If you are looking for where the locals eat when they want something beyond the classic cabbage and meat combo, these are the five essential stops.

1. Słony Spichlerz (The Salty Granary)

Located on the revitalized Granary Island, this is Tricity’s premier “restaurant market.” Housed in a beautifully restored historic granary, it features eight different culinary concepts under one roof. It is the perfect solution for groups with clashing cravings—one person can grab fresh Baltic seafood at True, while another goes for Asian fusion or gourmet pasta.

• Why it’s a hotspot: The vibrant, industrial-chic atmosphere and the outdoor seating with direct views of the Motława River.

2. Pierogarnia Mandu

You might think “I’ve had pierogi,” but you haven’t had them at Mandu. This isn’t your typical grandmother’s kitchen; it’s a high-energy, modern bistro where you can watch the dough being rolled by hand through glass windows. Their menu is massive, featuring “world pierogi” like Korean Mandu, Georgian Khinkali, and even sweet Oreo-filled dumplings for dessert.

• Why it’s a hotspot: It bridges the gap between tradition and innovation. Expect a line at the door—it is arguably the most popular lunch spot in the city center.

3. 100cznia

If you want to escape the touristy Old Town, take a short walk to the historic Gdańsk Shipyard. 100cznia is a seasonal “city within a city” built from shipping containers. It’s a gritty, creative hub filled with street food stalls, independent bars, and art galleries. You’ll find everything from Middle Eastern falafel to Mexican tacos and local craft beers.

• Why it’s a hotspot: It represents the “new Gdańsk”—young, creative, and unpolished. It’s the ultimate spot for sunset drinks and live music.

4. Eliksir (Wrzeszcz District)

For those willing to venture into the trendy Wrzeszcz neighborhood, Eliksir offers a unique “foodpairing” concept. Each dish on their fine-dining menu is designed to be consumed with a specific, expertly crafted cocktail. It’s sophisticated, experimental, and frequently cited as one of the best dining experiences in Poland.

• Why it’s a hotspot: It’s where the city’s mixology scene meets high-end gastronomy. Perfect for a special occasion or a deep dive into modern Polish flavors.

5. Tygle Gdańskie

Situated right on the waterfront, Tygle takes traditional Pomeranian ingredients—crayfish, herring, and goose—and prepares them with modern techniques. They offer a “Tastes of Gdańsk” menu that is a Michelin-recommended journey through regional history, served in a sleek, glass-fronted dining room.

• Why it’s a hotspot: It offers the best “view-to-food-quality” ratio in the city. You get the iconic riverfront scenery without the typical tourist-trap menu.

The Local Liqueur: Goldwasser vs. Machandel

You cannot leave a Gdańsk restaurant without a “digestif” moment. While tourists flock to Danziger Goldwasser (the one with the real 22-karat gold flakes), locals often prefer Machandel. This traditional juniper brandy has its own ritual: you must drink it from a small glass with a dried plum on a toothpick, following a specific “Gdańsk etiquette” that dates back to the 18th century.

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Here is how to navigate the “World Capital of Amber.”

Where to Shop: The Best Galleries on Mariacka Street

While amber is sold throughout the city, Mariacka Street is the undisputed center of high-end craftsmanship. For those looking for modern, artistic designs rather than traditional “grandmother” styles, these galleries are highly recommended:

• Galeria Wydra (Mariacka 48/49): Known for having one of the most stunning display windows in the city, this gallery focuses on high-quality, unique pieces that blend traditional materials with contemporary aesthetics.
• Moja Forma (Mariacka 2): If you prefer minimalist, sleek designs, this is your destination. They specialize in modern forms where the amber is treated as a piece of art rather than just a bead.
• Prestige Amber Gallery (Mariacka 44/45): A luxury boutique that showcases works from top Polish artists. It is an excellent place to find “one-of-a-kind” statement jewelry set in gold and silver.
• Amberstyl (Długie Pobrzeże 31): Located just around the corner on the waterfront, this workshop is run by one of the few recognized “Amber Masters” in Poland, perfect for those who want to buy directly from the craftsman.

Spotting the “Fake”: 3 Simple Tests

Amber’s popularity means that “pressed amber” (small scraps melted together) or plastic imitations are common. Use these tricks to shop like an expert:

1. The Static Test: Rub the amber piece vigorously against a piece of natural wool or silk for 20 seconds. Genuine amber becomes electrostatically charged and will attract small bits of paper or dust. Plastic will not.
2. The Saltwater Sink-or-Float: This is the gold standard. Real amber is incredibly buoyant. In a glass of water with about 7–8 tablespoons of dissolved salt, real amber will float, while plastic and glass will sink instantly.
3. The Scent of History: If you rub a piece of real amber until it warms up, it should emit a faint, pleasant scent of pine or resin. If it smells like burnt chemicals or nothing at all, it is likely synthetic.

Expert Tip: Look for the International Amber Association (IAA) certificate in the shop window. This blue and white seal is a guarantee that the merchant is selling genuine, natural Baltic amber.

Beyond Jewelry: Must-See Amber Landmarks

To truly appreciate the scale of this material, visit these two sites:

• The Great Mill (Museum of Amber): This state-of-the-art museum houses the “Gierłowski Lizard,” one of the world’s rarest vertebrate specimens trapped in resin, and even an “Ambercaster”—a Fender Stratocaster guitar made of amber.
• The Amber Altar at St. Bridget’s Church: A breathtaking 11-meter-tall altar made entirely of amber. It contains more of the material than the legendary (and lost) Amber Room of the Tsars.

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Today, it remains one of Europe’s most beautiful urban corridors. Here is your step-by-step guide to walking in the footsteps of kings.

Phase 1: The Gateway to Glory

Your journey begins at the Upland Gate (Brama Wyżynna), the original entry point to the city fortifications. Look up to see the stone-carved crests of Poland, Gdańsk, and Royal Prussia.

Just behind it sits the Foregate Complex, a somber brick structure that once housed the city’s Prison Tower and Torture Chamber. Today, it’s far more welcoming as the home of the Amber Museum, where you can see the “Baltic Gold” that built the very palaces you’re about to pass.

Phase 2: Entering the Main Town

Step through the Golden Gate (Złota Brama), a Dutch-style masterpiece. Take a moment to read the Latin inscription: “In concord small states grow, in discord great ones fall.” As you emerge, Długa Street (Long Street) opens before you. This isn’t just a road; it’s a gallery of Mannerist architecture.

• Don’t miss: Uphagen’s House (No. 12), one of the few merchant palaces where you can step inside to see how the 18th-century “1%” actually lived.

Phase 3: The Social Heart (Długi Targ)

As the street widens into the Long Market (Długi Targ), you’ll find the city’s most famous landmarks clustered together:

• The Main Town Hall: Its 80-meter tower is topped with a golden statue of King Sigismund II Augustus. Inside, the “Red Room” is often called one of the most beautiful Renaissance interiors in Europe.
• Neptune’s Fountain: The undisputed symbol of Gdańsk. Local Legend: They say the Roman god was once so annoyed by people throwing coins into his fountain that he struck the water with his trident, shattering the gold into the tiny flakes now found in the local herbal liqueur, Goldwasser.
• Artus Court: Once the meeting place for wealthy merchants and a center of social life. Look for the 11-meter-high tiled stove—it’s the largest of its kind in the world.

Phase 4: The Riverside Finale

The Royal Way concludes at the Green Gate (Zielona Brama). Despite its name, it’s a grand, four-arched palace built specifically to house visiting royalty (though, ironically, few kings ever actually stayed there).

Walk through its arches to reach the Motława River embankment. Here, the view opens up to the medieval Crane (Żuraw) and the bustling Long Quayside, the perfect place to grab a coffee and watch the boats go by.

Pro Tip: For the best photos, start your walk at sunrise. The light hits the gilded facades of the Long Market perfectly, and you’ll have the Neptune Fountain all to yourself.

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Hel is a town on the tip of the Peninsula. It is a renowned sea-bathing place and holiday resort, very fashionable in the period between the world wars. The seaside specificity of Hel is determined by several dozen of kilometers of beaches, white and grey sand-dunes as well as dune flora like the Sea holly for example.

Stripes of pine forest diversify the way to the beach. It is an ideal place for all those who dream of relaxation, sea and sun baths as water surrounds Hel from three sides. Tourist attractions include the lighthouse, which is a breathtaking and long-lasting in the memory viewing point in Hel, the Museum of Fishery located in a historic former-evangelical Church of Peter and Paul situated near the town centre next to the harbour and the fishing harbour, which was built in 1882-1883 by the Prussian government, originally the cutter and fishing boats harbour was protected by a breakwater of a wooden construction which took the area of today’s internal reservoir. But the most popular place in Hel is also the sealarium in the basin of the sealarium grey seals that used to be the most common specie of seals living in the region of the south Baltic Sea found their asylum. The specie died out almost entirely because of intense and long-lasting hunting.

Kashubian Region

Kashubian Region covers the areas stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Tuchola Forests. The Kashubian region is famous not only for its rich nature, but also for its culture and traditions.

The tourist attractions include, among other things, an open-air ethnographic museum in Wdzydze Kiszewskie, a Museum of Kashubian Ceramics in Chmielno and the highest Kashubian mountain in Wiezyca. Kashubian people speak Kashubian language, classified either as a language or a Polish dialect. In analogy to the linguistic classification, Kashubians are considered either an ethnic or a linguistic group. Kashubia is a lake district in north Poland in Pomeranian Voivodship. It is surrounded by many hills made by Scandinavian glaciers. The traditional capital of Kashubia was always Gdansk. Today there are many cities which claim to be the capital: Kartuzy, Koscierzyna, Bytow and Wejherowo. The total number of Kashubians varies depending on one’s definition. A common estimate is that over 300,000 people in Poland are of the Kashubian ethnicity. The most extreme estimates are as low as 50,000 or as high as 500,000.

Malbrok Castle

Malbork was founded as a settlement around a castle the erection of which started in 1274, when the Order of Teutonic Knights came to this land. In the course of about 30 years a small castle was built and it was named Marienburg, which means Mary’s City.

In 1309 the Great Master of the Order, Siegfried von Feuchtwagen moved his residence from Venice to Malbork and thanks to this the castle and the city became the capital of the Teutonic state. Due to new needs the castle was extended. Thanks to its redevelopment which lasted for almost 40 years the initial castle was transformed into the part which is now called the High Castle. It was surrounded with moats and walls and was used as a residence of the Great Masters and the highest-ranked Teutonic officials. The Malbork Castle is regarded as the biggest Gothic stronghold in Europe. It was added to the world’s cultural heritage list maintained by UNESCO in 1997. The castle is surrounded by belts of defensive walls with gates and towers. Malbork Castle is only 50 kilometers from Gdansk.

Gdynia

Gdynia is one of the youngest Polish cities. Its port is the gateway to Poland and a landmark of Gdynia. The port of Gdynia ranks among the best in the Baltic region, as it is not only a cargo-handling facility but also an international business centre.

Gdynia also has four modern shipyards and is a major road, rail, and sea transport node, providing access to major European cities – in the near future also by air. He who comes to Gdynia can experience many of the advantages it offers, like the beautiful seaside location among woody hills; good roads, modern public transport that is friendly to the elderly, the disabled, as well as the environment; all services that determine the quality of life; broad cultural offer and excellent schools of national and international renown.
Gdynia is attractive owing to its rapid growth in virtually all areas and the unmatched dynamism of its citizens. Apart from the traditional industries that gave rise to the city, firms associated with the 21st century disciplines like IT or biotechnology have been booming. Gdynia has a well-developed business services sector – companies specialising in finance, consultancy, brokerage, R&D and data processing. Gdynia offers also beautiful, sandy beaches patrolled by lifeguards. The largest is in the city centre- close to the Marina, a mere five minutes on foot from the high street. It is beautiful, wide and golden, drenched in sunshine all day long, providing bathers or sunbathers with everything they might want, like the other beaches located at Orlowo, Redlowo, Oksywie, or Babie Doly. The latter has an additional attraction – the ruin of a World War II German torpedo launcher, 320 meters away from the shore. It is explored by those seeking adventure and history secrets.

Sopot

Sopot is the smallest town of the Tri-City agglomeration, functioning as a district town. Sopot is a small Polish town situated on the Baltic Sea coast between Gdansk and Gdynia, a natural centre of the nearly one-million Tri-City agglomeration and the Pomeranian province.

In the south the town is bordered by the Tri-City Landscape Park and its northern border is marked by 4.5 km long sandy beaches of the Bay of Gdansk. In Sopot there are many attractions, e.g. the longest wooden pier in Europe, clean and sandy beaches, Bohaterow Monte Cassino Street, which is the most famous pedestrian precinct in the country, The Forest Opera, the Fishing Harbour, The Hippodrome Sopot and the Forest Stadium. Sopot, once described as the Riviera of the North, is attractive also because of its proximity to Gdansk and Gdynia. From Sopot excursions can be made to Puck, Kartuzy and Wejherowo, or by boat to Hel. It is worth seeing in Sopot the neoclassical manor house of the Sierakowskis from ca 1800, now the seat of the Society of Friends of Sopot. The town’s narrow streets hide many delightful guesthouses.

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St. Bridget’s Church was erected in 1396 in the Gothic style on the site of the former small chapel, which in 1374 housed a corpse of St. Bridget, who was being transported from Rome to Sweden. The church was burnt to the ground during World War II and reconstructed in 1973. In 1992 St. Bridget’s Church was granted title of Lesser Basilica by pope John Paul II.

The church is best known in Poland as a place of worship and sanctuary and shelter for the leaders of the Solidarity Movement under martial law. The brick shell of the Gothic church contrasts with the more recent belfry, built in 1653 by Peter Willer. The austere church interior is adorned with a unique work of art, a monumental amber altar, which is arranged in the form of a triptych with an icon of the Working Class Madonna in the centre. The most impressive of  these are the high altar and the monument to Father Jerzy Popieluszko, who was murdered in 1984 by Polish security service officials.

Church of St Catherine

The Church of St Catherine is the oldest and also the most important parish church of the Old Town, erected between 1227-1239. First founded by the princes of Gdansk Pomerania, it was substantially expanded in the 14th century. Until 1944 the church used to daze visitors with its internal decor brimming with Gothic, Mannerist, and Baroque treasures.

Unfortunately it was destroyed in 1945. This historic building is now fully restored. Once inside, take a look at the paintings by Anton Moller and Izaak van den Blocke. A tombstone of the famous astronomer, Jan Hevelius, dating back to 1659, can also be found here. The 76-metre high church tower supports a fine carillon. It is well worth climbing to the top of the tower. The effort is rewarded by wonderful views of the city. The presbytery on the east side of the church has a fine late Gothic gable. The tower of the Church hosts the Museum of Tower Clocks.

Old Town Hall

Old Town Hall was erected in the period from 1587 to 1595 by Anthony van Obbergen. It is an outstanding example of Dutch Mannerist architecture. The building displays the classic features of high quality Mannerist Flemish architecture. Old Town Hall is a compact, plain building with no distinctive ornamentation, and is equipped with a defence tower.

The stone doorway was probably made by Willem van der Meer. Beneath each bracket are two distorted masks personifying vice, and two smiling, chubby masks, personifying virtue. The interiors feature 17th century allegorical wall paintings by Adolf Boy, and allegoric ceiling paintings painted by the disciples of the Herman Han’s school. It was removed from a house at Ulica Dluga 39 and transferred to the Old Town Hall some time after 1900.

Great Mill

Great Mill was built around mid-14th century on the Radunia canal. It was the largest Teutonic investment in Gdansk and one of the largest industrial buildings in medieval Europe. It was constructed during the rule of the Teutonic Knights, being completed in around 1350.

It is built in brick and is crowned by a tall, steeply pitched roof. The structure combined three functions: that of a flour mill, a granary, and a bakery. It was equipped with 18 overshot water-wheels, each 5 m in diameter, which represented a great technical achievement for that time. The mill was destroyed by fire in 1945, but was restored after World War II. This remarkable old building now contains a modern shopping centre.

Monument to the Defenders of the Polish Post

On the first day of World War II a group of 50 employees of the post office under the command of Konrad Guderski fought for 14 hours and resisted fierce attacks from German forces.

Hitler’s soldiers were not able to take control of the building despite their great superiority in numbers and the support of howitzers and armoured vehicles. The heroic defenders gave up only when threatened that the building would be soaked in petrol and burnt to the ground. Their heroism is commemorated in the Post Office Museum and by a monument depicting an injured postal worker atop scattered mail, handing over his rifle to Nike, Greek goddess of victory. It was designed by Wincenty Kucma in 1979 and bears an epitaph written by Maria and Zygfryd Korpalski in 1979.

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The beginnings of establishing a great park in Oliwa, should be connected with Cistercians, who, in a direct neighbourhood ofmonastery, established vegetable and herbal garden. A big bloom of the park occurred thanks to Jacek Rybinski – the last abbot of Oliwa congregation. He brought to Oliwa a prominent master of garden art – Kazimierz Debinski. The gardener perfectly met the requirements and it reflects in today’s walk along beautiful lanes of French part of garden.

Oliwa Park charms with its beautiful, with less or more regular shapes, nature. A rich plant cover attracts also by big flock of wild ducks, swans and ubiquitous squirrels. Except from a great nature, Oliwa garden also offers to its tourists other attractions. It is worth to mention the Abbot Palace, being a precious monument of architecture of 18th century. The building was erected in 18th century on the initiative of the abbot Jacek Rybinski. An interesting residence survived with a difficulty 19th century, to be burnt at the end of World War II. Reconstructed at the beginning of 1960s, the palace is currently the seat of Modern Art Department of National Museum in Gdansk. Walking along charming park’s lanes, the attention should be paid to numerous sculptures. In 1955, on 100 anniversary, the bust of Adam Mickiewicz was placed. The whole park establishment took its name from the name of poet. The attention should also be paid to the so called whisper cave (in other words “Dionisos ears”), which as a remainder of a baroque garden equipment from 18th century, surprise with a great acoustics, thanks to which the persons being in two opposite caves can whisper to each other.

Tricity Landscape Park

Tricity Landscape Park (TPK) was created in 1979 on the area of around 20 thousands ha. The last change of the act concerning establishing TPK, including the correction of its borders, was made in 1998. According to the act on nature protection, landscape park is a protected area with regard to its natural, historical and cultural values, and the goal of its creation is preservation and popularization of these values in the conditions of balanced development.

TPK covers the forest areas with forest agricultural enclaves of Gniewowo, Zbychowo, Nowy Dwor Wejherowski, Reszki and Bieszkowice villages on the area of south-eastern part of moraine upland of Kashubian Lakeland and it edge zone. The whole park consists of two extensive forest complexes. There are 34 nature monuments in the park buffer zone: 32 trees and complexes of trees and 2 stones. Few nature monuments in TPK were formed to protect rare types of mushrooms and lichens. It is planned to create over 25 ecological lands, 2 documental stands of lifeless nature. A closer knowledge of the whole TPK nature richness should allow to create in the future ecologically coherent system of reservations and other protected objects, optimal from the point of view in the range of natural values of the park.

Kuzniczki Park

Kuzniczki Park (in the past Kleinhammer) a small park situated in Wrzeszcz district, on Kuzniczki estate at Strzyza stream, in the point of connecting Wajdeloty and Kilinskiego streets, behind Railway Station in Wrzeszcz. Nearby in the zoo deers and fallow deers were raised. Kuzniczki property has been on the history cards since 1551, it played the role of an industrial settlement with forge, sawmill and tavern, belonging to Cistercians.

In 1763-1802 the estate was owned by a Gdansk councillor Michael Gottfired Schmid, who built a rococo Kuzniczki manor house, at Wajdeloty Street under 13 number, preserved until today. In Napoleon times the property declined. For the years the park’s territory was changing, the brewery was enlarged, the part of estate, flower garden was sold for the construction of Gdansk-Koszalin railway line. In 1871, the construction of a modern, big brewery was started, that was liquidated in 2001. In 19th century a restaurant pavilion nearby a manor house was opened. Gdansk residents came here to dance, concerts and theatre performances in green environment. Until the present times the arbour and entrance gate has been kept, on which a German lettering has existed recently. The park waited till better times and thanks to people’s good will it has been revitalized. Walking alleys, green surrounding, the view to the Old Brewery and collegiate church, romantic illumination enable to relax in the heart of Wrzeszcz.

Orunia Park

In 17th century Orunia settlement with its great values, attracted the attention of a rich Gdansk middle class. The neighbourhood was gradually decorated with summer residences, palaces, gardens and parks. The garden of Andrzej Schopenhauer deserved a special attention, located nearby today’s City Cultural Centre, which in 1777 attracted a famous traveler and scientist Johann Bernoulli.

Today, it is hard to imagine charming, currently presented in a completely different way, surroundings. The wars resulted in enormous devastations: Gdansk siege by Russian army from 1734 and two Napoleon campaigns – 1807 and 1813. The act of destruction was completed by sudden urbanization, which in the second half of 19th century totally and ruthlessly transformed the look of a significant part of Orunia. Currently, the only one trace of splendour of a described district is Orunia Park, which tradition dates back to the end of 16th century. The garden has reached a rare beauty and flowering thanks to long lasting endeavours of the richest Gdansk families. At the end of 18th century, the park was a great collection of rare plants. The fame of this botanic garden went far beyond the city borders, and even of the country. In 1918, a daughter of Hoene – Emilia, donated the park to the city, which perfectly used this precious purchase, by arranging a popular place of entertainment and recreation for pre-war Gdansk inhabitants. Currently, Orunia Park attracts with its picturesque alley of forty lime trees, ponds located on different levels, waterfall and palace. The garden is good for beneficial, healthy walking.

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The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the largest brick church in the world, went through several stages of development over the period from 1343 to 1502. Its interior displays many exquisite pieces of Medieval and Baroque art, including the stone Pieta from about 1410, a copy of the Last Judgement by Hans Memling, the original canvas dating back to 1472, the astronomical clock built by Hans Duringer between 1464 and 1470 and the main altar put up between 1510 and 1517.

From 1529 to 1945 St Mary’s was a Protestant church. Like so many other parts of Gdansk, it was rebuilt after World War II. The interior contains furnishings in the Gothic, Mannerist and Baroque styles. The church is 105 m long, including the tower battlements, and the vaults soar 29 meters above floor level. The solid main tower is 77.6 meters high and it is crowned with a viewing gallery which enables visitors to enjoy a panoramic view of the city. In order to get there it is necessary to climb almost 400 steps.

The Mariacka Gate

The charming and truly unique Mariacka Street is closed off on one end by the towering Mariacka Church and by the Mariacka Gate on the other. The gate allows pedestrians passage from the Motlawa to the cobbled roads of the Old Town and the famed porches of ul. Mariacka.

This defensive structure was built in 1485 and is built of dark, almost brown, brick. Two towers rise up from the top of this fort, and the windows are small and secretive. When one is walking along the Motlawa, enjoying the vendors or restaurants, he or she might hardly notice the exceptional and almost out-of-place look of this building, but to see it from Granary Island you’ll notice that its dark, Gothic style sticks out like a sore, impenetrable thumb.

St Mary’s Street

St Mary’s Street (Ulica Mariacka) is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful streets of Gdansk. It leads from the St Mary’s church to the Long Embankment with the Medieval St Mary’s Gate. The street is an exquisite example of historic Gdansk urban planning with terraced entrances and narrow, richly decorated facades of houses which once belonged to affluent merchants and goldsmiths.

Rebuilt from the ruins that resulted from World War II, the street contains outstanding examples of traditional Gdansk architecture. The picturesque scenery of the place has always inspired writers and painters. It has also used as the scene of films. Today the street is a favourite haunt of lovers as well as tourists, most of whom are looking for picturesque subjects to photograph or browsing through the amber jewellery for which Ulica Mariacka is now celebrated. During the long summer evenings, a number of musicians provide free open-air concerts, and the welcoming street cafes stay open until late at night.

Green Gate

The Renaissance Green Gate stands on the site of the most ancient gate in Gdansk, the Koga Gate. This gate was built to serve as the formal residence of Polish monarchs, but was only used for that purpose once in its history. There are four arched passages through this gate and there is a symbol over each: The eagle of the Prussian Kings, and the emblems of Poland, Gdansk, and Royal Prussia.

The gate was designed in the Mannerist style by the architect Johann Kramer from Dresden, and built in 1564-1568 by Regnier from Amsterdam. Its windows provide a magnificent view of Ulica Dlugi Targ and the town hall in one direction, and the River Motlawa and Spichlerze Island in the other. Today, the gate is managed by the Polish National Museum and is the home of a great many exhibitions and galleries. Former Polish President and symbol of Solidarity, Lech Walesa, has his office in the Green Gate and if you know the secret knock, he’ll let you in and let you try on his Nobel Peace Prize. This gate marks the end of the Royal Route, but hang a left and enjoy a stroll down the Motlawa River, or go straight over the bridge and take a look at Granary Island.

The Golden House

The Golden House, also known as Speimann House or Steffens House is one of the most beautiful buildings in Gdansk. It was erected in 1609 by the Jan Speyman, the Mayor of the city and at the same time a wealthy merchant and an open-minded patron of the arts, and his wife, Judyta (from the Bahra family).

The construction was based on a design prepared by Abraham van den Blocke, who was also responsible for a part of the sculptural decorations which were completed in 1618. The house is famous for its richly-decorated facade. Local people claim that it is haunted. The legend goes that from time to time the corridors of the house are frequented by a luminous creature. It is a ghost of the beautiful Judyta Speymann whispering “A just deed fears no man”. Today the building houses the Maritime Institute.

The Golden Gate

The Golden Gate was built in the years 1612-1614 according to a design drafted by Abraham van den Blocke, in the Renaissance style. Stone sculptures adorning the attic date back to 1648 and they were carved by Piotr Ringering. They present an allegory of citizen’s virtues: Prudence, Justice, Piety and Harmony.

The building adjacent to the Golden Gate is the Manor of the St. George’s Guild, erected by J. Glotau in the years 1487-1494, in the late-Gothic style. The arches of the gate are framed by Ionic columns in the lower tier surmounted by composite columns in the upper tier. The carved decoration is complemented by inscriptions in both Latin and German on the theme of civic virtue. The whole gate was designed and constructed in the Neo-Classical style but with Mannerist elements. The Golden Gate is one of the most notable tourist attractions of the city.

The Dluga Street and the Dlugi Targ Street

The Dluga and Dlugi Targ Streets which are also known as Trakt Krolewski (the Royal Route) rank among the most beautiful streets in Gdansk. The wealthiest Gdansk patricians used to live there and almost every tenement house has its own interesting history to tell. The oldest preserved houses date back to the Middle Ages, but most of the buildings were erected in modern times.

Tenement houses on Dluga Street are typical Gdansk houses with narrow facades topped with gables or attics, richly decorated with coats of arms, allegoric figures and silhouettes of ancient heroes. Unfortunately when houses on Ulica Dluga were modernized in the mid-19th century, all the stepped terraces that originally fronted the entrances to the houses were removed. After the carnage of World War II, almost every building on Ulica Dluga was left in ruins. Many of the houses were later reconstructed, but only the finest buildings were rebuilt in architectural detail. The most important secular buildings – the Hall of the Main City and the Artus Court are located on Dlugi Targ Street.

The Neptune Fountain

The Neptune Fountain has stood in front of the Artus Court since 1633 and is a symbol of Gdansk. It was built on the initiative of the Mayor of Gdansk, Bartlomiej Schachmann. The model was prepared by Peter Husen and Johann Rogge, and it was cast in 1615 in Augsburg. The design of the whole fountain was prepared by Abraham van den Blocke.

The ornamented grill surrounding the fountain dates back to 1634. In the years 1757-1761 Johann Karl Stender redecorated the basin and the base of the fountain in the Rococo style, by adding a large array of sea creatures. According to one of the Gdansk legends it was Neptune himself who contributed to the creation of the famous Gdansk liqueur called Goldwasser. He got angry at people throwing golden coins into the fountain and hit the water with his trident so hard that the gold fell to pieces, forming small golden flakes which now shine in the tasty herbal liqueur.

The Artus Court

The Artus Court was in many respects the epicenter of Gdansk’s mercantile galaxy. Named after the mythical British King Arthur, it provided an arena for the movers and shakers of Gdansk to strut their stuff in knightly style. The enterprise was inspired by the courts of King Arthur, and the merchants endeavoured to emulate the chivalrous, brotherly ideals that were espoused in the Arthurian legends.

Originally founded in 1350, the edifice got a sumptuous baroque make-over in the seventeenth century, although nearly all was lost in 1945. Thankfully, large sections of the interior had been spirited away, and these are amongst the highpoints of this splendidly reconstructed treasure. On the front wall of the Court there is a memorial board from 1965 commemorating the 20th anniversary of placing the Polish flag on the Artus Court by the soldiers of the 1st Armoured Brigade. Currently the interior of the Artus Court is open for visitors – there is also the department of the Gdansk History Museum.

The Main Town Hall

The main town hall is a Gothic-Renaissance building, located at the corner of Dluga Street and Dlugi Targ, dominating the panorama of the Royal Route – the most representative route of the listed part of the city.

The origins of the Town Hall, which from the very beginning was the seat of the authorities of the main Gdansk area, from the 14th century referred to as the Main City, go back to the early Middle Ages. From the mid 15th century it became the center of power for the entire area located on the Motlawa river. It served this function for a few centuries, and throughout this time was the main municipal building. The exact date of the creation of the building is unknown. According to 17th century Gdansk chronicler, Stephan Graua, the construction of the Town Hall was started in the spring of 1327 and completed in December 1336. The Gdansk chronicler did not however provide the source of this information. In the 14th century the Town Hall was probably a small one-storey building constructed as a frame structure from bricks and wood. Reconstruction of the town hall, started in 1946, was a difficult project and is regarded as one of the outstanding Polish post-war conservation achievements. After extensive bricklaying-conservation work, on 2 April 1970, the reconstructed town hall was commissioned to accommodate the Gdansk Historical Museum, which since 2000 has been the Gdansk History Museum. The town hall performed functional and ideological tasks. The latter were reflected especially in the design of its most beautiful interior, i.e. the preserved Great Council Hall (the Red Hall). In this enormous painting-sculpture complex, the creators of the program presented – generally speaking – the moral norms and the rules of conduct for the city authorities. The specific atmosphere of Gdańsk is also created by its bells. In 2000 a new outstanding 37-bell carillon was installed in the town hall tower The carillon was built by the Dutch bells and carillon manufacturer, Royal Eijsbouts in Asten. The Town Hall’s chiming bells are the background and at the same time a sort of rival to events held in the city.

Artykuł What you should see in the main town of Gdansk pochodzi z serwisu GdanskAdventure.com.