Gdansk – a model city of the Hanseatic League
Brick Gothic dominated the landscape of cities, from Bremen, through the coast of the southern Baltic Sea, to Riga. The red roofs of hundreds of tenement houses and a dozen or so churches and chapels became part of the appearance of the medieval and modern Hanseatic city and dominates in this form to this day. At the time of joining the Hanseatic League, Gdansk was part of the Teutonic Knights' state and had approximately 10,000 inhabitants. The Main (Right) Town was granted a location under Chełmno law and quickly began to expand. The influx of people from outside increased, primarily from German-speaking areas. In 1343, medieval Gothic fortifications began to be built, starting with the construction of the Corner Tower (today in the Scout House complex). Over the years, a double defensive wall with a double moat surrounded Gdansk from the west and south, and a single defensive wall with a moat from the north, i.e. from the Old Town located there. The Motława with numerous Gothic water gates closed the defensive zone from the east.The most important secular building was, of course, the seat of the city authorities, i.e. the town hall.
Situated at the corner of Długa Street and Długi Targ, it was built in the second half of the 19th century. 14th century. It housed the meeting rooms of the city council, courts, city treasury, treasury, city archives, and cellars, which, among others, they served as a detention center. After Gdansk returned to the Crown in 1454, for the duration of the stay of the Polish kings, the town hall became the official royal residence. The kings of the Jagiellon dynasty stayed there: Casimir IV Jagiellon, Alexander I and Sigismund I the Old. Expanded in the Renaissance spirit, after a fire in 1556, it took on its present appearance. Currently, it houses the Gdansk Museum. In the interiors, among others: The Great Council Hall, called the Summer or Red Hall, dazzles with its view, with over 90% of its original furnishings from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries preserved. In this Hall, the council and mayors of Gdansk officially established the city's position on matters of cooperation within the Hanseatic League. In the ceiling containing 25 paintings painted by Isaac von den Blocke, the central painting called "The Apotheosis of Gdansk" shows the city at its greatest economic prosperity in the first half of the 19th century.
17th century, the basis of which this economic position dates back to the times of very strong cooperation within the Hanseatic League.In addition to town halls, there were numerous temples, monastery and hospital churches in Hanseatic cities, which also had the same patrons: St. James (protector of pilgrims and strangers), Saint. Nicholas (patron saint of sailors, bakers, townspeople, trade and... marriageable girls), and Our Lady. Some huge churches, with a hall layout (in Gdansk, dedicated to: St. John, St. Trinity, St. Catherine, St. Nicholas, St. Bridget, St. Mary's Church). Due to their size and soaring towers, they were the most prominent part of the panorama of Hanseatic cities. They testified to the piety of the inhabitants and their aspirations. In Gdansk, such an example is the temple of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, called St. Mary's Church. It was built between 1343 and 1502 by several generations of Gdansk residents. Its volume is as large as the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Vienna. It is one of the largest brick churches in the world, and in Poland it is the largest built in the Gothic style. It has an area of half a hectare and can accommodate approx. 20,000 people. faithful.
The size of this number can be appreciated more if we add the fact that at the time of construction completion, Gdansk had approx. 30-35 thousand inhabitants. St. Mary's Church was built on a Latin cross plan. The long arm, consisting of the main nave and two side naves, is 105.5 meters long, the transverse arm - transept - 66 meters. The star and crystal vaults, supported by 26 pillars, hang at a height of approximately 30 meters. During the last conservation works in 2022, 97,000 m2 was laid on the new roof truss. roof tiles. The gigantic silhouette of the church with a bell tower, 78 meters high, with a viewing point at the top (406 steps), towers over the city, is visible from a distance and is called the Crown of Gdansk. Inside the temple, which was Lutheran in the years 1572-1945, there are many excellent works, especially the Main Altar made by Master Michael of Augsburg in the years 1500-1517, the Beautiful Madonna of Gdansk from around 1400, the Pieta from 1420, the famous large astronomical clock from 1470 by Hans Düringer from Torun. In this temple, for several hundred years, the masterpiece of European art "The Last Judgment" by Hans Memling, a prize of the inhabitants of Gdansk during the war of the Hanseatic League with England at the end of the 15th century, was exhibited (currently in the National Museum in Gdansk).Several gates led to Hanseatic Gdansk. The main entrance gate from the west - the Foregate Complex of Długa Street, strongly fortified, served its defensive function for over 200 years. It was replaced in the 1570s by the Upland Gate and turned into a prison. It was the first facility in Gdansk specially prepared for this purpose. Criminals were imprisoned there until the mid-19th century.
In Hanseatic Gdansk, in the 14th century, a waterside street was built, today called Długie Pobrzeże. The main streets of the city were marked out so that they ended at the Motława River. Each of these streets ended with a water gate with the following street names: Krowia, Chlebnicka (the oldest), Mariacka, św. Ducha Crane, which closed the street. Szeroka, Świętojańska, Straganiarska. One of the most beautiful European squares - Długi Targ, was closed by the Kogi Gate, and from II. half. 16th century. Green Gate. In front of the gates there were wooden piers where ships moored and were unloaded. Over time, the wooden piers were connected into one string and Długie Pobrzeże was created.
Situated at the corner of Długa Street and Długi Targ, it was built in the second half of the 19th century. 14th century. It housed the meeting rooms of the city council, courts, city treasury, treasury, city archives, and cellars, which, among others, they served as a detention center. After Gdansk returned to the Crown in 1454, for the duration of the stay of the Polish kings, the town hall became the official royal residence. The kings of the Jagiellon dynasty stayed there: Casimir IV Jagiellon, Alexander I and Sigismund I the Old. Expanded in the Renaissance spirit, after a fire in 1556, it took on its present appearance. Currently, it houses the Gdansk Museum. In the interiors, among others: The Great Council Hall, called the Summer or Red Hall, dazzles with its view, with over 90% of its original furnishings from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries preserved. In this Hall, the council and mayors of Gdansk officially established the city's position on matters of cooperation within the Hanseatic League. In the ceiling containing 25 paintings painted by Isaac von den Blocke, the central painting called "The Apotheosis of Gdansk" shows the city at its greatest economic prosperity in the first half of the 19th century.
17th century, the basis of which this economic position dates back to the times of very strong cooperation within the Hanseatic League.In addition to town halls, there were numerous temples, monastery and hospital churches in Hanseatic cities, which also had the same patrons: St. James (protector of pilgrims and strangers), Saint. Nicholas (patron saint of sailors, bakers, townspeople, trade and... marriageable girls), and Our Lady. Some huge churches, with a hall layout (in Gdansk, dedicated to: St. John, St. Trinity, St. Catherine, St. Nicholas, St. Bridget, St. Mary's Church). Due to their size and soaring towers, they were the most prominent part of the panorama of Hanseatic cities. They testified to the piety of the inhabitants and their aspirations. In Gdansk, such an example is the temple of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, called St. Mary's Church. It was built between 1343 and 1502 by several generations of Gdansk residents. Its volume is as large as the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Vienna. It is one of the largest brick churches in the world, and in Poland it is the largest built in the Gothic style. It has an area of half a hectare and can accommodate approx. 20,000 people. faithful.
The size of this number can be appreciated more if we add the fact that at the time of construction completion, Gdansk had approx. 30-35 thousand inhabitants. St. Mary's Church was built on a Latin cross plan. The long arm, consisting of the main nave and two side naves, is 105.5 meters long, the transverse arm - transept - 66 meters. The star and crystal vaults, supported by 26 pillars, hang at a height of approximately 30 meters. During the last conservation works in 2022, 97,000 m2 was laid on the new roof truss. roof tiles. The gigantic silhouette of the church with a bell tower, 78 meters high, with a viewing point at the top (406 steps), towers over the city, is visible from a distance and is called the Crown of Gdansk. Inside the temple, which was Lutheran in the years 1572-1945, there are many excellent works, especially the Main Altar made by Master Michael of Augsburg in the years 1500-1517, the Beautiful Madonna of Gdansk from around 1400, the Pieta from 1420, the famous large astronomical clock from 1470 by Hans Düringer from Torun. In this temple, for several hundred years, the masterpiece of European art "The Last Judgment" by Hans Memling, a prize of the inhabitants of Gdansk during the war of the Hanseatic League with England at the end of the 15th century, was exhibited (currently in the National Museum in Gdansk).Several gates led to Hanseatic Gdansk. The main entrance gate from the west - the Foregate Complex of Długa Street, strongly fortified, served its defensive function for over 200 years. It was replaced in the 1570s by the Upland Gate and turned into a prison. It was the first facility in Gdansk specially prepared for this purpose. Criminals were imprisoned there until the mid-19th century.
In Hanseatic Gdansk, in the 14th century, a waterside street was built, today called Długie Pobrzeże. The main streets of the city were marked out so that they ended at the Motława River. Each of these streets ended with a water gate with the following street names: Krowia, Chlebnicka (the oldest), Mariacka, św. Ducha Crane, which closed the street. Szeroka, Świętojańska, Straganiarska. One of the most beautiful European squares - Długi Targ, was closed by the Kogi Gate, and from II. half. 16th century. Green Gate. In front of the gates there were wooden piers where ships moored and were unloaded. Over time, the wooden piers were connected into one string and Długie Pobrzeże was created.