What should you see in Gdansk? 6 greatest attractions

The majestic monuments, the medieval trading harbor, the lively streets and the 1000—year long history – Gdańsk should be an obligatory place to be visited on the map of Poland. Let’s visit the greatest attractions of Gdansk, which is often called the „shiny jewel of the Baltic Sea”. We will also recommend what should you visit with your children.

When people think of Gdansk, the first thing that comes to mind is the monuments of the Old Town, the famous Crane and the close proximity to he Baltic Sea. What should you see in this city? Here are a few suggestions.

1. The Old and Main Town of Gdansk

Walking around Gdansk begins and ends by Mariacka Street, one of the most charming streets in Poland, which is part of the Main Town. It is impossible to stop looking at the richly ornamented stonehouses, in which art galleries and cafes are located. You are guaranteed to be impressed by the monumental Mariacka Basilic – the largest brick temple in Europe, which was built for 159 years. The church’s tower is 78 meters high, and the surface of the basilic is almost 0.5 hectares. Inside the temple you should pay attention to the incredible, 14 -meter astronomical clock created in 1470.

It is also worth visitig the Old Town of Gdansk. Another thing that might drive your attention is the medieval basilic of St., Brygida, were striking workers prayed in august of 1980. Nearby the basilic there is a 13th century church of St. Katarzyna with a 76-meter tower. The old part of the town is also a monument of Defeated Shipyard People, commemoratingthe victims of december 1970.

2. Długa Street in Gdansk

From the small Mariacka street you can go to one of the most presentable streets in Gdansk –
Dluga Street, which along with the Długie Market creates the Royal Route. This is the location of the famous 17th century Neptune fountain, manifesting the city’s bond with the sea. You should also visit the Artus Mansion – this 15th century used to be the meeting place of merchants and a center of social life.

Not far from here you can see thev characteristic, gothic-renaissance Main Town Hall, which is currently a division of the History Museum. While being inside, you should definitely see the Red Room, based on the rooms of Doge’s Palace in Venice. Because of the richness of the paintings and decorations, The Red Room can easily be considered one of the most beautiful rooms in Europe. At the tower there is a carillion, which consists of 37 bells and plays centuries old melodies.

3.The World War II Museum in Gdańsk
The World War II Museum in Gdańsk was created in 2017. This place has a modern, and at the same time realistic way to show the nightmare of every war and amoured conflict, no matter what was the place and what people took part in it. At the heart of the museum there is the main exhibit, covering the surface of nearly 5000 square meters and located 14 meters underground This is the story of the tragic experiences of World War II, its genesis and effects, as well as its victims and the people who caused it.

Visitors can see archival photos and videos, see the reports of the witnesses of these events and get familiar with interactive maps presenting the military battles. In the museum there is also a gallery for children called „Time Travel”. The headquarter of the museum is located in 81/83 Długa street.

4. The Crane – the harbor gate of Gdańsk
Currently we can find 8 water gates in Gdańsk. The most characteristic one is undoubtedly the famous Crane. The mightiest medieval harbor lift was functioning from the 14th century to nearly mid-20th century. The Crane unloaded goods and put masts on the ships. The entire, manually moved machine is available for tourists as a division of the National Sea Museum. Apart from that, in the Crane you can also see the exhibit called „Gdańsk between the 16th and 18th century – the life of the harbor city”.

5. Zaspa – walking down the trail of murals
In just a few years, the Zaspa district became Poland’s largest integrated gallery of murals – it currently consists of nearly 60 paintings covering the buildings of the city.
It all started with a mural presenting Lech Wałęsa, Jan Paweł II and themes associated with Solidarność. The first large-format paintings were created in 1997 during the international mural festival organized in honor of the 1000th anniversary of Gdańsk’s creation.

There are also free guided tours of the Zaspa Murals, organized three times a week. While visiting the largest open-air gallery in Gdańsk you can discover the history of the Zaspa District and listen to various anecdotes about the creation of these incredible paintings.

6. The Oliwa Park in Gdańsk
This is a charming, monumental park in the Gdańsk district of Oliwa. The beginning of today’s park was a monastery garden created by the Cysters order around the 13th century. This is a great place for a walk, especially with young children. Today’s park, which is part of the city, still has a huge part of the machines created over the past 250 years and is eagerly visited by both the citizens of Gdańsk and by tourists.