Day 1 of sightseeing in the Tricity

After my last post I was encouraged by two of my friends to write more about Gdansk churches. And since I like both gothic and baroque architecture and art I may indulge my friends and myself  one day. Today, however, after getting curious how many churches are in the neighbourhood and finding out the number I lost enthusiasm for a while. I counted 69 churches just in Gdansk not in the whole Tricity. I guess that at least 20 of them would have historical value and be worth while writing about. Suddenly I felt like after eating too much sweets, a bit queasy after that much goodness. So I will leave the subject for some later time when I am less focused on the number of the churches in Gdansk.

From 1358, Gdansk/Danzig belonged to the Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive confederation of northern European merchants guilds and towns.

Walking the streets of Gdansk memories of Lubeck, Bremen or Amsterdam may spring to mind. Old northern European merchant towns have similar looks as they had similar function. Names of the streets remind us of occupations of their citizens : Long Market, Coal Market, Fish Market, Wood Market, Beer Street or Amber Street.

It was a long period from the twelfth to the sixteenth century when Danzig was an important and prosperous trading centre. This was reflected in the buildings of the town. Majority of remaining buildings in the Old Town come from  the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth century.

One of my favourite places is The Crane –Zuraw. It is one of the oldest buildings which current shape comes from the 15^th century. It was used to load cargo and and place masts on ships. Whenever I am in the Old Town I make a little detour, if needed, to have a look at this proud, heavy and very Gdansk monument of its Hanseatic past.  

                                     

Another favourite of mine is the Neptune Fountain. It is standing in the middle of the Long Market and is considered to be a symbol of Gdansk. Certainly, the most popular place to take a photo while sightseeing in the Old Town. I have several photos of my own taken over the years in front of the fountain. And I still have a leather card case with the image of the Gdansk Neptune. Ach, memories...

As I was writing in my previous post, another favourite of mine is St Mary’s Basilica. If you put together my favourite historical beauty spots in Gdansk, it looks  like a top list from a tourist guide. Not too original, I am afraid, but and it does not matter or even means that everybody visiting Gdansk should see the places and I can  guarantee no disappointment.

Sightseeing in the Tricity

The Tricity is an urban area of three major Polish cities at the Baltic coast. Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia. They are adjacent to one another, in a row,  and the distance from end to end is approximately 20 km.  The population of the Tricity is over 1 million people. When I come to Poland these days, I stay in Gdansk.

I like to have friends coming to stay with me and when that happens I play a role of a tourist guide to present the town in the best possible way. I have been conscious of the fact that I may not be the best guide in the world and I want to improve.

The last week one of my Aussie friends, who was travelling through Europe, came to spend few days with me in Gdansk. I have a feeling that I have not made an impression on her of a super guide but I did improve my sightseeing program considerably this time. I had been aware of the fact that not everybody is keen on seeing all the churches a town has to offer. And Gdansk has many, many of them which are worthwhile seeing if one is big way into sacral architecture. But who is? I may be a bit, but this is not normal and I know it.

This time I planned not to overdo with churches and selected only three to visit. St Mary’s Basilica because it is so impressive and the biggest brick Gothic church in Europe. Oliwa Cathedral because it has a famous organ with moveable parts and because I love it. 

Oliwa Cathedral

St Nicolas church because of the organ concert from the cycle Closer to Bach. I was happy with the plan but it did not work. On reflection, this was actually fortunate.

We saw only one church,  the huge St Mary’s Basilica which has a room for 25,000 people. Each time I enter the church, its size makes an impression on me. I feel small and insignificant aware of a higher power to which glory the church was built.  The major construction work was carried  from 1379 to 1502, but even if the church was structurally then completed the work has not finished to this day.

                                                     

Many years ago I saw the church destroyed and empty but with each visit I find new restorations and additions of altars and historical artefacts.  The church ever changes. My favourite object there is stone Pieta from around 1410. I always go to the chapel housing the sculpture to once again admire its sad beauty. The sculpture is in a glass cabinet  and unfortunately does not photograph well.

           

There I go, started to write about a church and got carried away. Will have to continue the subject of sightseeing in the Tricity in my next posts. No more stories about churches,  I promise.