Gdansk Old Town

Gdansk was one of the great Hanseatic ports of the Baltic, and its old town is a grand ensemble of tall, ornately gabled merchant houses lining the Long Market and the Motlawa waterfront, watched over by the huge medieval Crane, a timber-and-brick treadwheel hoist that could lift four tonnes. Much of what you walk through is a careful reconstruction, rebuilt to the old facades from paintings and survey drawings.

History

A small fortified settlement stood here by 970 and 980, and the Old Town made up the larger, central part of Gdańsk in its early centuries. After 1308 the neighbouring Main City became the more important part of the city, and the Old Town recovered slowly as its suburb; 3,655 people lived here in 1495 and 31,250 by 1880, and the Great Mill is among the historic buildings restored (Wikipedia, Old Town, Gdańsk).

What's there

• The Long Market and Long Street - the grand promenade of ornate merchant houses.
• The Crane - the huge medieval port crane on the waterfront.
• St Mary's Church - one of the largest brick churches in the world.
• The amber workshops - Mariacka street, where the Baltic amber trade still works.

When to go

The warm months for the waterfront, terraces and Baltic light; the amber shops and museums are good year-round. Summer is busy, especially with the amber trade.

Good to know

The old town is a careful post-war reconstruction, grand but not original. It is a popular Baltic destination, so it is busy in summer. The Motlawa waterfront is the best of it and gets crowded early on summer evenings.

Nearby

The Baltic beaches of Sopot are nearby; Malbork Castle is a short train ride south.

Key facts