Gdańsk

Nickname(s):

Demonym(s):

Founded:

Democracy:

Developed:

European Union:

Schengen:

Euro:

National Capital:

RegionalState Capital:

Population (City):

471 000

Population (Urban):

-

Population (Metro):

1 081 000

Population Density (km2):

1 800

Population Density (mi2):

5 000

4th Largest City in Poland

Largest City in the Pomeranian Voivodeship

Language:

Polish

Currency:

Złoty

Avg. Summertime High:

23 °C

73 °F

Avg. Summertime Low:

14 °C

58 °F

Warmest Month:

August

Coldest Month:

January

Avg. Wintertime High:

2 °C

35 °F

Avg. Wintertime Low:

-3 °C

26 °F

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A former member of the Hanseatic League and the currently fourth-largest city in Poland. Gdańsk was once one of the most important cities on the Baltic Sea and it has a history of being fought over. The historic city center was destroyed in WWII, with the loss of most of the original Hanseatic architecture. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, it has gradually been reconstructed and the Old Town is today a popular weekend destination for visitors from all over Europe.

Republic of Poland | Rzeczpospolita Polska

Poland

English

Polska

Polish

Region:

Northeastern Europe

Area:

312 696 km2

Ranked 69 out of 195

Population:

Population:

38 180 000

Ranked 38 out of 235

Urbanization:

60 %

Ranked 97 out of 194

Capital:

Warsaw

Population: 3 101 000

Largest City:

Warsaw

Population: 3 101 000

Major Cities:

Warsaw
Kraków
Łódź
Wrocław
Poznań

Economy & Development:

Human Development Index:

Very High

Ranked 35 out of 189

Inequality-Adjusted HDI:

Very High

Ranked 26 out of 189

GDP (PPP) Per Capita:

$41 685

Ranked 42 out of 225

Democracy & Freedom:

Democracy Index:

Flawed Democracy

Ranked 51 out of 167

Freedom House:

Free

96 points out of 100 possible

Press Freedom:

Problematic

Ranked 66 out of 180

Economic Freedom:

2nd Quartile

Ranked 59 out of 162

National Identity:

Independence Since:

1918

Independence From:

Unification

National Day:

11th of November

What Is Celebrated On The National Day:

This date is the anniversary of the restoration of Poland's sovereignty as the Second Polish Republic in the aftermath of the First World War from the German, Austro-Hungarian, and Russian Empires in 1918. Most of what is today Poland was part of Germany before the war. Some of the areas that were part of the Second Polish Republic are today no longer part of Poland. There are parts that today belong to Belarus, Lithuania, and Ukraine.

Facts & Codes:

Driving Side:

Right

-

Time Zone:

UTC +1 (CET)

Summer: UTC +2 (CEST)

Country Calling Code:

+ 48

-

Country Code:

PL

ISO 3166

Polish Voivodeship | Polski Województwo

Pomeranian Voivodeship

English

Województwo Pomorskie

Polish

Woiwodschaft Pommern

German

Region:

Northeastern Poland

Area:

18 293 km2

Ranked 8 out of 16

Population:

Population:

2 338 000

Ranked 7 out of 16

Population Share:

6 %

Of National Population

Capital:

Gdańsk

Population: 471 000

Largest City:

Gdańsk

Population: 471 000

Major Cities:

Gdańsk
Gdynia
Słupsk
Tczew
Wejherowo

Information:

GDP Per Capita::

-

-

Climate:

Continental Climate

Köppen: Dfb

Time Zone:

UTC +1 (CET)

Summer: UTC +2 (CEST)

Neptune's Fountain

Historic Fountain

Zuraw

Medieval Crane

St. Mary's Church

Large Brick Gothic Church

Gdańsk is a city that surprisingly can offer everything. It has history, a lot of history, and in the summer months, it is also a great destination for a beach vacation since you can reach Sopot in less than 30 minutes by local train. The size of the city is quite small so it's easy to cover in a short timeframe. It is also cheap! In other words, Gdańsk is a little bit of everything you could wish of.

Do I Recommend You To Visit?

Yes! But try to come in the summer half of the year.

Will I Come Back Again?

I think I will visit again and I can even see myself visiting within the next few years, which isn't common for me to revisit cities so soon. But since it's very easy to go there from my hometown of Stockholm and it's a cheap weekend alternative I wouldn't mind it.

Weather During My Stay:

Quite bad. I had one afternoon where I could see a little bit of the sky, the rest of my almost week-long visit was a constant overcast and 18°C (64°F). I actually planned to visit a month earlier than I did, but I canceled at the last minute because the forecast was constant rain during my full planned visit. Thankfully I paid only $10 for the tickets...

Best:

Długi Targ (Long Market), the main street, has a lot of interesting architecture. I also liked the recently constructed "Museum of the Second World War".

Not As Good:

Gdańsk is still under construction, more or less. A lot of what you see in the Old Town today was still in ruins just ten years ago. Ten years from now I can see this city being even more developed towards its true potential.

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Długi Targ - Long Market

Długi Targ, or Long Market, is one of the major attractions of Gdańsk. It is the main street of Old Town.

Ulica Długa

Ulica Długa is the continuation of Długi Targ and has the width of a normal street instead of the very wide Long Market. The Town Hall is the tall building that is visible in both pictures.

Gdańsk Town Hall views

Ulica Długa as it is seen from the Town Hall.

St. Mary's Church

St. Mary's Church (Bazylika Mariacka) is one of the largest brick churches in the world. Only San Petronio Basilica in Bologna is definitively larger, while Munich Frauenkirche and Ulm Minster are tied for second place.

Old Town and Gdansk Zuraw

The Old Town along the Motława River. The cityscape is dominated by the Zuraw, a medieval crane.

Westerplatte

The peninsula of Westerplatte just North of the city was the site of the first battle of the Second World War. Just minutes after the German declaration of war this Polish Military Transit Depot was shelled by German warships visiting the then independent "Free City of Danzig". Many ruins remain untouched in the area and they can be entered (at your own risk).

Skwer Heweliusza

Skwer Heweliusza (Hevelius Park), named after astronomer Jan Heweliusz (Johannes Hevelius in English/German) with the Amber Museum (Muzeum Bursztynu) to the right.

Mariacka Street

Mariacka Street is a photogenic and popular street for photography. Historically this was the amber street of Gdańsk and there are still people selling amber to tourists there.

Neptune's Fountain

Neptune's Fountain (Fontanna Neptuna) on Długi Targ has become a symbol of Gdańsk. The statue is almost 400 years old as it was completed in 1633.

New buildings on Granary Island, Gdansk

Newer buildings on Granary Island, opposite the Old Town on the Motława. Before the destruction in the Second World War, this was part of the inner city but it was never fully rebuilt. It's only in recent years that this area has gone from nothing to a new part of the city, and it is still under construction. I actually like the modern take on traditional architecture here. But I understand those who hate it.