The Crane (Żuraw) is one of the defining symbols of Gdańsk and represents what little is left of the city’s great trading age. First mentioned in 1367, the original structure was burnt down in 1442 before its current design was created in 1442-1444. As a working crane it was used to transfer cargoes and to put up masts on ships. At one time this was the biggest working crane in the world but it also served a defence function and as one of the gates to the city. It had a lifting capacity of 4 tonnes to a height of 11 metres and this was achieved by two huge wooden wheels at its heart each with a diameter of 6 metres. These wheels were originally powered by men walking inside of them to turn the lifting mechanism. It remained a working crane until the middle of the 19th century and was 80% destroyed in 1945 in the battle for Gdańsk.
After the war it was rebuilt and donated to the Polish Maritime Museum of which it remains a part today. You will be able to view a collection of permanent and temporary exhibitions inside including an exhibition on port life between the 16th and 18th centuries. In Polish only, displays include models of lighthouses, the old port, lifesize recreations of counting houses and old port life in general plus access to the crane's two huge drive-wheels.
References:If I had to choose my favorite city on the coast surely would be a Gdansk. It is incredibly energetic place with many sights and restaurants serving great food. The great example is here for sure Szafarnia10. It is located on the Motlawa River and the glazed terrace you can enjoy this amazing river. Dishes of seafood and fish which are served there are excellent.
The stone church of Gamla Uppsala, built over the pagan temple, dates from the early 12th century. Due to fire and renovations, the present church is only a remnant of the original cathedral.
Before the arrival of Christianity in Sweden, Gamla Uppsala was the seat of Swedish kings and a ceremonial site known all over northern Europe. The settlement was home to royal palaces, a royal burial ground, and a great pagan temple. The Uppsala temple, which was described in detail by Adam of Bremen in the 1070s, housed wooden statues of the Norse gods Odin, Thor and Freyr. A golden chain hung across its gables and the inside was richly decorated with gold. The temple had priests, who sacrificed to the gods according to the needs of the people.
The first Christian cathedral was probably built in the 11th century, but finished in the 12th century. The stone building may have been preceded by a wooden church and probably by the large pagan temple.