Gdańsk is the Polish maritime capital with the population nearing half a million. It is a large centre of economic life, science, culture, and a popular tourist destination. Lying on the Bay of Gdańsk and the southern cost of the Baltic Sea the city is a thousand years old.

— GDANSK — Gdańsk is the Polish maritime capital with the population nearing half a million. It is a large centre of economic life, science, culture, and a popular tourist destination. Lying on the Bay of Gdańsk and the southern cost of the Baltic Sea the city is a thousand years old. With its Hanseatic tradition, it has for ages played a major role in the commercial relationships between Northern and Western Europe on the one hand, and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe on the other hand. Today, Gdańsk is the capital of the Pomeranian province and an important administration centre. Gdańsk – an open city In its “golden age” the city enjoyed the specific status of a municipal republic. It was also a melting pot of cultures and ethnical groups. The air of tolerance and the wealth built on trade made culture, science, and art. flourish. Today, works by outstanding Gdańsk masters can be admired in museums, churches, and galleries. These collections, as well as the historic sites of enchanting beauty witness a thousand years of the city’s continued existence. The break-through events of the most recent turbulent period are documented in the multi-medial exhibition: “Roads to Freedom” arranged in the historic BHP hall of the Gdańsk Shipyard. The exposition recalls the local struggle for freedom and justice, and the birth of the first Independent Trade Union, “Solidarity”. These developments triggered the avalanche that toppled communism in Europe. From amber to high-tech. The recent ten-odd years have brought huge transformation of the Gdańsk economy. The city’s industrial map continues to include some of the traditional branches, e.g. the shipping, petrochemical, chemical, and food industries. However, the share of know-how based lines such as electronics, telecommunications, IT technology, or cosmetics and pharmaceuticals is on the rise. The specific trade of amber processing is also far from minor in importance. Gdańsk cultivates its centuries-long tradition in the field, and its nickname of the world capital of amber is well earned. Just like in the olden days the city owes much to its sea port. The harbour, largest along the Polish coast and in the entire Southern Baltic basin, continues to develop.