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68 GDAŃSK WHAT TO SEE
Tours
See Solidarność Tour, tel. (+48) 501 67 30 67,
www.citytourgdansk.pl. Due to start operating at
the start of June, this is a tour of all the major Solidarnosc
sites in the city, operated in conjunction with the
Solidarity Centre Foundation (FCS), in a 5-seater electric
car painted in the colours of the Solidarity Foundation.
Starting from outside the Royal Chapel, the tour will take
in the key points around the city before taking you inside
the shipyards where among other things you will get to
visit the workshop that Solidarity leader used to ply his
trade. The tour is due to finish with a stop at the Roads
to Freedom exhibition next to the shipyards. Commentary
is provided by multi-lingual audio guides. Q Tours last
approximately 2 hours and cost 180zl per electric car.
The Subjective Bus
Line (Subiektywna Linia
Autobusowa) B-1, ul.
Doki, tel. (+48) 512 05
51 76, www.subiektywnalinia.pl.
Running from May
1 to September 30, The
Subjective Bus Line offers visitors the chance to travel
into and through the largely derelict Gdansk Shipyards (or
Lenin Shipyards as they were called in communist times)
on socialist era Jelcz bus, better known by its nickname
‘Ogorek’ - ‘Cucumber’. As well as those points closely
connected to Solidarity such as Pl. Solidarnosci, the BHP
building (where the August Accords were signed) and the
former workshop of Solidarity hero Lech Walesa, you’ll
also get to see the German Imperial Shipyards, slipways
and former U-Boat pens. Thoroughly recommendable
with English speaking and former shipyard worker guides.
QOpen 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Mon. Tours depart at
11:00 and 13:00 from Gate #2 of the shipyard next
to the three crosses. Tickets costing 13zl/7zl can be
purchased on-board although it is recommended that
you book ahead at weekends to avoid disappointment.
Tram Tours, www.zkm.gda.pl/pojazdy-zabytkowe.
Each summer the local public transport organisation give
people the opportunity to experience riding around the
city on a couple of classic, renovated tram cars. In previous
years they’ve dusted off their old 1927 Bergmann,
which was built here in Gdansk (Danzig) but at press time
it appeared that this year visitors will have the chance
to see a Konstal N and a 102NA. The Konstal N, was
built in 1952 in Chorzów and served the population of
the southern city until being retired in the late 1970s.
The 102NA is relatively young by comparison having
been built in 1970. This year the trams will serve two
lines: City Centre - Lighthouse in Nowy Port and City
Centre - Brzeźno beach. Full info was still unavailable at
the time of going to press but we can tell you that last
year trams ran from the old town in Gdańsk (the Brama
Wyżynna stop (B-4) - access the platform via the tunnel
at the end of ul. Długa - and they are likely to again this
year. If you have ever read the books of Gunter Grass you
will be familiar with his characters travelling up and down
between Danzig and Langfuhr (Gdansk and Wrzeszcz) on
trams such as the Bergmann and it makes for a memorable
experience. Trams will run at weekends only from
June 30 to September 2. Q One way tickets: 4/3zł - for
children 4-16 year old, family ticket 10zł. Children under 4
year old travel free. Tickets can be purchased on board.
Ticket prices may change.
Places of interest
Centrum Hewelianum A-3, ul. Gradowa 6, tel.
(+48) 58 300 08 42 ext. 50, www.hewelianum.pl.
Set inside the guts of the Napoleonic-era Fort Grodzisko
the Centrum Hewelianum is a science park/museum built
to honour Johannes Hevelius, the famed astronomer born
in this city in 1611. Currently the exhibition consists of
two parts, the first of which is called Wehikuł Czasu -
Człowiek i Pocisk (Time machine - the Human and the
Bullet). Set inside the brick tunnels of this 19th century
fortress, the exhibition recreates what the fort would
have looked like when it was first built, its atmospheric
corridors filled with cannons, weaponry and lifelike mannequins
in period uniform. Scale models and pictures
complete the immersion, and go a long way to illustrating
what life must have been like defending such an outpost.
The second part of the exhibition is titled Energia, Niebo
i Słońce (Energy, Sky and Sun). Now this place really is
quite something, and does a good job of making sense
of science in a fun manner that’s accessible to all ages.
Featuring plenty of machines, computers and interactive
gadgets this is one of those museums that encourages
visitors to get hands on, with the laws of physics and
astronomy explained in idiot-proof ways. As diversions
go this place is priceless, and welcome news to an area
that had previously been allowed to gently rot. The addition
of some English translations and a small English
language guide, which comes with your ticket, help to
improve the experience. Q Wehikuł Czasu exhibition.
Open 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Mon. From June open 09:00
- 18:00. Closed Mon. Admission free.
Energia, Niebo i Słońce exhibition. Open 08:30-15:30, Sat,
Sun 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Mon. From July open 10:00 -
17:00. Closed Mon. Admission 8/6zł. Y
Falowiec ul. Obrońców Wybrzeża (Przymorze). You
have few reasons to visit the district of Przymorze apart
from to marvel at one of the longest residential buildings in
Europe. Known as Falowiec (The Wave), the communist-era
residential block stretches for nearly a kilometre (860m
officially), boasts three kilometres of drainpipes, and has
three separate bus stops to service its estimated 7,000
residents. Constructed between 1970 and 1973, the
monstrosity was originally four separate ten-storey tower
blocks. Possibly to alleviate housing shortages, more likely
in a moment of madness, city planners decided to go hell
for leather and link each building together. For whatever
reason the link-up work did not run in a straight line and the
completed structure runs in a meandering line, hence its
nickname. All this a far cry from the 1950s, when Przymorze
had no asphalt roads and was little more than a few potato
fields. If you’re curious to see for yourself head up to ul.
Obrońców Wybrzeża.
Granary Island (Wyspa Spichrzów) C-6/D-4.
These granaries - no more than a skeletal set of ruined
brick walls today - were the most important source of
income for Gdańsk in the 16th century, contributing to its
status as the largest Baltic harbour and one of Europe’s
richest cities. In the 14th century over 300 granaries
operated on Wyspa Spichrzów; only one survived WWII,
following which 20 were rebuilt. A moat was built around
the area in case of fires. The granaries had names like
Gloria and Bear Dance and serviced over 200 ships a
day, supplying 300,000 tonnes of grain a year. Plans to
restore the ruined granaries have repeatedly stalled, and
they remain a moving reminder of the devastation of WWII
and make for a nice walk - providing you don’t run into any
urinating vagrants.
Gdańsk In Your Pocket gdansk.inyourpocket.com
Great Armoury (Wielka Zbrojownia) B-4, Targ
Węglowy 6. The Great Armoury was built in 1600-09 on
the medieval line of the city walls. A working arsenal until the
1800s, the armoury remains the finest example of Renaissance
architecture in the city. It was designed by Opperghen
and is the most impressive of his works in Gdańsk. The welllike
structure in front was used as an elevator to transport
gunpowder and cannon balls from their storage place in the
basement. The armoury was badly damaged in WWII and
rebuilt. It is now closed to the public.
Great Mill (Wielki Młyn) B-3, ul. Wielkie Młyny 16.
Built by the Teutonic Knights in 1350, this magnificent edifice
with its rising tiled roof is the grandest civil construction in
Gdańsk. Until 1356 when the Radunia Canal was built, the
mill was powered by slaves turning 18 huge wheels. It was
the largest industrial plant in Europe during the Middle Ages
and functioned until the end of WWII. Unfortunately, this
treasure has since been turned into a shopping centre. At
least there’s a small exhibition of old equipment from the
mill. The surrounding grain and flour stores, dating to 1400,
are home to a few small shops.
Wisłoujście Fortress (Twierdza Wisłoujście) J-2,
ul. Stara Twierdza 1, tel. (+48) 58 343 14 05, www.
mhmg.gda.pl. Until the 16th century, when the growing
Westerplatte peninsula finally separated it from the sea,
Wisłoujście Fortress stood on the seashore and served as
a lighthouse. It also served as a strategic point of defence
for Poland, with about 40 bronze cannons and room inside
for 1,000 men. The fortress was later seized by the Prussians
and used as a prison as late as the 19th century
before becoming the base for a sailing club between the
wars. Destroyed by the Red Army in 1945 it is only in the
last decade that work has begun in earnest to return it to its
former glory following its inclusion on the World Monument
Watch’s list of 100 most endangered monuments in 2001.
So far the renovation works have focused on securing and
strengthening the external fortifications with money provided
by EEA grants so much of the inside of the fort still requires
renovation. That said it is still an interesting place for a short
visit with particular interest the view from the top of the tower,
the collection of weaponry in the fort’s underground bunkers
and the collection of rebuilt houses inside the fortresses. The
fort and the surrounding area are also home to hibernating
bats, which while winning it a place on the Natura 2000 list,
has also made the rebuilding work even greater a challenge.
A small car ferry travels the few hundred metres between the
fort and Nowy Port at regular intervals allowing you to visit the
Nowy Port lighthouse in the same trip. The ferry costs 1zl per
person and runs year round although not at weekends. To get
here, take bus N°106 from the Music Academy on Łąkowa
street and ask the driver to drop you at the Wisłoujście stop.
QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Admission 10/5zł. Y
gdansk.inyourpocket.com
GDAŃSK WHAT TO SEE
Scottish Gdańsk
If you’ve been reading our reviews and using our maps
you may have noticed that the Tri-City is the home of
two suburbs named Nowe and Stare Szkoty (New and
Old Scots). There’s sound reasoning for this seemingly
bizarre fixation with the home of tartan, as a scan through
the history books reveals.
Since the late 14th century the Baltic region enjoyed
strong trade links with Scotland, and recent
evidence has confirmed that many of the timbers
used in the building of Queen Mary’s House in St
Andrews were shipped from the Gdańsk region some
600 years ago. Religious tolerance, an escape from
poverty and famine, and the promise of adventure
and riches prompted many Scots to seek a future
in Gdańsk.
Many arrived as traders, and the contribution of
these men to both Polish and Scottish culture cannot
be underestimated. Robert Gordon made a fortune
through the Aberdeen-Danzig trade route, and donated
some GBP 10,000 to the foundation of a hospital in
his hometown. Four hundred years on the building
still stands, now better known as the Robert Gordon
University. William Forbes, also known under the colourful
sobriquet of Danzig Willie, built the spectacular
Craigievar Castle on the back of his trading profits.
Sir Robert Skene’s generous investments helped
elevate Aberdeen to becoming the largest granite
quarry on earth.
By the 17th century Gdańsk was home to an
estimated 30,000 Scots. A legion of peddlers
emigrated from Scotland, travelling around Poland
selling everything from shotguns to furs. To
this day, the local Kashubian word for a business
traveller is ‘szot’. Others joined military factions,
and Gdańsk was the first town in Poland to have
a regiment of Scottish mercenaries. Though this
particular band of men were hired to fight against
the Polish army in a dispute over duties to the
King, many Scottish soldiers went on to distinguish
themselves in the name of the Polish crown, namely
in campaigns against the Turks, Swedes and Russians;
the brave Colonel Ketling is an important
character in author Henryk Sienkiewciz’s famous
The Trilogy. The 16th century King Stefan Batory
exclusively used Scottish merchants to provide for
the army and Royal Court, while in the 17th century
Alexander Chalmers became one of Warsaw’s best
loved mayors.
Life was not always easy for the immigrants. A
reputation for drunkenness led to numerous difficulties
with the conservative local populace, and
there were several vicious trade wars involving
England, Scotland and Poland. Though the Scottish
immigrants eventually became integrated into
the Polish community, their legacy has been long
lasting. In his History of Prussia Dr Schmidt noted
that ‘the peculiar compound of stubbornness and
shrewdness which characterises the people of East
Prussia has its root in the natural disposition of
the Scot’. It would appear that the Scots not only
transformed the economic fortunes of Gdańsk, but
the very character of the people.
May - July 2012
69