Gdansk - The Shipyard and Museums

We walk up to the shipyard area; outside is the Monument to the Fallen Shipyards Workers of 1970 which commemorates the 42 or more people killed during the Coastal cities events in December 1970; in 1980, Lech Walesa emerged to rouse crowds of strikers here, leading to the formation of the Solidarity movement and ultimately to democracy for Poland and most of the Eastern bloc.  Still active, the shipyard area seems to be slated for redevelopment and general gentrification and we enjoy seeing the old cranes and perimeter buildings while they are still there.

Behind this is the European Solidarity Centre, a museum and library devoted to the history of Solidarity, the Polish trade union and civil resistance movement, and other opposition movements of Communist Eastern Europe. 

We walk to see the Polish Post Office; now a museum, the building is historically significant because it was one of the first sites targeted by the German Army when it invaded Poland on 1 Sept 1939 and WWII started; from the Polish perspective, a group of postmen held out against SS troops for almost a day and this feat is commemorated by a monument.

It is a short walk from here to the Museum of the Second World War, built in the style of a leaning tower with glass facade.  We visit this museum and it is very interesting.

Back at the Motlawa Riverfront, we cross over to the small island of Olowianka (Granary Island) in the river and pass the Polish Philharmonic Concert Hall and the National Maritime Museum.

Then it is back to the hotel to head off to the airport for the flight back home.  A great trip to Poland is over.Read more