Old towns & squares

Long Lane and Long Market in Gdańsk: the Royal Route

Long Lane (Ulica Długa) and Long Market (Długi Targ) form the Royal Route — the representational axis of the Main Town in Gdańsk, walked by Polish kings since 1457. The promenade runs from the Golden Gate to the Green Gate by the Motława river and gathers the most magnificent buildings of the city.

From the High Gate to the Motława

The route begins with the Renaissance High Gate with the Gothic Prison Tower and Torture House. It then leads through the Golden Gate, decorated with figures of virtues, to Long Lane with the Main Town Hall, whose origins go back to the 14th century. In summer you can see the city panorama from the tower. Nearby stands the Uphagen House with its original interiors.

Neptune, Artus Court and the Pig Market

The heart of Long Market is the 17th-century Neptune Fountain, the symbol of Gdańsk, where the god of the seas weighs 650 kg. Next to it rises the Artus Court, the former seat of merchant brotherhoods, named after King Arthur. On Saturdays live piglets were once sold between the town hall and Neptune — this stretch was called the Pig Market. The route closes with the Renaissance Green Gate, built of small bricks that arrived as ballast in Dutch ships.

Curiosities and practical tips

In the Middle Ages the whole stretch was treated as a single street recorded as Longa Platea — mentions date to 1331. Trams ran here until the 1950s. Today entry is free and the promenade is open around the clock; it is worth climbing the town hall tower and visiting the Artus Court and its museums.