Gdańsk has been a port on the Baltic for more than a thousand years, and for centuries it was one of the richest trading cities in Europe. Much of its centre was destroyed in 1945 and carefully rebuilt, so the tall gabled houses you see today tell the story of both its golden age and its recovery. Here are the facts and stories that make the city special.

10 fun facts about Gdańsk

First mentioned in 997: the earliest written record of Gdańsk comes from the life of St Adalbert, who baptised people here in 997 on his mission to the Prussians.
Where the Second World War began: on 1 September 1939 the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein opened fire on the Polish garrison at Westerplatte, at the mouth of the harbour, and the Polish Post Office in the city was attacked the same morning.
The birthplace of Solidarity: in August 1980 a strike at the Lenin Shipyard, led by the electrician Lech Wałęsa, gave rise to Solidarity, the first independent trade union in the Soviet bloc. The European Solidarity Centre now stands next to the shipyard gate.
A free city: between 1920 and 1939 Gdańsk was the Free City of Danzig, a semi-independent city-state under the protection of the League of Nations.
A medieval crane: the Crane on the Motława river, built in the 15th century, could lift cargo and even ship masts. It was powered by men walking inside giant wooden treadwheels.
A stove the size of a house: the tiled stove in Artus Court, made by Georg Stelzner in 1545 and 1546, is about 11 metres tall and covered with 520 tiles, many showing European rulers of the time.
Neptune on the Long Market: the bronze Neptune was cast in 1615, and the fountain beneath him began to flow in 1633. He has stood in front of Artus Court ever since, apart from being hidden away during the Second World War.
Famous sons of Danzig: the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686), the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788) and the writer Günter Grass (1927) were all born in the city.
One of the largest brick churches in the world: St Mary's Basilica was built between 1343 and 1502. More than 400 steps lead to the top of its tower.
The amber capital: Gdańsk calls itself the world capital of amber, the fossil resin washed up on Baltic beaches, and Mariacka Street is lined with amber workshops and shops.

The legend of Neptune and the Goldwasser

Gdańsk's best-known legend links its fountain with its famous liqueur. People used to throw coins into Neptune's fountain for luck, the story goes, until the sea god grew tired of it. He struck the water with his trident and smashed the coins into tiny flakes of gold, and that is why Danziger Goldwasser sparkles with gold. In reality the herbal liqueur, with flakes of real gold leaf floating in it, was created by Ambrosius Vermeulen, who became a citizen of Danzig in 1598. It was made for centuries at a distillery called Der Lachs, The Salmon, on Szeroka Street. The house was rebuilt after the war and is now the Pod Łososiem restaurant, where you can still order a glass.

The Royal Way, explained

When Polish kings visited Gdańsk, they entered along the Royal Way, and it is still the city's main promenade. It begins at the High Gate, built in the 1570s and decorated in 1588 by Willem van den Blocke with Latin mottos such as Justice and piety are the two foundations of all kingdoms. It continues through the Golden Gate of 1612 to 1614, designed by Abraham van den Blocke, whose inscription warns that harmony makes small states grow while discord brings great ones down. Then it runs along Long Lane and the Long Market, past the Main Town Hall, Artus Court and Neptune's Fountain, to the Green Gate on the river.

What to eat in Gdańsk

Śledź: herring in oil with onion or in sour cream, a staple of Baltic cooking and often served with a shot of vodka.
Smoked fish: smoked mackerel, flounder and other Baltic fish, sold at harbourside stalls and in fish bars along the coast.
Pierogi: dumplings filled with potato and cheese, meat or, in summer, berries, served in milk bars and restaurants all over town.
Goldwasser: the herbal liqueur with gold flakes, sold in old-town shops and served at the restaurant where it was once made.

Good to know before you go

Climb the tower of St Mary's for a view over the gabled rooftops and the river. It is a steep climb, so allow time.
Westerplatte can be reached by bus or, in the warmer months, by boat from the Motława quayside.
Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia form the Tricity, linked by the SKM commuter train. Sopot has one of the longest wooden piers in Europe.
Malbork, the largest castle in the world by land area and a UNESCO site built by the Teutonic Knights, is less than an hour away by train.

Explore Gdańsk with World City Trail

Our Gdańsk scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 24 minutes of walking, and its stops include the High Gate, the Golden Gate, Artus Court and Neptune's Fountain.

At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like and play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch or Polish.

Explore Gdansk by playing

Turn the landmarks in this article into a self-guided scavenger hunt you play on your phone.

11 EUR for one player, 5 EUR per person for groups of four or more.

See the Gdansk adventure →

Play the Gdańsk scavenger hunt →

Facts checked in October 2026.

Pick your game in this city:

See all games and prices for this city