Venue ? How to reach ?
The Szewalski Institute of Fluid Flow Machinery, Polish Academy of Sciences,
Gdansk, Poland, ul. J.Fiszera 14, 80-231 Gdańsk
Institute is located around 0.5 km from the railway station Gdańsk Wrzeszcz,
near to Technical University of Gdańsk.
Gdańsk City
A thousand-year history, a location at the crossroads of important commercial and communication routes, an extensive port and mercantile traditions - all this makes Gdańsk a meeting place of many cultures, nationalities and denominations.
The first written mention of Gdańsk comes from 997. The defensive and urban complex as well as a port started to really form in the second half of the 10th century. The dynamic development of trade, fishery and craft guilds soon pushed the city to the leading position in Pomerania. It maintained this even despite being taken over by the Teutonic Knights in 1308. The city continued to develop dynamically. Joining the League of Hanseatic Cities (in 1361) and the fast development of the port are just some of the factors contributing to the strong position of Gdańsk in Europe. The following years are traditionally called the "golden age." During this time Gdańsk was one of the wealthiest and most significant cities in Europe.
The religious freedom gained in the 16th century turned the city into a true melting pot of nationalities and denominations, giving it yet another stimulus for development, thanks to the specific "community of differences." It was one of the few such places in the world at the time.
In 1919, the Free City of Gdańsk was established under the Treaty of Versailles, which brought the city back to the elite of European ports.
The tragic December 1970, and then August 1980 and the martial law period are the successive dates symbolizing the fight of the citizens of Gdańsk against the prevailing communist regime. It was Gdańsk that became the cradle of "Solidarnosc" which was to transform the then map of Europe. History has come full circle.
Contemporary Gdańsk - a half-a-million, dynamically developing agglomeration - is vibrant with life as before and again deserves to be called "the Pearl of the North."
Autor: witcen@imp.gda.pl
Last modification
18-02-2014
