Gdańsk

Gdańsk (in German, Danzig), city in northern Poland, the administrative centre of Pomorskie Province, a seaport on the Gulf of Gdańsk. The city was formerly the administrative centre of the free city of Danzig. The harbour, equipped with extensive facilities for the accommodation of ocean-going vessels, lies in the lee of Hel Peninsula. Gdańsk is part of the Tricity (Trójmiasto) urban area, also comprising Gdynia and Sopot. Population 457,400 (2005 estimate).

Commercially, Gdańsk is one of the most important cities in Poland. It has not only port facilities and inland-waterway connections with the valley of the Wisła but also direct rail connections with Warsaw and other major points in the country and on the Continent. The port, serviced by foreign and domestic shipping lines, shares with Gdynia the bulk of Polish import trade and handles a considerable portion of the exports. The industrial equipment of Gdańsk, severely damaged during World War II, has been repaired or replaced. The city ranks among the foremost manufacturing centres of Poland, producing ships, rolling stock, furniture, sugar, fertilizer, nuts and bolts, military weapons, bricks, cigarettes, and numerous other commodities.

Two dredged arms of the Wisła River extend through the city, which has numerous bridges. Except for the industrial areas and the modern section of Gdańsk, the city has a medieval appearance with many narrow, winding streets and gabled houses with balconies of carved stone. Among the important landmarks here is the church of St Mary (1343-1505), which contains the celebrated Last Judgment by Hans Memling. Other notable structures include the town hall, a Gothic-style building; the exchange, formerly the Merchants' Guild, built in 1379; and the Gothic church of St Catherine. The Podwale and Wły Jagiellońskie (formerly Langgarten), which replaced (1895-1896) fortifications removed from the northern and western sides of the city, have spacious public gardens, wide streets, and many examples of modern architecture. Cultural and educational institutions in Gdańsk include Gdańsk Polytechnical University (1945), the University of Gdańsk (1970); music, art, and business schools; a municipal library; and a number of theatres. The cathedral in the Oliwa suburb is a magnificent example of Baroque architecture, and houses a world-famous pipe organ, one of the largest in Europe. Westerplatte, where World War II started, and the resort of Sopot are nearby.

The historical origins of the city are obscure, but it is known that the town existed as early as 970. During the first three centuries of the recorded history of the town, Gdańsk was successively attacked by the Danes, Swedes, and Pomeranians. It was granted municipal autonomy in 1260. The Teutonic Knights conquered Gdańsk in 1308; it was returned to Poland in 1466. In 1361 the city joined the Hanseatic League, and in the following centuries, particularly the 16th and 17th, it became one of the leading commercial centres of Europe. In the course of the Swedish-Polish wars of the 17th and 18th centuries the city lost its commercial supremacy. In 1793, with the partition of Poland, the city became a possession of Prussia. In 1807, after Napoleon had defeated the Prussians at Jena, Gdańsk was established as a free city, controlled by the French and the Saxons. It was returned to Prussia in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna. By the terms of the Treaty of Versailles (1919) following World War I, the city was established as the administrative centre of the free city of Danzig, a territory 1,953 sq km (754 sq mi) in area, under Polish administrative governance and the overall control of the League of Nations. In 1939, at the outbreak of World War II, the German government incorporated Danzig into the Third Reich. At the Potsdam Conference in 1945, Danzig was awarded to Poland. Beginning with incidents of labour unrest in 1970, Gdansk became Poland's centre for protest against the country's Communist government. In 1980, further unrest and strikes in the city's shipyards led to the formation of the Solidarity labour federation. This group was instrumental in bringing about free elections in 1989, and led the coalition government that came to power.