The world's largest tiled stove! (1545)
by matcrazy1
This amazing masterpiece of art, created by Stelzer in 1545, is covered by 520 multi-coloured tiles. The stove is 11 meters high, 2.5 meter wide at the base and it weights 11 tons. It's displayed in the Large Hall of the Artus Court at Dlugi Rynek = Long Market 43/44. Not the size itself but the tiles amazed me most. Each tile depicts a person in order following the social hierarchy of the 16th century Europe: monarchs and their wives on the top, noble citizens below and casual Gdansk citizens on the bottom. Nowadays, would you put our politicians on the top or on the bottom?
Unfortunatelly the upper tiles are not well seen from the below. Shouldn't they add an elevator/lift for visitors or better computers with software to show each of them enlarged with some description? I would add a small cinema/movie theater for visitors to the Artus House with a short multi-language (wireless headphones) movie as the introduction to the visit of the museum. And the staff of the museum could be dressed in costumes of the era, don't you think so? Add some silent music of the era played from hidden speakers.
St Dominic’s Fair
by MikeAtSea
The tradition of St Dominic’s Fair reaches back to the 13th century. On the last Saturday in
July, German, French, English, Spanish and Portuguese merchants bearing wine, silk,
preserves, spices, tin and cloth would call at the port. Circus performers, acrobats, jugglers
and troupes of actors would arrive from far and near. Today the fair continues to attract tourists and residents, combining a trade fair and a rich agenda of cultural and sports events. The scale of the Gdansk fair is comparable to such European events as Oktoberfest in Munich and Weihnachtsmarkt in Hamburg.
Money for doing nothing?
by matcrazy1
This poor (really ?) guy was standing with no movement (like a mime in Paris) at the main pedestrian street of the old town (Dluga). He was dressed in common for chimney sweep black uniform and had a few accesories around. He was doing nothing and imagine that some pedestrians, mainly visitors, tossed some coins to his cap put on the ground. Poles grabbed a button as, according to common belief, it gives happiness to see a chimney sweep and to grab own button.
Are there any other folks paid for nothing? I doubt. Although I was often told about many others (mainly politicians and some "businessmen"). But I didn't meet any of them personally.
Trip to Gdynia
by Raimix
Gdynia is the one of the cities in economical conglomerate called Tricity. It has population of about 250 000 people. The name of Gdynia is known from Pomeranian (Kashubian) village founded in 1253.
Maybe it is not so beautiful town, having mostly Soviet architecture relicts, but it has nice port, moll with exhibition of old ships, yachts. Moll is prepared for tourists, with some restaurants, souvenir shops, statues.
I think it was worth to have tour here for about half of the day, to see exhibition of ships and quite soviet Polish town. Gdynia is about 23 kilometres from Gdansk and is easily reached by local trains, trams.
Go to Hel ...
by Ben-UK
Boats like these in my photo will take you to Hel & back - but it will be a nice trip ...
During Spring and Summer, boats leave from the Gdansk waterfront , headed for Sopot, Gdynia then across the bay to Hel.
The route takes you through the Gdansk shipyards, then past the Westerplatte Peninsula, where on 1st .September, 1939 the Second World War started.
Hel is a fishing port, so as you may expect, there are nice seafood restaurants.
Although a small place, among Hel's attractions are a 15th. century Gothic church, nice beaches, a lighthouse and a Fisheries Museum.
If you are in Gdansk, why not take a trip to Hel - I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
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Huge St. Mary basilica in Gdansk, Poland Europe
Houses in Gdansk. Golden house at right. Poland
Sopot Beach
Malgorzata Mazur - guide to Gdansk, Sopot, Gdynia
