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Historical Museum of Gdańsk

TIME : 2016/2/18 23:16:33

This museum is located in the historic town hall , which claims Gdańsk’s highest tower at 81.5m. The showpiece is the Red Room (Sala Czerwona), done up in Dutch Mannerist style from the end of the 16th century. The 2nd floor houses exhibitions related to Gdańsk’s history, including mock-ups of old Gdańsk interiors. From here you can access the tower for great views across the city.

The Red Room’s interior is not an imitation but the real deal; it was dismantled in 1942 and hidden outside the city until the end of the bombing. The richly carved fireplace (1593) and the marvellous portal (1596) all attract the eye, but the centre of attention is the ornamented ceiling – 25 paintings dominated by an oval centrepiece entitled The Glorification of the Unity of Gdańsk with Poland . Other striking rooms include the Winter Hall with its portraits of Gdańsk's mayors up to the 17th century and the Great Council Chamber with its huge oils of Polish kings.