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62 GDAŃSK WHAT TO SEE
Tour guides
Agnieszka Syroka, tel. (+48) 502 55 45 84, www.
tourguidegdansk.com. Tailor-made tours offered by an
attractive, English-speaking, knowledgable, certified tour
guide. Contact Agnes in advance by phone and she will
prepare a tour especially for you based on your interests
and the time you have available. Prices are negotiable and
depend on the length of the tour. In addition to tours in the
city, tours can also be arranged with or without transport to
some of the nearby sights such as Malbork or Frombork.
QOpen 09:00 - 22:00. Prices are negotiable.
Audio Guides, www.audioguide.com.pl. Easy-touse
audio guides with a total of 40 recordings to choose
from, covering the major sights in the city including Oliwa
and the history of Gdansk. Available in three languages,
some recordings have been made from the point of
view of local greats such as, for example, Neptune,
Hevelius, Uphagen and Fahrenheit. This is sightseeing
with a unique twist, with a complimentary map to help
guide you on your independent tour. Pick an audio guide
from Tourist Info on (C-5) Długi Targ 28/29 and (A-2) ul.
Podwale Grodzkie 8.
City Tour Gdańsk, tel. (+48) 501 67 30 67, www.
citytourgdansk.pl. A choice of tours through the old
town in electric cars seating up to 5 people with audio
guides available in English, Polish, German, Spanish,
French and Italian. QOpen 09:30 - 19:00. Tours cost
180zł/1 hour, 250zł/1,5 hrs, 300zł/2hrs per electric car.
Easy Gdańsk Tours, tel. (+48) 790 78 00 32,
www.easygdansktours.com. Specially tailored tours
both on foot and in a car of Gdańsk and the neighbouring
cities as well as Malbork and other popular places
located around the Tri-city.
Gdansk with us, tel. (+48) 781 18 71 11, www.
gdanskwithus.com. Walking tours led by two enthusiastic
and qualified locally born tour guides. Both
have worked in Scandinavia, hence Norwegian as well
as English being a speciality. They’ll show you past
and contemporary Gdansk and can organise specially
tailored tours such as their ‘Gothic’ tour to Malbork.
Q Old town tours 200zł (up to 5 people, up to 2hrs).
Solidarity tour 250zł (up to 5 people, up to 3hrs). Other
tour prices on request.
Malgorzata Mazur, tel. (+48) 608 20 40 97,
www.mygdansk.multiply.com/journal/item/189. A
personal tour guide offering a range of tours including old
town, Stutthof, Kashubia and the amazing Ostróda-Elbląg
Canal. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Prices are negotiable.
Taking a taxi tour. With the price of a taxi around
€0.60 per kilometre in the city, a pre-booked 6-seater
taxi can not only save you money but also the stress
of having to deal with Polish public transport. Here
are a few sample prices given to us by City Plus
19686 who are happy to organize one of their fleet of
6-seaters. Prices are based on a journey from Gdańsk
city centre and should be agreed with the driver
before setting off. Malbork 200zl minimum (subject
to waiting time); Frombork 400zl minimum (subject
to waiting time); Oliwa 35zl one-way; Stutthof 200zl
minimum (subject to waiting time); Westerplatte
30zl one-way.
Cemeteries
Cemetery of the Lost Cemeteries (Cmentarz
Nieistniejących Cmentarzy) A-1, ul. 3 Maja. Designed
by Jacek Krenz and Hanna Klementowska and featuring
sculptures by Zygfryd Korpalski and Witold Głuchowski,
this small memorial between the Church of Corpus Christi
and the bus station was officially opened on May 24, 2002.
Dedicated to the citizens of Gdańsk who were once buried in
one of the city’s 27 graveyards either destroyed during WWII
or bulldozed on purpose after the end of the war, the new
Cemetery of Lost Cemeteries was designed to resemble a
temple. The main memorial is surrounded by broken gravestones
representing all faiths, and includes a poem by the
Jewish poetess Masha Kaleko (1912-1975), whose poetry
was burnt on the direct orders of Hitler in May 1933.
Churches
Corpus Christi Church (Kościół Bożego Ciała)
A-1, ul. 3 Maja 19a, tel. (+48) 58 302 52 38. Once part
of a settlement called Grodzisko, a complex of fortifications
outside of Gdańsk’s main city walls, the Bożego Ciała (Corpus
Christi) Church is one of the oldest remaining houses
of worship in the city. Dating from the early part of the 14th
century, the church was originally part of a larger complex
that grew around it including a small chapel, old people’s
home, a leprosy hospital and a cemetery that was closed by
the communists in 1956. The church is not a great looker, but
is interesting on two levels. It was here that the city’s poignant
Cemetery of the Lost Cemeteries was built in 2002, and,
along with St. Nicholas’ Church, it was the only other church
to escape any damage at all during WWII. Q Open for visitors
12:00-14:00 on Sun. All other times by prior arrangement.
Royal Chapel (Kaplica Królewska) C-4, ul. Św. Ducha
58, tel. (+48) 58 301 39 82. Often overlooked because of
its gargantuan neighbour, St. Mary’s Church, this little baroque
beauty was built in accordance with the will of the Primate of
Poland in 1681 for the city’s Catholic minority. Q Open during
Sunday mass only which takes place at 11:00.
Tourist information
Gdańsk Tourist Information Centre (Centrum
Informacji Turystycznej) C-5, ul. Długi Targ
28/29, tel. (+48) 58 301 43 55, www.gdansk4u.pl.
A brand new air-conditioned TI point on the main square
set in one of only two examples of Rococo in the city.
Find multi-lingual info and audio guides in 3 languages
including English. Gdańsk Tourist cards also on sale. If
tourist demand is high expect them to stay open later.
Q Open 09:00 - 17:00, Sun 09:00 - 16:00. From June
4 open 09:00 - 19:00. Also at ul. Podwale Grodzkie 8
(Gdańsk Główny Station, in the tunnel)
Pomeranian Tourist Information Centre (Pomorskie
Centrum Informacji Turystycznej)
B-4, ul. Wały Jagiellońskie 2a, tel. (+48) 58 732 70
41, www.pomorskie.travel. A new hi-tech information
point run by the regional government’s tourist department.
Due to open on May 23. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00,
Sat, Sun 09:00 - 19:00.
PTTK Gdańsk Tourist Information C-5, ul.
Długa 45, tel. (+48) 58 301 91 51, www.pttkgdansk.pl.
Q Open 09:00 - 18:00. From June open
09:00 - 20:00. Y
Gdańsk In Your Pocket gdansk.inyourpocket.com
St. Bartholomew’s Church (Kościół Św.
Bartłomieja) B-2, Zaułek Św. Bartłomieja 1, tel. (+48)
58 301 66 96. Most of the churches prior to WWII were
protestant and those that were re-built were re-consecrated
as Catholic places of worship. St. Bartholomew’s is now the
place of worship for those of the Greek-Ukrainian branch
of Catholicism and was given over to the community by the
Bishop of Gdansk in 1997. Originally built in 1370-1380 it was
destroyed during the 13-years war in 1455 when the city rose
up against the Teutonic Knights. Rebuilt in 1456 and again
after a fire in 1500 it served as a Lutheran church before the
Jesuits took over the ruins in 1945. Re-opened in 1960 it has
been undergoing renovations for the past decade to meet
the requirements of the Greek church. The dates above the
main door signify important dates in the recent history of the
Greek-Ukrainian Catholic community. In 1945-6 the Greek-
Ukrainian church was liquidated by the communist authorities
and in 1947, the first of the dates shown, Operation ‘Vistula’
forcibly deported followers from their traditional lands in the
south-east to the north-west of Poland. Mass commemorating
these times was celebrated on the tenth anniversary in
1957 and 1997 signifies the year that the church found its
new home as part of the rather strangely designed diocese
of Gdansk-Wroclaw. The church became a Cathedral in 2001.
Q Open during mass and by prior arrangement.
St. Bridget’s Church (Kościół Św. Brygidy)
C-2/3, ul. Profesorska 17, tel. (+48) 58 301 31 52,
www.brygida.gdansk.pl. Best known as a sanctuary for
the leaders of Solidarność under martial law, St. Bridget’s
Church was almost completely destroyed during WWII. It was
reconstructed in 1973, based on an original plan dating from
1394-1420. The church was founded as a place of worship
for members of St. Bridget’s Order. Legend has it that the
saint was laid out in the church for a few days after her death.
Today it is an impressive and at the same time simple place
of worship. Decorating the walls are numerous memorials to
various conflicts including the Soviet massacre of Polish officers
at Katyń as well as crosses used during the Solidarność
strikes. Particularly poignant is the small shrine to Father Jerzy
Popieluszko, the chaplain of Solidarność who was murdered by
secret police in 1984. There is also a small display of religious
artifacts including an impressive amber sculpture called the
‘Tree of Life’. Formerly the parish of controversial priest Father
Henryk Jankowski (whose tomb can be found inside), the
church was granted the title of Lesser Basilica by the Pope in
1991. Worth dropping by, not least to check on the progress
of the new altar - work to add a two and half ton altar carved
exclusively from amber had stalled at press time due to a lack
of aforementioned material, though an amber Mary and an
eagle and crown have come to fruition. Q Open 09:00 - 17:00.
St. James’ Church (Kościół Św. Jakuba) B-1, ul.
Łagiewniki 63, tel. (+48) 58 301 55 50, www.gdansk.
kapucyni.pl. A place of worship can be traced on this spot
as far back as 1415 when sailors built a chapel here in the
name of their patron saint. A church was completed in 1437
and included sand from Jerusalem in its foundations to signify
that it and the adjoining hospital were available for the use
of travellers. Destroyed by fire in 1663, the rebuilt church
was the first to incorporate the tower you can see today. In
the 20th century it served as the base of the Craftsmans
Guild until the end of the war when as with much of the city
around it, it was badly damaged. In the 1950s the frescos
in the nave and the stained glass windows were designed by
Zofia Baudouin de Coutenay with Gdansk craftsman creating
the pews, altars etc. The church is now one of the more local
and interesting churches in the old town particularly during
the Sunday morning children’s mass. QOpen 06:30 - 19:00,
Sun 07:30 - 19:00. No visiting during mass please.
gdansk.inyourpocket.com
GDAŃSK WHAT TO SEE
Małgorzata Mazur
The licensed guide
to Gdańsk - Sopot – Gdynia
and tour leader
email:
mamazur@hotmail.com
malgorzata_mazur@wp.pl
mobile: +48 608 204 097
fax: (48-58) 556 8244
I offer also my assistance
in arranging the sightseeing
of the Kashubian Region (Hel Peninsula,
Łeba, Kluki, Wdzydze, Kartuzy, Żukowo),
Stutthoff Museum,
Elbląg – Ostróda Canal, etc.
Groups and individual tourists.
web:
http://mygdansk.multiply.com/journal/item/189
May - July 2012
63