7kh 7ul flw\ v prvw dxwkhqwlf 7h[ 0h[ uhvwdxudqw ... - In Your Pocket

84 SOPOT
Sopot history
Human settlement can be traced here over 2,500 years
and a fort existed here from the 7th to 11th centuries
(see what to see).
13th century The first mention of the village of Sopot is
recorded in a document outlining 16 settlements to be given
to the Cistercian Monks in compensation for lands lost to the
Knights of the Cross (Teutonic Knights). The Cistercians would
remain owners of this land up until the abolition of monastic
properties in the First Partition some 500 years later.
1466 As a result of the Second Peace of Torun, Sopot
becomes part of the Polish state.
16th century Mid-way through the century a few rich Gdańsk
businessmen start to build summer manor houses here starting
the city‘s transformation into a leisure resort.
1733-34 Sopot is seriously damaged by the Russians
who occupy Gdańsk. At the end of hostilities the summer
manor houses were desolated and most remain empty for
a number of years. In 1756-57 nine of the manor houses
are purchased by General Jozef Przebendowski and a
further two are later purchased by his widow giving the
family 11 of the 15 manor houses in Sopot.
1772 As a result of the First Partition of Poland, Sopot
becomes part of the Prussian state.
1804 The heirs of the Przebendowski fortune sell all of
the Sopot manor houses to Gdańsk businessman Carl
Christoph Wegner.
1819 Wegner makes the first attempt to turn Sopot into
a seaside resort by building a bath-house and changing
rooms but the venture fails. At this time there are 23
houses in Sopot and a population of 350.
1823 Jean Georges Haffner, a doctor in Napoleon‘s army, starts
the building of a seaside resort by building the Sopot Theraputic
House, wooden baths and the beginnings of the pier.
1870 With the opening of a Gdańsk - Koszalin train line,
which is then extended to Berlin, Sopot becomes more
accessible to holidaymakers. The town quickly grows into
an elegant resort and records visitor numbers of nearly
12,500 people in 1900.
1877 The local government purchase the bathing houses
from Haffner‘s heirs and build a second bathing house
and extend the pier to 85 metres.
1901 The Kaiser Wilhelm II grants Sopot city rights on
the 8th of October.
1914 In the days before WWI, the city has a population
of 17,400 people and visitor numbers have reached
20,000 annually.
1920 As a result of the Treaty of Versailles, Sopot is incorporated
into the Free City of Danzig. Sopot‘s northern
border becomes the border between the Free City and
the newly-born Polish state. The Therapeutic House is
converted into a casino.
1928 The pier is extended to its current length of 512
metres and becomes the longest pier in Europe.
1939 With the outbreak of war, Polish residents of Sopot
are rounded up and many flee the city.
1945 On March 23rd the Red Army enters Sopot and the
German population is driven out, in some cases literally into
the sea. Around 10% of the city is destroyed with some
of the most serious damage in the baths/casino area.
1961 The first Sopot International Song Festival is held, a
festival which goes onto to become a huge televised event in
the Soviet bloc countries and still attracts big names every year.
1990 The first free elections after the fall of communism
are held for the city council.
2009 The Therapeutic House returns as part of the
multi-million euro Centrum Haffnera development.
Sopot’s reputation
as Poland’s
premier seaside
resort is justly
deserved. Human
settlement here
dates back some
2,500 years.
A small fishing village
owned by the
Cistercians in Oliwa existed here from the 13th century and
in the 17th and 18th centuries, the baths and spas of this
increasingly-fashionable health resort lured a select, affluent
and aristocratic set as much for the vibrant social life for the
soothing waters.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Sopot, then part
of the Prussian partition of Poland, became a playground
for Europe’s ruling classes. Kaiser Wilhelm II
had a summer home here, (now the Maryla hotel) and
a separate villa for his guests (formerly the Magnolia
hotel). Sopot became part of the Free City of Gdańsk
under the Treaty of Versailles and the Grand Hotel (now
the Sofitel Grand Sopot Hotel) formed part of a huge
casino and spa complex as Sopot enjoyed a golden age
between the wars.
Avoiding much of the destruction experienced by its neighbour
Gdańsk at the end of WWII, the city retained much of
its pre-war charm and continued to be a place to see and
be seen. Famous primarily for hosting the Sopot festival
during the years of communism, a music festival broadcast
to all corners of the Soviet empire, Sopot continued to be
the summer resort of choice for those who could afford
to come here.
Today, Sopot is once again a hip and happening
place, with its trendy bars, restaurants and shops
scattered around the main drag, ul. Bohaterów Monte
Cassino. Reflecting its summertime popularity you’ll
find a strong choice of hotels as well as a nightlife
that is considered one of the best in the country. An
ambitious plan to return Sopot to its halcyon days has
been completed with construction of a health and spa
resort including the spanking new 5-star Sheraton
Sopot Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa with spa and
the best conference facilities in the region. In addition
there is also a multi-million euro development
of the famous pier to incorporate a yachting marina.
A trip to the region would not be complete without
a visit to Sopot.
Getting to Sopot
Sopot is the middle of the three cities and lies 14km
north of Gdańsk and 10km south of Gdynia. To get here
from Gdańsk you should take the local commuter train
SKM from Gdańsk Główny (platforms 1-5) and get off at
the 9th stop Sopot. From Gdynia you can either take the
local commuter train from Gdynia Główna (platform 1),
take trolley buses number 21 from Gdynia Główna Train
Station, number 31 from Orłowo or bus ‘S‘ from outside of
Gdynia Wzgórze św. Maksymiliana Train Station and these
will bring you to the stop at the junction of ul. Bohaterow
Monte Cassino and Al. Niepodległości in Sopot. From
here you are a two minute walk from the central square
by passing through the subway and then under the railway
line. Alternatively you can travel by taxi which will cost you
approximately 50zł from Gdańsk or 30zł from Gdynia.
Sopot In Your Pocket
sopot.inyourpocket.com
As one of Poland’s most popular seaside resorts Sopot is
well used to catering to holidaymakers and visitors. This
means you’ll find a decent choice of hotels, pensions and
hostels all within walking distance of the centre of town
and the pier. With a very seasonal market it is often a case
of famine or feast in terms of availability and off-season
there are some very good deals to be had if you shop
around. It is also worth bearing in mind that with Gdansk
only 25 minutes away by car or local commuter train,
Sopot can make for a very useful base for exploring all
parts of the Tri-city as it is the middle of the 3 cities which
straddle the coast.
Cream of the crop
Rezydent L-4, Pl. Konstytucji 3 Maja 3, tel. (+48) 58 555
58 00, www.hotelrezydent.com.pl. A grand art nouveau
structure that could be mistaken for being as old as Sopot
itself; so listen to this, ten years ago the Rezydent was just a
patch of wasteland. Built to fit seamlessly with the surrounding
landscape this award winning structure houses an equally
impressive hotel. The lobby sets the tone with its chandeliers
and bellboys, while the spacey rooms come with a design that
mixes elegance with modernity. Pick of the bunch is the Apartment
Sopocki, one of the most impressive rooms in the region.
Q64 rooms (12 singles, 43 doubles, 8 suites, 1 apartment).
PTHAR6UFLGKDwW hhhhh
Sheraton Sopot Hotel, Conference Center & Spa
M-4, ul. Powstańcow Warszawy 10, tel. (+48) 58 767
10 00, www.sheraton.pl/sopot. A new kind of resort hotel,
the pier-side Sheraton sets standards with an airy design
that incorporates subtle maritime hints like ships’ ropes and
portholes. Rooms come with sea or park views, huge windows
that can be opened to let the breeze in, gimmicks like a window
to allow TV viewing from the bathtub, and safes with recharge
plugs fitted inside, while the fifth-floor Club rooms have a private
lounge with snacks and drinks - complimentary of course.
Q189 rooms (182 singles, 182 doubles, 7 apartments).
PTHAR6UFLGKDCwW hhhhh
Sofitel Grand Sopot M-4, ul. Powstańców Warszawy
12/14, tel. (+48) 58 520 60 22, www.sofitel-grandsopot.com.
Following a huge refit the Sofitel Grand Sopot
has reclaimed its mantle as one of the best and most luxurious
hotels in Poland. Individually designed rooms come with
masses of space to roam around in and a breezy elegance
that harks to the hotel’s heyday. Flatscreen televisions stand
in front of huge beds, and the rooms, many of which come
complete with a glorious view of the pier, feature classy dark
wood finishes. En suite bathrooms tout dressing gowns and
cosmetics, and the hotel also has state-of-the-art fitness and
wellness facilities. Q127 rooms (95 singles, 95 doubles, 30
suites, 2 apartments). POTHAR6UFLGK
DCw hhhhh
Upmarket
Bayjonn Hotel M-4, ul. Powstańców Warszawy 7,
tel. (+48) 58 732 75 63, www.bayjonnhotel.pl. If you’re
familiar with Sopot then you’ll be familiar with the bulldozers
that have been ploughing up the lower end of Monte Cassino.
Well they’ve finished, and the results are stunning: a super
little piazza framed by bars and restaurants. Standing over
them is the Bayjonn, a design hotel that’s going to give stiff
competition to the Sheraton’s and Sofitel’s. Equipped with
crazy carpeting, rooms here feature white walls with pre-war
maps superimposed, hi-tech finishes and air-con throughout.
Highly recommended. Q22 rooms (3 singles, 17 doubles, 2
suites). PTJHARUFGKDW hhhh
sopot.inyourpocket.com
SOPOT HOTELS
���������������������������������
�������������������������������
����������������
��������������������������
������������
���������������������
�����������������������������������������
��������������������������������������
������������������������������
������������������������
Apartments for rent by the day.
Discounts for long-term stays
- we welcome fi rms & businesses.
Special off ers and price packages.
Attractive off er for landlords
- call to get paid immediately!
Reception:
mobile: +48 503 036 372,
ul. Kościuszki 60/2, 81-703 Sopot,
+48 512 434 361
tel. + 48 58 555 12 33
recepcja@sopotia.pl, www.sopotia.pl
May - July 2012
85