Harbour Gate, Szczecin

The Harbour Gate (Brama Portowa) is a Baroque fortress gate that now stands alone in the middle of one of Szczecin's busiest squares. The city's official tourism portal calls it the most impressive Baroque fortress gate in West Pomerania. It was built on the orders of the Prussian king Frederick William I, and the Latin inscription on its attic still declares that Prussia acquired Szczecin "for the right price".

History: the gate on the road to Berlin

It was first known as the Brandenburg Gate and later as the Berlin Gate, since the road to Berlin passed through it. It went up in the 1720s; some sources give 1725–1727, while Visit Szczecin cites 1724. It was designed by the Dutch fortifications engineer Gerhard Cornelius van Wallrawe, and the masonry was overseen by master builder Hans Jürgen Reinecke from Magdeburg. The sculptural decoration of the outer façade is the work of the French sculptor Bartholomé Damart.

The gate was a statement of new rule: in 1719 Frederick William I had bought Szczecin from the Swedes for two million thalers. Together with the Royal Gate, it is the only surviving structure of the city's 18th-century fortifications. In 1942, for fear of bombing, both crowning sections were taken down and hidden in Arkoński Forest; they returned to their place in 1957. The gate has been a listed monument since 1954.

What to see

• The west façade – an oval medallion with Frederick William I's monogram, flanked by winged figures of Fame blowing trumpets.
• The Latin inscription – setting out Prussia's claim to Szczecin.
• Viadrus – the god of the Oder, gazing at a relief panorama of Szczecin.
• The east façade, facing the city – according to the city portal the grander of the two: a cartouche with the king's monogram and an eagle holding a sword and sceptre, topped by the Prussian coat of arms with a crown and trophies of arms.
• The materials – walls and vaults of bricks fired by masters from Liège, façades and sculptures of sandstone brought from Pirna in Saxony.

Interesting facts

In 1902–1903 a fountain with a statue of a nude Amphitrite, wife of Poseidon, by Reinhold Felderhoff was set up on the east side of the gate. According to Visit Szczecin, the goddess's nudity offended puritanical residents, and the fountain was dismantled in 1932. From 1976 to 2013 the gate housed a Cepelia folk-craft shop, and today it is home to the Chamber Theatre (Teatr Kameralny) of the Society of Friends of Art, with an auditorium of about 80 seats.

Tripto tip

You see the gate from outside, free of charge and at any time; 10–15 minutes is enough. The gate stands in the middle of a busy central square, so take photos from the pavements and traffic islands, not the road. The city-side façade has the most detail. The gate makes a good starting point for a walk around the centre; it is worth walking on to the other surviving gate, the Royal Gate.