What to see in Polish Gdansk? Here every tourist will find something interesting to his liking. The sights of Gdansk are beautiful Gothic Catholic churches, the city’s residential and administrative buildings in the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles.
Top 15 attractions in Gdańsk
We offer you the sights of Gdańsk with photos, addresses and brief descriptions, and you can fully enjoy their beauty and uniqueness, visiting Poland with a business or tourist visit.
Royal Route
This is the main street of the city, which has incredibly beautiful ancient architecture. For centuries, Polish monarchs have been traveling along the Royal Route when arriving in this city. It starts on the outskirts and goes through three gates.
The Royal Route ends at the Golden House, the residence of the kings, located in the center of Gdańsk. Nearby is an equally famous landmark – the Court of Artus, the Green Gate, the City Hall and other masterpieces.
The sights of Gdansk, located on this tract, can be seen during the day. This is the most popular sightseeing route in the city. You will be satisfied and gain a lot of new knowledge about the culture of the Middle Ages and Modern Times.
Neptune Fountain
This fountain is located on Town Hall Square, it was built here in the early 17th century. During the opening of the fountain, residents of Gdańsk threw gold and silver coins at it to placate Neptune, the city’s patron saint.
Later, in the second half of the 17th century, the fountain was modified, and a bas-relief with figures of sea monsters was placed near its bowl. As a result, the fountain acquired a luxurious Rococo appearance.
Artus’s Yard
It is one of the most famous attractions of Gdansk and the whole of Poland, which is a complex of medieval buildings, located near the City Hall. The courtyard was built in the mid-14th century and is named after King Arthur of England.
For centuries, citizens and city officials met here, merchants sat in their unions, and the court heard disputes over trade deals.
Even today, festivals, concerts, real feasts and performances are held in the courtyard.
City Hall
The Town Hall is located on the Gdańsk Long Market. It was built in the 15th century in the Gothic style, and then after a great fire it was rebuilt in the Renaissance style. In the 16th century, a spire and weathervane in the form of a sculpture of King Sigismund II appeared in the tower of the town hall.
The best artists, architects, and goldsmiths of the time worked on the interior of this famous building. Of particular interest is the interior of the Red Room with antique paintings. Today there is a museum in the town hall.
Mariatica Street
When deciding what to see in Gdańsk, be sure to walk along this pedestrian street. Here you can see the Church of the Virgin Mary, the Marian Gate and other historical monuments, perfectly restored in the present time.
But the most interesting thing for tourists is the special atmosphere prevailing in this small old street, where in the 15-18 centuries lived only very wealthy people. Today it is beloved by local bohemians.
The Abbey Palace in Oliva
This palace was built in the mid-18th century in the Rococo style. It was formerly part of the local monastery. In the early 20th century, a museum was opened here, and at the end of World War II the palace burned to the ground.
In the 60s it was completely restored, it was housed in an ethnographic museum. And today, tourists can visit the palace museum of contemporary art, where the art gallery and exhibitions are permanently active.
Olive Cathedral
The cathedral was also part of the monastery. It was built in the form of a basilica in the Gothic style, later decorated in the Baroque style. Olive Cathedral has always been considered the main temple of Pomerania, and contains the ashes of the Pomeranian princes and dukes.
This architectural and iconic landmark of Gdansk was repeatedly burned by the Prussians. The church and monastery were later rebuilt in the 14th century in their present form. And in the 20th century, the church became a Catholic cathedral parish.
Golden Gate
This gate was erected in the early 17th century. Address of the attraction in Gdańsk: Długa or Długańska Street. The gate style is defined as Dutch mannerism. On either side are figures symbolizing the virtues.
The Golden Gate was completely destroyed during World War II, and a decade later it was rebuilt.
Today it is one of the most beautiful cultural and historical monuments in the city.
Church of the Virgin Mary
A huge basilica-like church, considered to be the largest church in the world, built of brick. The church was built in the 13th-16th centuries in the Gothic style. Today it is a functioning Catholic church, where tourists are also allowed.
The interior of the church, as is customary in Gothic buildings, has a rather modest appearance. You can see the “Last Judgment” triptych, which is usually present in Catholic churches, and feel the spirit of the Middle Ages.
Large arsenal
This architectural monument was built in the early 17th century in the Renaissance style. As a decoration of the arsenal you can see a sculpture of the ancient Roman goddess of wisdom named Minerva.
Weapons and ammunition were stored here until the end of the 19th century. Today, the former arsenal houses a store. And the upper part of the building is occupied by the Academy of Art, which has existed in Gdańsk since the end of World War II.
The Big Mill
This attraction of Gdańsk on the map is located in the northern part of the Old Town. The mill was built in the 14th century by the Teutonic Knights, and during the Middle Ages it was considered the largest industrial enterprise in Europe.
At the best of times, the Great Mill had 18 large wheels, which were driven by the waters of the local canal. Previously the premises of the mill was a bakery, but today it is just a big shopping center.
Prison Tower
Another medieval structure with a dark history. The prison tower was erected in the 14th century, and in those days was part of the fortress wall. Later it was reconstructed several times.
Since the 17th century, the tower was used as a prison where torture was used against prisoners. And not far from it, a place was set up where people were executed for the public’s amusement.
Today this gloomy tower has been transformed into the Amber Museum.
National Museum
The building where the museum is located now used to be a monastery built in the 15th century. It is an example of beautiful late Gothic, where today you can see collections of antique jewelry from the 15th-19th centuries, fine Polish pottery and faience.
Of particular interest are paintings by Flemish and Dutch artists of the 15th-19th centuries. Also in the national museum there is an excellent antiquity department, departments devoted to the Polish nobility, a set of old photos of Gdansk, etc.
Gdańsk Zoo
The City Zoo is a modern attraction of Gdańsk, where you can go with children for a whole day, they will surely be very pleased. The zoo occupies a large area and is the largest in Poland.
On its territory you can observe the life of a large number of animals and birds. It would take a few hours to get around.
Guests of the zoo are offered a choice of individual routes and special transportation to get around.
Ferris wheel
This is the biggest wheel in Poland. It is located on Barn Island in Gdańsk, has 43 cabins and can lift people up to a height of 55 meters, the highest in Europe. The views of the ancient city and the bay are magnificent from this height.
It’s a great place to come with the kids any day to admire the surrounding panorama. The Ferris wheel runs from 10-00 to 20-00, the time of each trip – about half an hour. You will definitely have an unforgettable experience.
Video overview of the sights of Gdansk
Gdańsk was once the richest merchant city on the Baltic, in remembrance of that time in its old center you can still see beautiful merchant houses with magnificent facades, which have decorated this wonderful city for centuries.
