Glorious Gdansk

by Teri Popp, Tastemaker in Residence

A little known gem of a city located on the Baltic Sea-Gdansk, Poland-displays incredible charm, while remaining quite historically significant.  Known as Danzig in German, Gdansk is the capital of Pomerania and the 4th largest city in Poland.  Rich in history and a major player in European politics by the 8th century, Gdansk has survived many, major political storms through the years.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the city participated in an architectural renaissance as part of the Hanseatic League, made evident in the lovely houses lining both peaceful waterways and cobblestone lanes, and reminiscent of Amsterdam.

But frequent power struggles by neighboring countries eventually led to Poland's occupation by Prussians, Germans, Russians and others over the centuries.  During WWII, Gdansk, then known as Danzig, was burned to the ground with almost all buildings destroyed.  After the war, three options for the city were discussed: 1)leave it as an open-air museum to remind the world of the atrocities of war; 2)build a new city over the charred remains; or 3)rebuild the city to its prior glory.  In the end, the third option won out, resulting in Gdansk as it stands today.

See the precise before and after WWII images of Gdansk here. 

Known as a major amber processing location, Gdansk offers tourists a bounty of shopping and eating destinations.  We so enjoyed a local Polish stew known as Zurek (also known as sour bread soup) that we found versions of the recipe on line to make at home after the trip!

Home of the Solidarity movement leading, in major part, to the dismantling of the Soviet Union, it should be noted that it is still possible, on occasion, to meet Lech Walesa as he emerges from his office.  While we were not quite as lucky as some other tourists in that regard, we did have an opportunity to see his office and tour the shipyards where this historic movement took place. And, as we left the port, we admired Westerplatte Monument, built in honor of the Poles who died defending Poland during WWII.