Like a mini-state all to itself, Gdańsk has a unique feel that sets it aside from all other cities in Poland. Centuries of maritime ebb and flow as a port city; streets of distinctively un-Polish architecture influenced by a united nations of wealthy merchants who shaped the city’s past.
Here are a few great places to visit.
Royal Way
Lined by the city’s grandest facades, the Royal Way was the route along which the Polish kings traditionally paraded during their periodic visits. Of the three Royal Ways in Poland (Warsaw, Kraków and Gdańsk), the Gdańsk one is the shortest but it’s architecturally perhaps the most refined.
Długi Targ
Długi Targ (Long Market) was once the main city market and is now the major focus for visitors. Sadly it’s all got a bit tacky in recent years and is now hemmed with tourist-class eateries, dubious amber stalls, quick-tongued touts and sun-shades keeping overpriced beer and their drinkers out of the sun.
According to local legend, the Neptune Fountain (Fontana Neptuna), next to the Town Hall, once gushed forth with the trademark Gdańsk liqueur, Goldwasser. As the story goes, it spurted out of the trident one merry night and Neptune found himself endangered by crowds of drunken locals who couldn’t believe their luck. Perhaps that’s why, in 1634, the fountain was fenced off with a wrought-iron barrier. The bronze statue itself was the work of another Flemish artist, Peter Husen; made between 1606 and 1613, it is the oldest secular monument in Poland. A menagerie of stone sea creatures was added in the 1750s during the restoration of the fountain.
Dominating the heart of the Main Town, St Mary’s Church is often cited as the largest old brick church in the world. Some 105m long and 66m wide at the transept, its massive squat tower climbs 78m high into the Gdańsk cityscape. About 25,000 people can fit easily into its 16,500 square feet interior. Even from afar, this awe-inspiring colossus looms sinisterly in a million red bricks, dwarfing the houses at its oversize Gothic feet.
Begun in 1343, St Mary’s didn’t reach its present gigantic proportions until 1502. It served as the parish church for the Catholic congregation until the Reformation blew into town. It passed to the Protestants in 1572, to be used by them until WWII.
Old Town Hall
Behind the Great Mill, across a small park, the Old Town Hall was once the seat of the Old Town council. A well-proportioned Renaissance building crowned with a high central tower typical of its Flemish provenance, it was designed at the end of the 16th century by Antonius van Opbergen, the architect later responsible for the Great Arsenal. The brick structure is delicately ornamented in stone, including the central doorway and a frieze with the shields of Poland, Prussia and Gdańsk.
The Old Town Hall now houses the Baltic Sea Culture Centre and an exhibition hall. Go upstairs to see the foyer, notable for its rich decoration, which was partly assembled from old burghers’ houses. Note the arcaded stone wall (1560) with three Roman gods in bas-relief. This composition, older than the town hall itself, was moved here from one of the houses in the Main Town. One of the doors leads to the Great Hall, which can also be visited. Concerts are held here – check the program for details.
Looking for that uniquely different vacation destination. Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!
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