Reinforcing the Historic Appeal Of Gdansk’s Historic Inner City

Paper i proceeding, 2009

Gdansk is the economic, science and cultural center of three co-located urban concentrations that also include Sopot and Gdynia. Of the three cities Gdansk is an important center for communications, a transport hub via regional rail, local trams and river transportation on the Motlawa River as well as a popular tourist destination. It is Polish maritime capital and the capital of the Pomeranian province and the Metropolitan Area, the important administration center with the population nearing half a million. Gdansk and its adjacent Baltic coastline have a long history of commerce with Northern and Western Europe. Inner city is the historic place of Gdansk with its thousand year’s history. There are many heritage and interesting buildings as well as rare and unique places like fragments of the world’s major surviving authentic site of military designation – the Vistula Mouth Fortress and Stronghold Fort of the 17th century in the Lower Town. The city of Gdansk is interested in improving tourist appeal and promoting the city. Today the historic district is no longer integrated with its surrounding more contemporary urban fabric. This is due to significant infrastructure changes in recent years. In Gdansk there is a big need for the integrated system of public spaces. The access to the river is an opportunity and city does not use is as a potential to attract tourists and strengthen a city image. The IFHP workshop is a chance to propose the international expertise and suggestions on how Gdansk’s historic area can be improved. In light of the historical context and unrealized potential, the following issues need to be studied: - Relationship between the historic district and contemporary development around it, - Strategies to avoid the displacement of local businesses and culture as tourist appeal improves.