Poland

May 2022

A photojournal of a self-organised trip to Poland Read more

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- May 23, 2022, 11:30am
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Altitude: 19 m
- Poland Pomerania Gdańsk Środmieście Gdansk Ferry Port 54.350146, 18.65327254°21’1” N 18°39’12” E
Day 8
Gdansk - Old Town 2; continued
May 23, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We turn left after the Green Gate along the Motlawa Riverfront - the heart of the old port, it is now a bustling restaurant area - and reach the iconic Gdansk Crane (best viewed from the other side of the river, which we did); this restored 15th century port crane is now part of the National Maritime Museum.

We walk up the picturesque ul. Mariacka, where rich merchants used to live, towards the Church of St Mary; this is the largest medieval brick-built church in Europe, taking 150 years to complete and has been rebuilt after being destroyed in WWII. It is also famous for its astronomical clock built in 1464-1470 by Master Hans Duringer; our timing is fortunate as we see it do its stuff at 11:57am. We also ascend the 407 steps to the top of the 78m tower for some great views. Outside is the Royal Chapel, used as a place of worship for Catholics when St Mary's became Protestant.

We see the Arsenal, the finest example of a Dutch Mannerist style building in Gdansk; this former weapons and munitions store is now filled with shops and an art gallery. Our walk takes us past both the Old Town Hall (also Dutch Mannerist) and the Old Market building on our way to visit the Church of St Catherine. This is the oldest and most important church in the Old Town and houses an exhibit of Tower Clocks in the Gdansk Science Museum which is situated in part of the tower - this is 76m tall with even better views of the city and the shipyard area from the top than from the Main Town Hall.Read more
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- May 24, 2022, 10:00am
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Altitude: 7 m
- Poland Pomerania Gdańsk Stare Miasto Ostrów II 54.363587, 18.65168454°21’49” N 18°39’6” E
Day 9
Gdansk - The Shipyard and Museums
May 24, 2022 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
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
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