Clustered with centuries-old monuments and innovative museums, Gdansk Old Town lies at the heart of this Baltic port city. Dominated by the immense basilica of St. Mary’s, the district is traversed by the Royal Way, which boasts some of Gdansk’s most magnificent buildings.
Things to do in Gdansk Old Town
In the heart of Gdansk Old Town is St. Mary’s Church, which is one of the largest brick-built basilicas in the world. It’s renowned for its immense astronomical clock that dates from 1464 and puts on a show at midday. Admire the church’s elaborate organ and its royal chapel before soaking up the views across Gdansk Old Town from the 78-metre-high tower.
On the southern side of St. Mary’s Church is the Muzeum Gdanska, which is housed within a Gothic-Renaissance-style town hall. Its exhibits detail the city’s history from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, with a highlight being the richly decorated Red Room with its beautiful ceiling painting by Isaac van den Blocke.
Overlooking the Motława River is the National Maritime Museum in Gdansk, which explores the city’s history of fishing, shipping and international trade. Learn about Gdansk’s role as a Baltic seaport throughout the centuries and see the first vessel to be built at the Gdansk shipyard, the MS Sołdek. A ferry service shuttles between the main museum and the Zuraw, a 15th-century loading crane that was once the biggest of its kind in the world.
Getting around Gdansk Old Town
Gdansk Lech Wałęsa Airport is around 20 minutes’ drive from the Old Town and has flights to destinations across Europe. Trains from cities across Poland connect to the Gdansk Central Station and trams travel along the edge of the Old Town. Most of the Old Town’s attractions can easily be accessed on foot.