City Hall, Gdansk, Guide du visiteur et quoi faire à proximité

The Main Town Hall (Ratusz Głównego Miasta) stands on Długa Street in Gdańsk, in the middle of the Royal Way. Its tall tower, topped with a gilded statue of King Sigismund Augustus, is one of the best known sights in the city. Today the building houses a museum, and its rooms and its setting on the Long Market are both worth your time.

The story behind it

The first town hall was built in the early 14th century and was a small, plain building. Merchants gathered around it to sell bread and meat. As Gdańsk grew richer, the building was rebuilt and enlarged over roughly the next two centuries until it became the monumental seat of the city council and the city's law. The tower, about 82 metres high, was crowned with a gilded figure of Sigismund Augustus, the Polish king who favoured Gdańsk. A carillon from the Netherlands was installed to mark the finished reconstruction.

Right outside, the Neptune Fountain gives the square its best known story. The fountain was built in the early 17th century to a design linked to Abraham van den Blocke, who also designed the Golden Gate. Legend says that when visitors throw coins in, Neptune strikes them with his trident and shatters them into golden flakes. This is how Danziger Goldwasser, the herbal liqueur with gold flakes, is said to have come about. Next door, Artus Court takes its name from the legend of King Arthur. It was a meeting place for brotherhoods of the city's wealthiest citizens.

What to look for

• Look up at the gilded figure of Sigismund Augustus on top of the tower, which is easy to spot from along the Royal Way.
• Walk around the Neptune Fountain and find the god with his trident, a favourite spot for photos.
• Compare the town hall with the neighbouring facade of Artus Court, a former gathering place of the city elite.
• If you go inside, notice the painted walls, portraits and ornaments in the rooms, each with its own character.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 20 to 30 minutes for the outside and the square, and more if you want to visit the museum inside. Check current opening hours before you go.
• Go early in the morning or in the evening for fewer crowds and softer light on the gilded details.
• Neptune's Fountain, Artus Court, the Golden Gate and the Green Gate are all within a few minutes on foot, so combine them in one walk.
• The square is on a busy tourist street, so keep an eye on your belongings in summer.

See it on a quest

Fantastic Gdansk: Lions and Unicorns is a good way to take in the town hall as one stop on a longer walk through the Old Town. You reach each place on foot, the app tells you about it as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

The Watchmaker's Curse in Gdansk suits a tower with a famous clock and a long history of timekeeping. The route leads you through the area on foot, the app shares the story of each stop, and a puzzle waits on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.