LONG QUAY

In the past, the port of Gdańsk was located along the Motława, at the foot of the town. The perpendicular streets leading to the port opened onto the river through fortified gates in the medieval enclosure. In the ^17th century, as maritime traffic increased, a long wooden quay was built to facilitate the transshipment of goods. By the ^19th century, the port had grown so much that it was permanently relocated to the Vistula River and its lateral canals. Today, this quay is the last vestige of the old port that made the city so rich, and is now a magnificent promenade on fine days, lined with beautiful houses with carved gables and doors that open onto perpendicular streets.

Leaving the Porte Verte, take the Long quai on the left. The first gate you come across is the Bread Gate (Brama Chlebnicka). Built in the ^15th century, it marks the entrance to Chlebnicka Street. Its coat of arms - two crosses without crowns - testifies to the town's attachment to the Teutonic Order at the time.

Turning onto Chlebnicka Street, the Schlieff House (Dom Schlieffów) stands at no. 12. This sublime ^16th-century house was dismantled in 1820 at the request of Prussian Emperor Wilhem III, and taken to Potsdam. It has since been rebuilt exactly as it was, and can still be admired today.

At no. 16, the English House (Dom Angielski) was the largest house on the street when it was built at the end of the ^16th century. It bears witness to the city's close trading links with England at the time. Returning to the quay, a little further on you'll find the Mariacka Gate (Brama Mariacka), which leads to the picturesque Mariacka Street.

Coming out onto the quay again, at no. 26, stands a house with a turret that once served as an observation post for ships and was later converted into an astronomical observatory. In 1845, it became the home of the Society of Naturalists (Dom Towarzystwa Przyrodniczego), frequented by the great scientist Humboldt, and since 1962 has housed the Archaeological Museum.

Next up are the Great Crane Gate (Brama Żuraw), the Holy Spirit Gates (Św. Ducha), Świętojańska (Brama Świętojańska) and Straganiarska (Brama Straganiarska). The latter three, built in the ^15th century, open onto the streets of the same names. Afterwards, we reach the Old Fish Market Square (Targ Rybny) and the Swan Belfry (Baszta Łabędź), a vestige of the vanished medieval wall.