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A thousand-year port on the Baltic

Gdańsk is a city where every stone breathes history. Located on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea, this Polish port is among the country's six largest cities with a population of around 486,000 people. Together with Sopot and Gdynia, it forms the Tricity agglomeration, home to nearly 750,000 residents.

The first written mention of Gdańsk dates back to 997 AD, when Saint Adalbert (Wojciech) undertook a missionary journey to Prussia. Archaeologists, however, have found traces of settlements at this site as early as the 5th century AD. Over its thousand-year history, the city has been part of Poland, the Teutonic Order, Prussia, existed as the Free City of Danzig, and finally returned to Polish rule in 1945.

The Hanseatic merchant and Baltic gold

Its strategic position at the mouth of the Vistula River made Gdańsk a key trading hub of the Middle Ages. From 1361, the city became one of the most important members of the Hanseatic League — a trade association that controlled all commerce on the Baltic. The stone facades of the Long Market, the Neptune Fountain, and the majestic Town Hall all recall the era when Gdańsk merchants dictated prices for grain, timber, and amber.

Amber deserves special attention. Gdańsk is called the unofficial amber capital of the world, and for good reason. In 2016, the Amber Museum opened — a branch of the Gdańsk Museum, housed in the historic Great Mill building from the 14th century. Its collection includes thousands of specimens of "Baltic gold," featuring rare inclusions with insects and plants preserved millions of years ago. Here you can also see the famous amber sculpture weighing 2.5 kg — the largest work carved from a single piece of this mineral in the world.

Westerplatte: the first salvo of the war

On September 1, 1939, at 4:45 AM, the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein opened fire on the Polish garrison at Westerplatte. This salvo is considered the official start of World War II. Eighty-eight Polish soldiers held their defense for seven days against overwhelming enemy forces. Today, a memorial stands at the site of the fighting, and the ruins of the barracks serve as a reminder of the tragedy that changed the course of world history.

Gdańsk suffered severe damage during the war — the historic center was virtually erased from the face of the earth. But the Poles achieved the impossible: they restored the Old Town using old plans, photographs, and archival drawings. The reconstruction, begun in 1947 under the direction of Jan Zachwatowicz, continues to this day — the city was literally rebuilt brick by brick.

"Solidarity": the electrician who changed the world

August 1980. The Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk becomes the cradle of change. Lech Wałęsa, an electrician fired in 1976, climbed over the fence of his former workplace and led the strike. On August 14, he formed the Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee and put forward 21 demands. On August 31, the Gdańsk Agreement was signed, legalizing the first independent trade union in the socialist bloc.

By the end of 1981, "Solidarity" united 9–10 million people — a quarter of Poland's population. Wałęsa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 and became president of the country in 1990. Today, the European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk is a museum and cultural space telling the story of the "carnival of 1980–1981" and the peaceful revolution of 1989.

Architectural phoenix: rising from the ruins

A walk through the Old Town of Gdańsk is a journey through layers of history. The Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the largest brick church in the world, accommodating up to 25,000 people. The Main Town Hall, with its 83-meter tower, offers a panorama of red rooftops and the Motława River. The Artus Court, where merchant guilds once gathered, is now filled with tourists and street musicians.

The Neptune Fountain has been a symbol of Gdańsk since the 17th century. According to legend, it is here that golden flakes fall into the traditional Goldwasser liqueur, and the sea god himself patronizes sailors and fishermen. Nearby, the Golden Gate leads to the Long Market, and the Green Gate recalls the city's connection to Dutch architecture.

Saint Dominic's Fair and the beer bell

Every summer, Gdańsk transforms into a medieval city for Saint Dominic's Fair — a tradition dating back to the 13th century. Market stalls, knight tournaments, fire shows, and open-air concerts stretch over three weeks. This is the largest cultural event in Pomerania, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors.

What's more, Gdańsk still has a historic "beer bell" — after it rang in the Middle Ages, beer bars were allowed to open. Today this tradition has become a tourist attraction, but the atmosphere of merchant revelry is genuinely felt. Local beer and golden mead are an essential part of the gastronomic experience.

Modern Gdańsk: port, science, culture

Today, Gdańsk is not just an open-air museum. It is Poland's largest seaport, a center for shipbuilding and petrochemicals. Gdańsk University and the Polytechnic train personnel for IT and engineering industries. The Museum of the Second World War, opened in 2017, has become one of the most modern in Europe — its tilted building symbolizes the fracture of history.

On the Motława embankment, restaurants overlook medieval cranes and yachts. The Sopot Pier stretches for kilometers, attracting surfing and sunbathing enthusiasts. In the evening, the sun-warmed facades are illuminated, turning the city into an open stage.

What the cameras show

Gdańsk webcams allow you to see the city in real time — from Old Town panoramas to views of Gdańsk Bay. Broadcasts from the Motława embankment show the Long Market and Neptune Fountain, cameras at Westerplatte capture the memorial and port, and aerial views reveal the scale of the Tricity agglomeration.

You can watch Gdańsk online at any time of day: morning mist over the river, the midday bustle of fairs, evening illumination of the town hall — each broadcast is unique. Choose a camera and embark on a journey through the thousand-year port without leaving home.