The Old Port in Gdansk

2023 By justmovingaround in History, POLAND Tags: Hanseatic League, Historic Towns and Cities, Medieval trade, Poland

Gdańsk – the pearl of the Baltic and one of Europe’s oldest port cities – is where history meets charming architecture and the vibrant pulse of the old town. As you stroll along the Motława River, beneath the shadow of the mighty medieval Crane and past the water-reflecting façades, it’s easy to feel the spirit of centuries past. In this post, I’ll take you on a brief walk through the old port – a place that was once the beating heart of trade, shipping, and culture in this remarkable city.

Already I have posted many photos on this beautiful spot, but actually never recalling its history. In fact, this place is one of my favorites to spend leisure time in Poland, just to walk around, enjoy good food and make many beautiful photos. It is indeed very photogenic, no matter the season or time of the day. But the Old Port in Gdansk, known as the Main City, is also about its history. It has been an important center of maritime trade and commerce since the Middle Ages.

Motława river or channel is the main water artery of the Old Port of Gdansk. On the right hand side the Granary Island that you can see on one of the photos below.

The earliest written records of the port date back to the Xth century, when it was known as Gedanum. At that time, it was a small fishing village located at the mouth of the Motława River, which flows into the Baltic Sea. At that time, Gdansk was incorporated into the Piast-ruled Polish state, as part of the Pomeranian region. Under Piast rule till XIVth century, Gdansk was granted a series of charters and privileges that helped to promote its growth and development. These included the right to self-government, the establishment of a merchant guild, and the ability to levy taxes and duties on goods passing through the port.

One of the most significant periods in Gdańsk history was its time under the rule of the Teutonic Knights, who took control of the city in the XIVth century. The Teutonic Knights were a Germanic religious order, who played a major role in the Christianization and colonization of Eastern Europe. The Knights constructed numerous fortifications, and they established a network of warehouses, docks, and markets to support the city’s growing trade. The relationship between Gdańsk and the Teutonic Order was often contentious, with the city asserting its independence and autonomy.

In the same time, around the year 1361 Gdansk joined the Hanseatic League. The Hanseatic League was a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northern Europe. The league was formed in the late XIIth and early XIIIth centuries. Its member cities, known as Hanseatic cities were located along the coast of the Baltic Sea and North Sea (port cities) and also in the hinterland (merchant cities). The Hanseatic League was established to protect the interests of its member cities and promote trade and commerce between them. The League’s center of power was the German city of Lübeck, which served as the Hansa headquarters and hosted the meetings of the Hanseatic Diet, the League’s central governing body.

During the Hanseatic era, the port of Gdańsk was a major center of trade and commerce in Northern Europe. The most important commodity traded in Gdańsk was grain, which was exported from Poland and other parts of the region to markets throughout Europe. Other important goods included timber, which was harvested from the vast forests of Poland and transported down the Vistula River to the port of Gdańsk, where it was processed and shipped to markets throughout Europe. Another important commodity was salt, which was produced in mines in southern Poland. The city also traded in other goods such as furs, honey, wax, fish, and amber, which was mined from the Baltic Sea.

Yet another view on Motława river closer to the gateway leading to the current inner port of Gdańsk. You can however reach the open sea navigating in both directions.

Goods were transported to the port of Gdansk via land and waterways, including the Vistula River, which was an important transport artery in Poland. In the Middle Ages, transport on the Vistula River was primarily done by boat, either by sail or by oar. The boats were often flat-bottomed and shallow-drafted, in order to navigate the relatively shallow waters of the river. The Vistula River was also navigable by rafts and barges. These were large, also flat-bottomed vessels that were used to transport bulk goods such as timber or grain. They were typically towed by horses or oxen, which would walk along the river bank and pull the vessel along the waterway.

As other merchant cities, Gdansk has a tradition of merchant guilds. One of the earliest merchant guilds in Gdańsk was the Brotherhood of St. George, which was established in the XIVth century. This guild was primarily made up of German merchants, and it played an important role in the city’s trade with other Hanseatic cities and beyond. Other important guilds in Gdańsk included the Brotherhood of St. Mary, which was founded in the early 15th century and was composed mainly of local merchants and craftsmen, and the Guild of Newcomers, which was established in the late 16th century and was open to merchants who were not originally from Gdańsk. Membership in these guilds was highly sought after, as it conferred a number of benefits and privileges, including access to the city’s markets, the ability to participate in the governance of the city, and protection from competition and other economic threats.

Arthus Court (Dwór Artusa) is a historic building located in the heart of the Old Town. It was constructed in the late 14th century and served as a meeting place for wealthy merchants, who would gather to socialize, negotiate business deals, and hold lavish banquets. It, among others, was a meeting place for the Brotherhood of St. George

In the early XVth century, Gdańsk and other cities in the region rose up against the Teutonic Order in a series of wars known as the Thirteen Years’ War. The conflict ended in 1466 with the Second Peace of Thorn, which saw Gdansk and other territories come under the control of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The treaty also had wider implications for the balance of power, as it shifted the center of gravity in the Baltic region from the Teutonic Order to Poland and Lithuania.

Gradually, also Hanseatic league lost its significance. Nation-states began to emerge and expand their power and influence. European nations became more centralized and began to establish their own trade networks and overseas colonies. Additionally, the increasing competition and conflict between European nations often made it difficult for the league’s member cities to maintain the cooperative relationships that had been the foundation of their success. The league was also affected by internal divisions and conflicts among its member cities. As the league expanded and grew more complex, disagreements over trade policy and other issues sometimes led to rifts and tensions between different member cities, which made it more difficult for the league to function effectively. Gdansk left the Hanseatic League in 1603, although it continued to maintain close economic ties with other Hanseatic cities such as Lübeck, Hamburg, and Bremen. The formal dissolution of the Hanseatic League is generally considered to have taken place in the mid-XVIIth century, when the league’s last trading post in England was closed.

Motława river in the other direction. On the left hand side you can see the Baltic Philharmonic and other contemporary buildings located on Ołowianka, another island located at the Motława river. In the past, Ołowianka Island was an important center for the production of lead, which gave the island its name (Ołowianka means “lead island” in Polish). The island was also used for the storage of goods, including grain and spices. Today, Ołowianka is home to a number of cultural institutions, including besides the philharmonic the Museum of the Second World War and the Museum of the History of Gdansk. Behind Ołowianka you can see the Granary Island.

Under Polish-Lithuanian rule, Gdańsk retained a degree of autonomy and self-government, but was also subject to Polish royal authority. However, deep-seated tensions and rivalries existed between the city and the Polish state. During the so-called Gdańsk Rebellion of 1576-1577 the city’s burghers rebelled against Polish royal authority and attempted to establish their own independent republic. The rebellion was ultimately suppressed.

The city’s German and Polish populations coexisted and interacted in complex and often uneasy ways, with tensions often arising over issues such as trade policy, language, and religion. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Gdańsk also played an important role in the Protestant Reformation, with many of the city’s residents adopting Lutheran beliefs and practices. The city’s Catholic population, which included Polish and other non-German speakers, often found themselves marginalized and excluded from positions of power and influence within the city’s government and institutions. Tensions between Protestants and Catholics in Gdansk occasionally boiled over into violence and conflict, with one notable example being the Bloody Christmas of 1577, when a dispute between Catholic and Protestant students at the city’s academic gymnasium led to a violent clash in the streets.

In the XVIIth century, the port of Gdansk was one of the busiest and most important ports in Europe. Gdansk provided a vital gateway to the rich markets of the Baltic region, and was a major hub for trade in goods such as grain, timber, furs, and amber. The city’s port facilities underwent significant expansion and modernization, with new wharves, warehouses, and storage facilities constructed to handle the growing volume of trade. The construction of the Vistula bar, a massive artificial sandbar built at the mouth of the river, also helped to improve navigation and protect the port from storms and flooding. Gdańsk economic and commercial importance during this period was reflected in its political and diplomatic status. The city was granted the title of Royal Prussian City by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and enjoyed a degree of autonomy and self-government under the king’s protection. However, Gdańsk’s position as a major commercial center also made it vulnerable to political and economic pressures from neighboring powers. The city was frequently caught in the middle of conflicts between Poland-Lithuania, Sweden, and other powers, and its status as a free city and commercial hub was often threatened by shifting political alliances and economic rivalries.

During the early part of XVIII century, Gdansk’s economic importance was somewhat diminished by the rise of other ports in the region, such as St. Petersburg and Riga. The partitions of Poland-Lithuania, threw Gdańsk into the newly-formed Province of West Prussia, and later in the XIXth century it became part of the German Empire. The partitions of Poland were a series of three partitions in the late 18th century, where the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was divided and annexed by neighboring powers, including Russia, Prussia, and Austria. These partitions ultimately led to the collapse of the Commonwealth and Poland’s disappearance from the map of Europe for over a century.

One of the most prominent landmarks of the Old Port is the Crane, a massive medieval structure that was once used for loading and unloading cargo from ships. Built in the late XIVth century, the Crane is one of the oldest port cranes in Europe.

One notable development in the XVIIIth century was the growth of the city’s shipbuilding industry. Gdansk had a long tradition of shipbuilding, dating back to the Middle Ages, but that time the industry underwent a period of significant expansion and modernization. Shipyards such as those operated by the Dutch-born shipbuilder Anthony van Hoboken became important employers in the city, and helped to establish Gdańsk as a major center of shipbuilding in Northern Europe.

During the first half of the XIXth century, Gdansk economy still was dominated by the grain trade, with the city serving as a major center for the export of Polish and Lithuanian wheat and rye to Western Europe. However, the construction of new rail links and the opening of other ports in the region gradually eroded Gdansk dominance. The Old Port had been an important center of maritime trade and commerce for centuries, but on the edge of XiXth and XXth century, its narrow and winding waterways were no longer suitable for modern shipping. Instead, new port facilities were built in the northern part of the city, including the Westerplatte and Oliwa docks, which had deeper water and more space to handle larger ships. These new facilities allowed the port of Gdańsk to continue to grow and develop, and to remain an important center of trade and commerce in the region. The Old Port in Gdansk was closed to maritime trade in the early XXth century.

The Old Port in Gdańsk | 格但斯克旧港口 | Stary Port w Gdańsku | Der Alte Hafen in Danzig

Gdansk has a long history of trading in grains. One of the most famous clusters of granaries in Gdansk is located on Granary Island (Wyspa Spichrzów) you can see on the right in the photo. The granaries on Wyspa Spichrzów were built in the 16th and 17th centuries. Unfortunately they had been destroyed in the World War II. Today, many of the granaries on Wyspa Spichrzów have been restored and converted into apartment blocks, hotels with restaurants at lower floors.

A walk through Gdańsk’s old port is a journey through time – from medieval granaries and port cranes to today’s lively riverside promenade. It’s a place where the city’s history lives on in its architecture, street layout and atmosphere. Although the port’s commercial activity has long since moved north, this former trading district has lost none of its charm. Today, it attracts visitors with its character, stories and views that bridge the past and the present. Here, Gdańsk reveals its layered identity – Hanseatic, Polish, European – open to the sea and to the world.

To my photo gallery on GDAŃSK

To my POLAND main site

Christchurch. Bringing England there did not work fully …

2020 By justmovingaround in History Tags: Architecture, Discoveries, Historic Towns and Cities, New Zealand

It is already some time that we been to New Zealand. We saw beautiful nature and breath-taking landscapes. We visited the Hobbiton movie set. We took a walk on a glacier. But somehow, we neglected the historical heritage of this country.

Of course, we knew about Maori. Who wouldn’t? It is common knowledge about New Zealand. But, only by sheer accidents, we realized NZ is also about the discoveries and the first settlers. Kind of obvious. But we missed it when planning our trip.

Graves of the first settlers in a fallen cemetery near the Golden Bay, Southern Island.

People posing as first settlers in a photo studio in Arrowtown, near Queenstown.

Once, we saw an old fallen cemetery with graves of the first settlers. The gravestones were true storytellers. We could have read when those people came to New Zealand, how they lived and when they died. Another time looking for a doctor, we took a side road to Arrowtown, a small city considered a historical one. It was looking a bit as American western-like. And in Christchurch, we saw typical English historical architecture. A kind of a revival Gothic and Victorian style. But you did not feel like in England. Besides some modern glass and metal buildings, they were surrounded by low buildings that, at first sight, you would describe as colonial style. Unforgettable mixture.

On one side of the street, you see an English building in revival Gothic made of grey stone like you would see in England and on the other side you see low buildings with siding walls. And suddenly you realize the place you are in is called Canterbury like Canterbury in England and that Christchurch is not about Church of Christ, but it is an original name of a traditional college in Oxford.

THE MAORI AND THE MUSKET WARS

NZ was traditionally inhabited by Maori. But they are not indigenous to the islands. They came to New Zealand in the 14th century from Polynesia. Through years they developed their own culture. They were not homogenous folk. They used to live in smaller or bigger tribes, some of them quiet and peaceful, and some engaging in conflict and warfare. Their life changed with the emergence of Western traders and whalers who sold them guns. They exchanged guns for produce but also for land. It was still before the regular colonization of the country began. Maori warriors who put their hands on guns raided Maori who still used traditional weapons. You could imagine what the outcome was. Some of the smaller or peaceful tribes came to extinction. This period is called the Musket Wars in New Zealand history books.

LAND ACQUISITION AND THE BRITISH RULE

So, the first who settled in New Zealand were traders and missionaries who cheaply bought land directly from the Maori. The New Zealand Company appeared on the horizon. As Maori never before sold land but rather conquered it, the acquisition process was not entirely clear to them. Some entrepreneurs under the New Zealand Company launched the regular colonization process of the New Zealand islands. They organized trips for English, ready to start their lives in a new country. For most of those who looked for a better life in NZ, this was a one-way ticket. But some of the sponsors we’re not interested in those who could afford their own land. They were interested in cheap labor building the new economy for them. For some settlers, a new life truly began. For some, it was a lifelong disappointment … Altogether out of 400,000 first colonists, 100,000 left New Zealand in later years.

Around 1840 the British Government decided to take stronger action. In fact, the English Crown treated New Zealand as their own from the late XVIIIth century, with the Maori having no idea about it. Consequently, an agreement between the English Crown and Maori chiefs from the North Island was signed (Treaty of Waitangi, 1840). The English called this agreement a sovereignty agreement. But there was a discrepancy between the English version of the document and the Maori text. For the Maori, the agreement was just about administering lands. The result was New Zealand Wars over land issues with regular English troops emerging on the islands. The land was taken from the Maori and no longer bought. The colonization was no longer to stop. The Maori impoverished and were pushed to the edge of New Zealand society. It took more than 120 years before some contractual clauses of the Treaty of Waitangi were respected.

ORGANIZED COLONIZATION

Christchurch was one of the first regular English colonial settlements in New Zealand. In fact, this is the oldest city established by the English in New Zealand (from 1856). The first European settlers came to the area around 1840. The colonization process was officially and legally organized by Canterbury Association and sponsored by the Church of England.

The Canterbury Association bought land from New Zealand Company and yet resold it at a higher price to colonists reserving the margin for public infrastructure. The first 800 colonists arrived around 1850 on four ships with a mission to build a city around a cathedral and a college.

Christ’s College was established already as the first colonist arrived. It was and is an Anglican school for boys. It has its seat in a grey stone Gothic-revival complex of buildings neighboring the Canterbury Museum. For the first couple of years after the arrival of the early colonists, the College was localized in some barracks and wooden buildings. The first of the stone buildings called Big School was completed in 1863, followed by the Chapel in 1867. The works on the Christchurch Cathedral begun in December 1964. The Cathedral was completed years later in 1904.

Christ’s College students in their uniforms. You feel like in England. It was not possible to enter the internal yard but it can be well seen on the Google street view. You really can have the feeling you are in Oxford or Cambridge in England.

Due to two massive earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, some parts of the college and most of the Cathedral was damaged. The spire and the parts of the cathedral tower were destroyed. In 2012 a decision was made to demolish the remainder of the tower. The aftershocks continued to destabilize the building. The reconstructions of the Cathedral were postponed fore years, with the first revival works to begin this year.

The damaged Christchurch Cathedral. The fencing was already disassembled in preparation for the reconstruction works.

A view through the fence. You can clearly see the missing tower.

The spire carefully held in the Earthquake museum. In the photo, you can see the damaged tower before it was ultimately demolished.

THE MELT OF STYLES

In Christchurch the new or modern mixes with the old or traditional. The old might be not older than 150-160 years as the settlement was established in 1850. Bringing England to New Zealand did not work fully here. It is nothing like the European historical cities with architectural oversight. The styles change rapidly. Only several revival-Gothic buildings remain you of the English heritage. Below some pictures of the unusual architectural melt in Christchurch made within a short walk area. What you do not see in pictures is that after the earthquakes, the city center is a major construction area.

A revival Gothic building in the Christchurch old city center. One of many built this style. What you cannot see on the picture on the other side of the street there are small wooden houses covered with siding. You can see them below on separate pictures.

The modern building of the Christchurch Art Gallery, not that far from the building on the first photo.

Just two other houses vis a vis revival Gothic Arts Centre.

An old barrack, still in the very city center of Christchurch.

Yet another one seemingly historical building, but different style.

New Regent Street, still the Christchurch city center.

A tribute to Queen Victoria, on a tower close to the Christchurch city center.

Three buildings, three different styles …

The red brick construction still looking like a small palace building with corinthian columns. The building is located just to the right side of the revival Gothic cathedral.

To my NEW ZEALAND main site

Christchurch. Bringing England there did not work fully …

Walking the Streets of Historical Ghent

2019 By justmovingaround in BELGIUM, Sightseeing Tags: Belgium, Historic Towns and Cities

Just a quiet walk through Ghent on an ordinary afternoon. No big story here – just the city, the way I happened to see it. Step by step, photo by photo. If you’re looking for more background or history, I’ve written a more detailed post – you’ll find the link in this one.

Once again on assignment in Brussels, with work spread over two weeks, I decided to spend the weekend in Belgium. On a rainy Saturday morning, I nearly gave up hope of salvaging the day. But when the skies cleared in the afternoon, I stuck to my original plan. Armed with two cameras, I set off to explore the historic city of Ghent.

Ghent is one of the largest cities in Flanders, located at the confluence of the Leie and Scheldt rivers. In the Middle Ages, it grew into a major centre for trade and textiles, and by the 14th century it ranked among the richest and most influential cities in Europe. Many Gothic landmarks from that period are still standing today, including the Gravensteen castle, St Bavo’s Cathedral and the Belfry.

About GHENT HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE in more detail

Here, I’m showing Ghent the way I saw it for the first time – in photos and in the order I walked through it.

The heart of historic Ghent. If you take tram no. 1 from Sint-Pieters railway station to the old town, you’ll get off at Korenmarkt – the point where the dark red and green lines meet on my map.

First, as you look up, you see a street lined with tall Gothic buildings, and above the main roads, a web of cables and tram tracks. It’s an unusual mix. The area is closed to private cars, but as you walk around, you still need to watch out for trams and buses regularly crossing your path.

I bought a day ticket (EUR 7), which turned out to be very useful. If I wanted to change location quickly, instead of walking an extra 10–15 minutes there and back, I could just shorten the route by using a tram. During my four, maybe five hours in the city, I was either walking or taking the tram along two or three streets, leaving the area only once or twice. As it got later in the afternoon, I changed locations to catch the views in different light conditions. As usual, I took plenty of photos. Below is just a selection. Enjoy!

The first view as you get off the tram: to the right, the Saint Nicholas Church, and further back, the 14th-century Belfry (marked by the dark red line on my map). To the left, the Korenmarkt (green line view).

So let us first walk to the right alongside the Saint Bavo Street (dark red line).

Saint Bavo Street. In the first photo, to the left is the Belfry, and straight ahead, the Saint Bavo Cathedral – originally a Romanesque church, rebuilt from the mid-13th century in Gothic style. Shortly before construction was completed in the mid-16th century, the church was plundered by a Calvinist sect: stained glass windows and statues were smashed, and paintings and other artworks destroyed. In the following photos, the Cathedral is shown from the front.

Now I’m standing with my back to the Cathedral. The photos, from left to right, show the Belfry, the passage beside it with the Town Hall in the middle, and on the right, some beautiful buildings on the Cathedral square. My next steps will take me through the passage to the other side of the Belfry (blue line).

The side street led me to the Town Hall (in the first photo, on my left). In the next picture, a quick look up at the Town Hall tower. On the way back, once again, the Belfry appears ahead. I’m now walking back along the blue line on my map.

Yet again, a look up at the Belfry. The way back now leads westward, against the sun. Behind the Belfry stands the Saint Nicholas Church once more – the spot where I first got off tram no. 1. On my map, I’m walking back along the dark red line.

Korenmarkt. On my right-hand side (in the last photo), the other side of the Saint Nicholas Church. I’m now walking along the green line, then turning back westward towards the famous Ghent port quays.

A reverse view from the west side looking east along Saint Bavo Street. In front is the Saint Nicholas Church, further back the Belfry, and in the distance, the Saint Bavo Cathedral. The second photo was taken three hours later than the first one, with the sun already setting – the buildings appear warmer in tone. I’m standing on the Saint Michael’s Bridge, over the River Leie.

On the Saint Michael’s Bridge, looking out over the River Leie (along the pink line on my map). Behind me stands the massive Saint Michael’s Church – I only realised its full scale as I walked down the bridge to the Leie boulevard.

The front view opens onto the Leie boulevards: on my right, the Grass Quay (Graslei), and on my left, the Corn Quay (Korenlei). Both quays were part of the Port of Ghent in medieval times.

On the Leie boulevard behind Korenmarkt, I’m standing on the Corn Quay, looking across at the guild houses on the Grass Quay. In their midst stands the Gildenhuis van de Vrije Schippers. The façades of these medieval buildings were extensively refurbished in the 19th century. I’m now walking along the pink line.

Walking down the Leie boulevards and crossing two more bridges, I reached the Gravensteen – a moated castle originally founded in the 10th century and rebuilt in the late 12th century after a fire. It served its original purpose only until the mid-14th century, after which it shared the fate of many similar buildings across Europe: it was used as a prison, then as a mint, and for a time even as a factory. It was later restored by the Ghent authorities in the 19th century. To move from the pink line to the yellow line on my map, I returned to Korenmarkt via a different bridge to catch a tram. The last photo shows the castle from the back.

About GHENT HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE in more detail

just moving around

Travel photography, history and cultural heritage across Europe and beyond.

Tag Archives: Historic Towns and Cities

The Old Port in Gdansk

Christchurch. Bringing England there did not work fully …

Walking the Streets of Historical Ghent