| Page Views: 1,992 Last Visit to Gdansk: July, 2006 | GDANSK ~ the Polish pearl on the Baltic by gosiaPL - last update: Aug 24, 2006 |
ONE OF MY TOP DESTINATIONS IN POLAND | The Statue of Neptune, winter |
Gdansk is one of my favourite destinations in Poland. It's a city of beautiful architecture and great maritime heritage - with so many places to see there you can't be bored! Best known to the world for Solidarity and Lech Walesa, it means far more than this to us Poles. Sitting at the mouth of the Vistula on the Baltic Sea, it's always been important to to us. Particularly at the times when Poland was "the granary of Europe" and grain was shipped to Gdansk on the Vistula to be exported further. Owing to this, Gdansk was one of Europe's top Hanzeatic cities, rich and prosperous, attracting trade people and artisans from other countries to settle there. It's a good idea to bear this in mind, you will see the many influences when you tour Gdansk.
A litle bit of history to help you understand Gdansk
It's a 1000 year old city with turbulent history, and the recurring dispute: is it the Polish Gdansk or the German Danzig? First records mention urbs Gydannyzc in the year 997 when, after baptizing the first Polish ruler, St. Adalbert came to bring Christianity to the local Slavic tribes. Towards the 13th century the last Pomeranian Slavic prince gave his land to the prince of Poland, thus uniting the Polish lands into one state. 26 years after the union, Gdansk was taken over by the Teutonic Order. This is probably why some choose to look at Gdansk as a German city. But in 1410, after deafeating the Teutonians at the famous battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg), Gdansk citizens chose to obey to the Polish king. In 1454 the city was formally re-united with Poland, and the Polish dynasty crown was added into the city emblem.
The Reformation of the 16th century made Gdansk famous for its religious tolerance. Many protestants from all over Europe settled in Gdansk, making it the most international city in the Polish kingdom and... the most protestant one. But it still held allegiance to the Polish throne, fighting against the Swedes, the German Saxons, and the Russians. It was only after the second partition of Poland in 1793 that Gdansk was incorporated into Prussia (Germany). Then after WWI (1919) it was declared a Free City, governed by the commissioners of the League of Nations. Not for too long though, for Germany tried to win it back by starting WWII exactly in Gdansk's Cape Westerplatte. After the Jalta conference and the post-war "new deal" in Europe, it was returned to Poland. The city suffered from severe war damage but was soon rebuilt.
Today's Gdansk
Gdansk is the largest within the Tricity agglomeration, with the population of over 460,000 (the other two are Sopot and Gdynia). It's a vibrant city with lots of cafes, clubs and restaurants, and a paradise for lovers of great architecture, European history and marine heritage. In my tips I am trying to highlight the most important things about Gdansk but there are more. Check the official Gdansk city page if you're interested in more details. It's up to you how much time you spend in Gdansk and what you choose to see. It's also worth popping out to the other two places within the Tricity (particularly Sopot), all three are connected by a very convenient SKM commuter train. And if you like amber jewelry, Gdansk is the place to buy it! |
| Tenement houses in Dlugi Targ |
|  | A city of fine architecture Everywhere you look in Gdansk, you see fine architecture, and some of it dates back well into the Middle Ages. Some foreigners say Gdansk reminds them of Amsterdam... well, with the many foreign influences throughout the history of the city, and all the canals and river arms, perhaps it is true. But it all adds up to the unique character of Gdansk in Poland. Let's put it this way: if you guys are bored with Amsterdam, come and see the Gdansk's way ;-) |
The cradle of SOLIDARITY Gdansk is where the Soviet block began to crumble. The 1980 strike in the shipyard, and the birth of Solidarity (the first free union trade behind the iron curtain), was a turning point that led to the free elections in June 1989, then the fall of the Berlin wall, and then... and then... the domino effect in Eastern Europe...
Visit the 'Roads to Freedom' exhibition in the Gdansk shipyard - read about it in my tip and travelogue. If you're interested in more, check also my info about the monument to the shipyard workers who fell in the 1970 unrest and rise against the communist power. | | | Monument to the fallen shipyard workers, detail |
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| Pros: | "Fine architecture, maritime heritage" | | Cons: | "Too crowded in the summer season" | | In A Nutshell: | "Polish treasure on the Baltic coast" |
gosiaPL's Gdansk Travel Tips
 gosiaPL's Gdansk Travelogues | | | |
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 Comments for gosiaPL about Gdansk | | | | |
susaninri Tue Nov 14, 2006 21:33 UTC
Went to Pawtuxet's Gdansk page and then had to view yours. Very compelling--I want to sit in the cafe and eat pierogi's! Great photos of the buildings! | Pixiekatten Thu Sep 28, 2006 00:37 UTC
Cześć. =) Great page on Gdansk. Really nice pictures. Brings back good memories. Greetings from a half polish / half swede! Take care! | ure.spring Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:53 UTC
A must for all visitors to Gdansk. An inspirational record of the Polish worker's struggle and the birth of solidarity and a tribute to their courage. | Pawtuxet Thu Aug 31, 2006 00:33 UTC
I want 3 more days to shop on those beautiful streets...topped by 3 days of cafes and dinner in the various restaurants. THEN I want to tour the Maritime Museum and sail on every single boat in all directions! Is that asking for too much? |
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