Welcome to Poland Tour
| Gdansk | Jasna Gora | Gdynia | Warsow | Cracow |
|---|
Gdansk - Pearl of the Baltic Sea
Gdansk, a port city in Poland, has a population of 500,000. The city lies at the mouth of the
Vistula River on the Baltic Sea; the surrounding land is low-lying, and both water defences
and dock basins were easily carved from the soft alluvium.
Gdansk's industries include shipbuilding, engineering, food processing, and chemical
manufacturing. The old city consists of straight streets intersecting at right angles. In post
medieval times, Gdansk spread outside the original walls and extended to the east, beyond
Motlawa, a tributary to the Vistula. The city was severely damaged during World War II but
has been rebuilt and the old city restored to its former splendour.
A settlement existed there during the 10th century, but the commercial city grew up during
the 12th and 13th centuries with the development of the HANSEATIC LEAGUE and Baltic
trade. It become the major port of the Vistula basin and attained its greatest prosperity during
the 16th and 17th centuries, when it was the principal grain market in Europe; several
Renaissance graneries survive. Although Gdansk underwent a decline during 18th century,
it remained the region's leading port until the 1920s.
Gdansk has long been a center of opposition to Poland's Communist government. The
historic agreement allowing Polish workers to form independent unions was signed in the city
on Aug. 31, 1980. On Dec. 31, 1981, a day after Solidarity leaders meeting in Gdansk called
for free elections, the government abolished the labour organization and imposed martial
law throughout Poland.
Cathedral in Gdansk Oliwa is the oldest monumental building in Gdansk Pomerania,
dating back to the 12th century. It was rebuild after damages several times and took today's
shape in the 13th and 14th cc. The Cathedral is 107 meters long and is one of the three
longest churches of Poland. It is the old necropolis of the dukes of Pomerania.
It is a monument to Polish history and national culture.
The most famous monument of the Cathedral is the great organ - designed and built
In 1763-88 by Abbot Rybinski.
The organ had some 7876 pipes grouped in 110 registers
With 5 manuals and one pedal board. The exceptionally beautiful sound of the instrument
and the magnificent acoustics of the interior of the cathedral snsure superb concert conditions.
There is a glass painting in the middle of the instrument, which shows the Virgin Mary with
the Christ-Child.
High altar, endowed by Abbot Hacki in
1688, the largest baroque altar in all
of Gdansk Pomerania. There is the painting of the Virgin Mary and St.Bernard by
Andrzej Stech between polychromed sandstone pillars. In the presbytery there is a gallery of
the founders and benefactors of cathedral painted by the outstanding Gdansk painter from
Silesia, Herman Hahn. The numerous works of art commissioned by the Polish abbots of Oliwa
were made by artists of various nationalities and different denominations, by Dutch, Flemish,
Italian, French, Scandinavian, English, Scottish and obviously Polish artist. The cathedral
in Oliwa is also a collection of extremely valuable works of painting and sculpturing.
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