When you hear the name Gdańsk, Poland, you most likely think of shipyards, Solidarity and Lech Wałęsa. If you are a bit of a history buff, you might also know that Gdańsk (or Danzig as it was then known) was the place where the first shots of WWII were fired. It is indeed all that, but it is not the grimy industrial city you might expect. In fact Gdańsk is one of the most picturesque cities in Northern Europe.

Commemmorating the the Battle of Westerplatte, which was the first clash between Polish and German forces during the invasion of Poland and thus the first battle of the European theatre of World War II.

Unfortunately we were on the wrong side of this bridge for 30 minutes waiting to cross.

The big structure behind the galleon is a medieval crane. This monstrous 15th-century crane—a rare example of medieval port technology—was once used for loading and repairing ships. The crane mechanism was operated by several workers scrambling around in giant hamster wheels. Treading away to engage the gears and pulleys, they could lift four tons up 30 feet, or two tons up 90 feet.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Gdańsk was Poland’s wealthiest city (thanks to its involvement with the Hanseatic League), with gorgeous architecture, row upon row of tall tight townhouses decorated beautifully by the owners to demonstrate their style & wealth. At the end of WWII when the Russians occupied Gdańsk they systematically destroyed every house that hadn’t already been flattened by bombing. In the years since, much of the old town has been reconstructed, based on drawings and photographs, so that it is once again a delightful city to explore.

View of Gdańsk through the Golden Gate

The crests of (from the top) Prussia, Poland and Gdańsk

Shackles where prisoners were once held.

Nearly headless Nick?

The houses in this street are characterised by porches extending out into the street, with access to cellars underneath. These were a common feature in Gdańsk’s Golden Age. For practical reasons, these were only restored on this street after the war.

The decorative stone drainpipes are called “puckers”.

The houses in this street are characterised by porches extending out into the street, with access to cellars underneath. These were a common feature in Gdańsk’s Golden Age. For practical reasons, these were only restored on this street after the war.

Poland is the amber capital of the world, and pretty much every shop in Mariacka St was selling amber.

Every house is different

Someone said visiting Gdańsk is like walking into a Faberge egg.

Detail from a house façade

Some houses opted for a more modern treatment when it was rebuilt

Window treatment above a doorway

It was crowded, but not as bad as this photo makes it look.

Gdansk Coat of Arms on the Armory

I want one of these rain spouts at my house!

Here’s an article I found with some excellent before and after pics of Gdańsk.

We spent most of our afternoon just enjoying the atmosphere, and photographing the streetscape. We visited Uphagen House, an original (largely reconstructed) 18th century merchant’s house which offers a good example of the interior of the typical Gdańsk house. In 1911 the house was converted into a museum which it remained until 1944. With much of the city of Gdansk, Uphagen House was destroyed during the Soviet advance and subsequent German retreat of 1945. The modern day building at 12 Długa Street was rebuilt internally after the Second World War, and in 1998 the house was once again opened to visitors.

The imposing entrance hall

The front drawing room was designed to impress

Detail of the music room

In each room, a drawing like this is displayed, showing the provenance of the furnishings but also what parts of the room were original. As you can see here, not much!

We also made our way to the Solidarity Centre, a modern museum dedicated to the rise of Solidarity, the Polish trade union movement and the demise of communism in Poland. The architecture of the building is dramatic. Opened in 2014, the structure resembles the rusty hulls of ships in the nearby shipyards. We didn’t have time to visit the museum, but had a look around the building, and went onto the roof observation level with good views over the remains of the Lenin Shipyards where the Solidarity movement was born. In front of the Solidarity Centre is the huge Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers of 1970.

Memorial to the Shipyard Workers & the Solidarity Centre

Memorial – detail

Memorial – detail

The Solidarity Centre itself

The impressive foyer

The shipyards

The shipyards

View of the old town, nicely catching the evening light