I really had to search for this thread. We just got back from our Baltic cruise and Gdansk was one of my favorites. I sit here smiling just thinking about it. (really hard to pick a favorite on this cruise though)
We had a walking tour of the old town. It started with a nice bus ride through Gdynia (the port city) and a bit of country to reach Gdansk. This was the first city bombed by the Natzis in WW2 and we saw the pictures of how almost all of it was destroyed. We learned how some of the town people wanted to tear it all down and build modern buildings. I am really glad they decided to re build how it was. From the pictures and the building plans they built it exactly like it was. Even used as many of the old bricks from the rubble that were useable. I loved walking around the cobblestone streets through the old town. The big open square of several blocks, and all the vendors, and restrurants, and the beautiful architecture restored. The buildings were so colorful and with carvings and tall statues the the tops of them. This is a must see.
Outside the old town wall there are still some remains of buildings still standing. The newer city is busy and bustling like those in the USA. We even had time to sit in an outside restrurant with some coffee and just take it al in!!!!
Did you take one of those guided walking tours, or was it on your own?
I read your post on the cruise questions thread so looked up my tours, and foune them!!!!! so thought I would fill in a bit.
Here we tood Gdansk City Sampler, a Princess tour. It was about 5 1/2 hours. A walking tour of the Old City that includes St Mary's Church and free time to lunch and shop.
St Mary's church: a Gothic church, the largest brick church in the world. Can accomodate 25000 worshipers.
It is a medieval city with Gothic, Renaiss, and Baroque buildings.The buildings were beautiful and all rebuilt after the WW2 bombings almost destroyed everything. I was in awe! The cobblestone street area around the Neptunes Fountain and the Town Hall (very impressive) was very large and filled with shops and kiosks and resturants. We sat outside and just had coffee and people watched. Didn't want to take the time needed to have lunch!
All 4 of us were very pleased with this tour. My info says price was $42-$52. Can't remember what we paid but think it was the higher one.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate your contributions... CLF may have a ways to go to catch up with our mor content rich bretheren, but we are going to do it, thanks to good members like you!
Did it have some awesome staind glass?
I remember being blown away by some of the stained glass windows we saw in Germany. I'm guessing there are some great ones in Poland, as well.
Did it have some awesome staind glass?
I remember being blown away by some of the stained glass windows we saw in Germany. I'm guessing there are some great ones in Poland, as well.
You know. I don't remember any stained glass, just the massive 5000 pipe organ, which we were fortunate they were playing while we were there. In looking at the pictures it is a huge white building with pillars (like the mansions in the South)at all the entrances, there are 4 small tours with green domes and a huge one in the center (that you can look up to from the inside) with a green dome also. I think it is striking with the stark white and the touch of green. From the picture I see windows with small squares of plain glass like we have in houses here. I don't see any stained glass. According to the written info, they refer to this as a neoclassical building. I think I liked this so much because it was different from all the garrish ones I have seen, it was beautiful in it's simplicity. In my head I think palaces should be garrish and churches should be more simple in their beauty. JMO
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GDANSK, Poland
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so thought I would fill in a bit.
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