Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia established next to each other, are situated within the Polish Baltic Sea coast and are commonly called the Tri-City. Although their origins are separated in time by a period of ten centuries, today they are tied to one another forever.
Gdansk were before a jewel of the Hanseatic League.
Conveniently located around the mouth of River Wisla, over the main trade route, at the 14th as well as 15th centuries the town of Gdansk grew to be one of the biggest and richest Baltic ports. The Old City with big structures along with burgher houses constructed around the style of north European Renaissance by master - builders from Flanders and also the Netherlands are decorated with characteristic antethresholds. The streets do not converge around the market place, but run down towards the River Motlawa and the old Gdansk harbour together with Dlugi Targ (Long Market), which plays the role of the city's main market. Some Dutch towns, e.g. Amsterdam have similar urban layouts.
Among many historical monuments a special mention is due to the gigantic Gothic St. Mary's Church (Poland's biggest) erected in 1343 - 1502, the Town Hall, the late - gothic Artus Court which was once the seat of merchants' guild, and also among the city's symbols - Crane at the form of a Gothic twin tower gate. The town features some interesting monuments from other periods too. They include the gothic cathedral in Oliwa (a former Cisterian Abbey) with an amazing Rococo organ.
The city has not always been Polish: it modified hands among the Poles as well as Germans six times, along with for three periods it maintained an independent status.
The Second World War destroyed 90% of Gdansk town centre, and also extensive restorations were undertaken just after the war.
Worth seeing is a memorial to the shipyard workers killed within the 1970 riots, a symbol of the fight for freedom. Nearby, around the Gdansk Shipyard area, the workers' protest movement Solidarity started. With their fight, the Tri-City workers triggered the social along with political changes, which led to freedom along with democracy to Poland and Central Europe.
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