Gdansk Old Town

Why Gdansk Old Town is special
This thousand-year-old historic trading center has one of the most stunning medieval urbanscapes in Europe.

Gdansk Old Town tips and insights
How to pronounce
Gdansk = guh-dank

Reconstruction
Although World War II left the Gdansk historic center in dire ruins, the citizens did an amazing job rebuilding their architectural treasure true to its original appearance.

Top 5 Gdansk attractions
Presented alphabetically:

• Town Hall
  Sports a soaring tower. Dates back to 15th century.
• Crane
  A tall, odd-shaped medieval structure housing a mighty crane for loading and unloading ships
• Green Gate
  16th century building with a winsome Renaissance-style facade.
• Picturesque streets
  The most interesting are Dluga, Dluga Targ, Mariacka Strees - and the river quayside lane.
• St Mary's Cathedral
  World's largest brick church. Climb its belfry for a splendid city view.

Other notable attractions include Artis Court, Golden Gate, and Neptune's Fountain.

Relatively recent history
In 1939, a small band of German soldiers attacked a local radio tower, which helped jump start World War II. In 1980, the Solidarity Movement was launched in local shipyards. Its campaign led to the end of Soviet domination.

Day trips
Nearby Sopot is a popular summertime outing. It's a Baltic Sea resort area featuring sandy beaches and a long, iconic wooden pier.

Another day trip option is Malbork Castle, a Hillman Wonders medal winner. It's less than an hour by train from Gdansk.

Location in Poland