The Tri-City area of Poland is a collective name
given to the three coastal cities of Gdansk,
Gdynia
and Sopot. The three cities are only a 25 minute
drive from each other and due to their close
proximity to each other then tourists usually visit
all three cities when in the area.
One might be surprised to learn that the town of
Gdansk has been a catalyst for two world shifting
events in the 20th Century.
Gdansk (formerly
known as Danzig) was the flash point of Polish-Nazi
conflict in the period leading up to the Nazi
invasion. And in 1980, in Communist controlled
Poland, a young worker from Gdansk, by the name of
Lech Walesa became the figure-head for the worker's
organisation, Solidarity. By demanding worker's
rights, Solidarity was responsible for causing the
first cracks in the Communist regime and played a
pivotal role in it's eventual collapse. Today,
Gdansk is a cosmopolitan sea port with many cultural
events and festivals taking place all the year
round.
The Old Town (Stare
Miasto) is where the main attractions are
concentrated and the best place to enter this area
is from the Upland Gate.
The Golden Gate (Zlota
Brama) marks the beginning of the Royal Route.
Dating back to the 16th Century this gate would have
been part of the city walls but today only the gate
still stands (as does Florianska Gate in Krakow).
Dluga Street (Ulica Dluga), which formed part of the
Royal Way, is arguably the most picturesque street
in Gdansk. Dating back to 1331 Dluga Street was the
home of Gdansk's elite town officials, bankers, ship
magnates etc. The street still has an air of "money"
about it as the beautifully decorated buildings can
testify.
As you walk down Dluga Street the Main Town Hall
can
be found on the left hand side and it dates from the
14th Century. Once home to the famous astronomer Hevelius the building is now open to the public and
is worth a visit if only to see the beautifully
restored rooms (the Red Room is particularly
stunning).
Neptune's Fountain is nearby and this
beautiful fountain is considered to be the symbol of
Gdansk. It is located in front of Artus' Court
(an
impressive 16th Century
mansion). During WWII the
fountain was hidden from the Nazis and only returned
to it's rightful place in 1954. Executions also used
to take place in this square centuries ago.
At the end of Dluga Street is the Motlawa river
which leads to the Baltic. Here you will always find a
variety of vessels moored, not to mention all the
amber shops and nautical themed shops. Turning left
you are confronted by the sight of the medieval
crane or Zuraw. This was originally built in the
14th Century and subsequently rebuilt in the 15th
Century after a devastating fire. The crane was used
for loading cargo ships and was also used for ship
construction.
Walking towards the crane, the second street on the
left is St. Mary's Street (Ulica Mariacki) and is
arguably the most atmospheric street in Gdansk. The
architecture is reminiscent of Amsterdam with ornate
steps and guttering adorning each house. Some of the
best amber in town can be found on this street.
At the end of the street is St Mary's Church which
is believed to be the largest brick church in the
world-it can hold upto 25,000 people ! If you're
feeling fit enough you can climb one of the towers
to enjoy stunning views of the city and surrounding
areas.
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