piece The Tin Drum, dealing with pre-war Gdansk. Gunter Grass has an
excellent description of the episode where the post office in 1939 defends
itself against the attack of German troops. The post office is located next
to the harbour area in central Gdansk, and has now slightly fallen into
disrepair. It is a large, square building with a certain beauty and a huge
square in front of the building. The building also contains a museum, and in
the square we find a statue commemorating the defenders of the post office,
as well as a museum where you can learn about the history of the Polish
postal service, which has roots back in the ancient mail coaches.
The
fortification
Gdansk has been fortified and surrounded by moats since 1271 AD, whereas the
city walls were built from 1343 AD. There isn’t too much left of the
original fortification, but walking around the town you will find fragments
of the old wall, and along the channel and at Targ Weglowy and several other
places we can find old towers and fortifications, which functioned as a retreat
for the defenders of the town.
The
modern Gdansk
Gdansk has a cosy, sometimes slightly lazy, atmosphere of a port, but the
town is being rapidly modernized. Walking around the town you will see
modern, luxurious apartment and office blocks everywhere, rising high over
the older buildings in Gdansk. New shops seem to be made by professional
shop designers, and a growing number of international companies have
representations in the town – from service centres to software development
plants. Many Scandinavian companies have also found their way to Tri-City,
from where it is relatively easy to get to Denmark and Sweden.
The
town has always had a large number of bars and restaurants, but the
development of the past decade has raised the level and the diversity of the
restaurant business. Excluding a few exceptions, the infrastructure is nice,
modern and well functioning not only in Gdansk itself but in the entire
region. In spite of the modernity, the area throughout maintains its
character and peculiarity; you feel that this may be Poland, but at the same
time it is something else, and this “something else” may be more prevailing
than the Polishness.
