Gdańsk, Gdynia, Poland

Gdańsk is a city in northern Poland, the sixth most populous in the country (460,000 residents, 2006). Together with the neighboring towns of Sopot and Gdynia, it forms the Tricity agglomeration-“Trójmiasto” (“Three Cities”)-with a total population of over one million. It is the oldest and largest city in Poland. It was founded in 997.

Gdańsk is a major port on the Baltic Sea and an industrial center, in particular for petrochemicals and mechanical engineering (shipbuilding and ship repair are well developed).

If tourists want the seaside city to have a rich history, plenty of interesting places, and impeccable European style, they can confidently be advised to take a trip to this Polish city.

Gdańsk occupies a completely special place in Poland’s history. The city has endured many tragedies throughout its existence. In 1308, the Teutonic Order knights destroyed the city and wiped out its population. In Gdańsk, German colonists settled, who are credited with founding the so-called Main City.

After the townspeople’s uprising, when they drove the crusaders out of the city, Gdańsk was reunited with Poland. The city received major privileges from the Polish kings, which greatly contributed to its development. Gdańsk also became one of the cities of the Hanseatic League-a trade alliance of North German cities. Back then, around 2,000 ships docked in Gdańsk each year, and three quarters of Polish exports were shipped from the city. The famous port crane Żuraw bears witness to those times; until the 19th century it remained the largest in Europe. After the second partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which took place in 1793, Gdańsk became part of Prussia and was renamed Danzig.

Today, Gdańsk is not only a major city and port, but also a venue for prestigious cultural festivals. The city has an Opera House and the Chopin Baltic Philharmonic, and there are many interesting museums and attractions.

A humid maritime climate prevails in the city, with mild winters and rainy summers. The average temperature ranges from −1.0 °C to +17.2 °C, and precipitation from 31.0 mm / month to 84.0 mm / month.

The seasons are clearly distinguishable. In early spring it is usually cold and windy, and then the weather becomes warm and fairly sunny. Summer, which begins in June, is mainly warm, but the hot season (with temperatures above 30–35C occurs at least once a year) with a large number of sunny days is interspersed with heavy rain. July and August are the warmest months. Autumn arrives in September, which is typically warm and sunny, and gradually gives way to cold, damp conditions and fog in November. Winter lasts from December to March. January and February are cold months; at times temperatures drop to −15 °C.