Main Town Hall

The Main Town Hall in Gdańsk is the city's most recognizable landmark: a Gothic and Renaissance brick building whose slender tower, crowned by a gilded statue of King Sigismund Augustus, rises above Long Street and Long Market. Inside is the headquarters of the Museum of Gdańsk and the Red Room, one of the most lavish council chambers in Europe. If you only have time for one museum on the Royal Route, this is a strong candidate.

Why such a grand town hall?

In the 16th and 17th centuries Gdańsk was the largest and richest city of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, growing wealthy on grain shipped down the Vistula River to Western Europe. Its council ran its own policy, kept troops and received foreign envoys, and the Town Hall was built to project that power. That is why the city hired top artists from the Netherlands and filled the chambers with allegories presenting Gdańsk as a guardian of harmony, justice and prosperity. A visit is as much a lesson in how one of Europe's most autonomous trading cities worked as it is a look at beautiful rooms.

History in a nutshell

Construction began in 1346 and the building grew over the following centuries, with major phases in 1378–1382 and 1559–1561. A fire in 1556 badly damaged it, and repairs took years. On September 23, 1561, the gilded figure of King Sigismund Augustus – a reminder that Gdańsk, though largely German-speaking, was part of the Kingdom of Poland – was placed atop the spire, and an automatic carillon played for the first time.

In March 1945, fire destroyed the tower's helm and the wooden ceilings and shelling damaged the walls. The building was initially considered beyond saving, but reconstruction started in 1946 and was completed in 1970. Since then it has served as a museum.

What to see

The highlight is on the first floor:

• The Red Room (Great Council Chamber) – walls covered with Hans Vredeman de Vries's paintings on civic virtues and a ceiling dominated by the "Apotheosis of Gdańsk" (1608), painted by Isaac van den Blocke with carvings by Simon Herle. It is a political manifesto in paint, celebrating the city's trade and its bond with the Polish crown.
• The White Room, formerly the Great Wety Hall.
• The Small Council Chamber, also called the Winter Hall.
• Exhibitions on the city's history, plus the Pile Gallery (Galeria Palowa) in the cellars for temporary shows.

Since 2000 the tower has housed a 37-bell carillon cast by Eijsbouts in the Netherlands; you will hear it along Long Street.

Please note: the observation tower is closed for renovation as of October 2026. For a view over the rooftops, consider the tower of St Mary's Basilica instead.

How long to stay and is it worth visiting?

Plan 45–60 minutes. Yes, it is worth it – the Red Room alone justifies the ticket. Rent the audio guide (English, Polish, German), as the allegories are rich in detail. Combine it with Artus Court and Uphagen House; the 90-day pass covers all Museum of Gdańsk branches. Admission is free on Mondays, though some temporary exhibitions may be closed that day.

Accessibility

An elevator serves all exhibition levels except the tower. The elevator entrance is at the back, at Piwna 35/37, and the museum asks visitors to contact its accessibility coordinator 2–3 days in advance. There is an induction loop at the ticket desk and walkers can be borrowed free of charge.

Opening hours and tickets (as of October 2026)

• Address: Długa 46/47, 80-831 Gdańsk
• Hours: Monday 10am–4pm (free), Tuesday closed, Wednesday 10am–4pm, Thursday 10am–6pm, Friday–Sunday 10am–4pm; last tickets 45 minutes before closing. No separate winter timetable for 2026/27 has been published.
• Closed: November 1, December 24–26 and 31, January 1 and 6.
• Tickets: 26 PLN regular, 19 PLN reduced, 70 PLN family; audio guide 10 PLN; 90-day all-branch pass 160/110 PLN.

Getting there

Gdańsk lies on Poland's Baltic coast, about three hours from Warsaw by express train; Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport is roughly 15 km from the center. The Town Hall stands where Long Street meets Long Market, about a 15-minute walk from Gdańsk Główny station via the Highland Gate and Golden Gate. Long Street is pedestrian-only and the center is a paid parking zone, so public transport or the SKM commuter train from Sopot and Gdynia is the easiest option.

Nearby

• Artus Court and the Neptune Fountain, a few steps away.
• Uphagen House, a furnished 18th-century merchant's home.
• St Mary's Basilica and Mariacka Street.
• Green Gate and the Motława waterfront.