The High Gate (Brama Wyżynna) is the Renaissance gateway on the western edge of Gdańsk's Main Town, where the city's ramparts and moat once ran. It was built in the 1570s and dressed in carved sandstone in 1588. For centuries it was the city's ceremonial front door: Polish kings visiting Gdańsk were welcomed here and handed the keys to the city before riding along what is now called the Royal Route.
The High Gate at a glance
- Where: Wały Jagiellońskie, at the western end of the Royal Route, just west of the Prison Tower and the Golden Gate.
- Built: 1574–1576 as part of the new western fortifications; the stone decoration was added in 1588.
- By: designed by Hans Kramer; the facade was decorated by the sculptor Willem van den Blocke.
- What it is today: a historic gate owned by the Museum of Gdańsk since 2002, with a tourist information centre inside.
- Time needed: 10–15 minutes, a little longer if you go inside for maps and advice.
From fortress gate to the city's front door
In the 1570s Gdańsk rebuilt its western defences with a tall earth rampart, bastions and a wide moat full of water. The High Gate, designed by Hans Kramer, was the way through this line: a brick gate reached by drawbridges that were raised every night. In 1588 Willem van den Blocke turned it into a showpiece, facing the brick with sandstone panels, three coats of arms and three Latin mottoes. From then on it was the main and most representative entrance to the city.
The gate kept its form for nearly three centuries, but the defences around it did not survive. In 1895 the ramparts were levelled and the moat filled in, leaving the gate standing on its own. A story about the gate says that Napoleon, in 1807, suggested taking it to Paris. It later held a guardhouse and, after 1920, an office of the Norddeutscher Lloyd shipping line. It was damaged in 1945 and repaired after the war, when a travel agency moved in. The Museum of Gdańsk bought it in 2002 and renovated it in 2009–2012, repainting the coats of arms and fitting out a visitor centre.
What to look for
- The three coats of arms on the attic: Poland, Royal Prussia and Gdańsk. Together they sum up the city's position as a self-governing port within the Polish Crown.
- The four stone lions sitting on top of the attic.
- The Latin inscriptions on the frieze. The middle one, 'Iustitia et pietas duo sunt regnorum omnium fundamenta', means 'Justice and piety are the two foundations of all kingdoms'. The other two praise peace, freedom and concord as the greatest goods of a city, and wise deeds done for the republic.
- The six metal blocks on top of the building. With ropes running through them, the guards hauled up the drawbridges at night.
- The sandstone panels with delicate plant ornament that frame the brick core of the 1570s.
The keys to the city
Gdańsk was a royal city of Poland but ran its own affairs, and a royal visit was a carefully staged event. The king was received at the High Gate and presented with the keys to the city. The procession then passed through the foregate with the Prison Tower, under the Golden Gate, down Długa and across the Long Market to the Green Gate on the Motława river. Every facade along the way was a chance for the city's merchants to show their wealth, and the route still works as the classic walk through the Main Town.
Tips for your visit
- Start your walk along the Royal Route here: the Golden Gate, Long Street, the Long Market and the Green Gate all follow in a straight line to the east.
- Step back from the gate for photos. From directly underneath, the lions and coats of arms on the attic are hard to see.
- The tourist information centre inside is a good place to pick up a city map and ask about events before you set off.
Nearby
- Prison Tower and Torture House: the medieval foregate just east of the High Gate, the next step on the Royal Route.
- Golden Gate: the triumphal arch of 1612–1614 at the head of Długa, with eight statues of civic virtues, a couple of minutes' walk away.
- Great Armoury: the richly decorated early 17th-century arsenal on the Coal Market, a few minutes' walk north-east.
- Great Mill: a medieval mill building in the Old Town, now home to the Amber Museum, a short walk north.
See Gdańsk with World City Trail
Our Gdańsk scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 24 minutes of walking. The High Gate is one of the stops, along with the Golden Gate, Artus Court and Neptune's Fountain. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch or Polish.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Gdańsk.
Play the Gdańsk scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Gdańsk →
Play the outdoor escape game in Gdańsk →
Facts checked in October 2026.