Gdansk Poland - World War II 1939 Started Here

Situated on the Baltic Sea in the north of Poland, Gdansk Poland is a beautiful port city with a long history. The fort was built in the 980s by Mieszko I of Poland, as defence against the pagans. By the beginning of the fourteenth century, the city had became a busy trade centre with around 10,000 inhabitants, but in 1308 it was seized and demolished by the Teutonic Knights. The city again prospered under the control of the Knights, and in 1361 it became a full member of the Hanseatic League, a trading monopoly which operated in the Baltic at the time. By the middle of the sixteenth century it was the most important Baltic port, and Poland’s largest city.

Gdansk Poland

This former power and wealth is obvious to visitors – the buildings are bigger and the streets broader than in other medieval cities. The city of Gdansk Poland has many fine buildings from the time of the Hanseatic League. Most attractions are located near Long Street and Long Market, a pedestrian area known as Royal Road as the former path of processions for visiting kings. The Golden Gate is one of the most notable attractions. It was designed by architect Abraham van den Blocke in 1612-14 in place of the 13th century Gothic gate and forms a part of the old city fortifications. Next to it is the late-Gothic building of the Brotherhood of St George.

The Annual Parade On The Occasion Of The Independence Day In Gdansk Poland

St Mary’s Church is possibly the largest brick church in the world. Started in 1379, it is over 100 m (328 ft) long, and the nave is 66 m (217 ft) wide. It is an aisled hall church with a transept, and can accommodate 25,000 worshippers.

Dlugi Targ is the beautiful main square in Gdansk Poland, and nearby is the fourteenth-century town hall and many other architectural gems, including the unique seventeenth-century houses of St. Mary’s Street. Take time to stroll through the old streets and along the river banks of the ancient port which has been so significant in European history. It was here that World War II started in 1939, when the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein attacked the naval fort at Westerplatte. Much of the city was during the war, but almost all of its historic centre has been painstakingly restored.

Population Of Gdansk Poland

459,000 (2006)

When To Travel To Gdansk Poland

May to October.

Don’t Miss To Visit This Place In Gdansk Poland

• The National Museum.

• St Mary’s Church – located in the Old Town, this is believed to be the largest brick church in the world.
• The Town Hall – a stunning building that now houses a museum charting the formation and history of the city.
• The adjoining seaside town of Sopot – a 25 minute train journey from the city, this is Poland’s premier beach resort, an affluent destination with luxury shops, cafés and casinos.
• Oliwa Cathedral and Monastery.

You Should Know About Gdansk Poland

World War II started here.

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