Gdańsk private walking tour in the Old City

Gdańsk is a city with over 1000 years of history. It was a place where merchants met and signed a comercial transactions.

Trade and port influenced the city development. XVI and XVII c. was called „the golden age” of Gdańsk, the city was the biggest and the richest in Poland at that time.

The main trading products were: grain, wood, amber, spices, herring, wine, broadcloth and many other items.

The wealthiness of Gdańsk is still shown today in its architecture with the Netherlands influence. There are interesting secular buldings such as: The Main City Hall and the Arthus Court; gothic red-brick churches and their medieval ornaments: sculpture and paintings; narrow, decorated tenement houses with porches.

The Royal Way got a name from Polish kings who spent nights in the Royal Houses during their visit in Gdańsk.

We will see

• The Upland Gate
• the Gateway to Long Street
• the Golden Gate
• Long Street (the Uphagen’s House, Ferber’s House, the Town Hall of the Main City)
• Long Market (the Royal House, the Artus’ Court, the Neptun fountain)
• the Green Gate,
• the Crane and water gates,
• St Mary’s Street (St. Mary’s Church),
• the Royal Chapel
• the Armoury

During your trip to Gdańsk it is worth looking into the interiors of museums and churches. That shows the richness of the city in the past times. Many works of art: paintings, sculptures or furniture are original. They are located in the Main and Old City of Gdańsk.

I choose these places but we can modify it. For me they are special and unique, one of a kind.

Paid entrances worth to seeing

The Main City Hall – the former seat of municipal authorities from XIV c. The place where civil rights were ceremoniously given to the citizens.  In the Red Hall we can see recommendations for the rulers of the city presented in the form of allegories, personifications and symbols taken from the Bible and mythology in the original  paintings from XVI and XVII c.

The Artus Court – he name refers to King Arthur and the knights of the round table.  The honorable and brave knights were a model character for the people of the old days. An official merchant house, a place where  meetings, feasts, weddings for the rich of Gdańsk were held. The interior is filled with religious, social and mythological paintings, copies of ships, some sculptures and a beautiful tiled stove.

The Uphagen House – built in 1776. Jan Uphagen was a great patron and lover of art, thanks to that his residence was richly furnished. Today it is a unique museum presenting the interior of a burgher’s house. Furniture, tapestries, equipment. A visit to this house can  (give us ) help us an idea of similar tenements  for wealthy citizens.

The Amber Museum – Gdańsk is  considered the world capital of amber. Amber is 40 million years old fossilized resin of conifer trees. Our Baltic gold. There are  collections of amber in nature (plant and animals inclusion),. Arts and craft:  cabins, caskets, jewellery, altars, medallions, cutlery.

St. Marry Church – the biggest church built of bricks in the Medieval times.   A place where you can see the original astronomical clock, copies of the image of the “Last Judgment” by Hans Memling, Medieval altars and some original frescos. It is a catholic church so there are religious services every day. If you climb over 400 steps in good weather you will have a chance to see an amazing panorama of Gdańsk.