212 CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp218–21 and pp222–5

Uphagen House 8
Dom Uphagena

ul. Długa 12. Map C4. Tel (058) 301

2371. 
      

      10am–3pm Tue,10am–

      
      

      4pm Wed–Sat, 11am–4pm Sun.
      & free on Tue. http://www.mhmg.gda.pl

      
      

The house that originally stood
here was acquired by Johann
Uphagen, a town councillor, in

1775. He had it demolished,
      and a new resi dence was built
      in its place. The architect
      Johann Benjamin Dreyer com-
      pleted the project in 1787.
      The result was an attractive
      build ing combining Baroque,
      Rococo and early Neo-Classical
      features. The sole ornamen-
      tation of the restrained façade
      is the Rococo decoration to the
      door, which is inscribed with
      the initial “A”, for Abigail, the
      owner’s wife.

The ornate Rococo doorway of
Uphagen House

The Red Room in the Main Town Hall

Main Town Hall 9
Ratusz Głównego Miasta

ul. Długa 46/47. Map D4. Museum
of the History of Gdańsk Tel (058)
767 9100. # noon–6pm Tue–Fri,
10am–4pm Sat, 11am–4pm Sun. &
free on Sun. http://www.mhmg.gda.pl

The city’s first Town Hall was
built after 1298 on the orders
of Świętopełk II, Duke of
Gdańsk-Pomerania. It func-
tioned as an office of the
Hanseatic League, a union of
trading cities from the Baltic
States to the North Sea.
Work on the current building
began in 1327. A tower was
added between 1486 and 1488,

during one of several phases

of rebuilding. After a fire in

1556, the Gothic structure was

remod elled in the Mannerist

style. The interior was lavishly

decorated from 1593–1608 by

promi nent painters and crafts-

men of the day, including

Hans Vredeman de Vries, Izaak

van den Blocke and Simon

Herle. Their com bined genius

produced one of the finest

town halls in all of northern

Europe, proof of the city’s

wealth and power. It also

served as a royal residence.

The highlight of the Town

Hall is the Red Room, which

was once the Great Council

Chamber. The Renaissance

fireplace is by Willem van der

Meer and the centrepiece of

the ceiling paintings, the

Apotheosis of Gdańsk (1608),

by Izaak van den Blocke.

After it was destroyed in

1945, it was rebuilt and many

furnishings were recon structed.

It now houses the Museum of

the History of Gdańsk.

St George killing the Dragon (1485)

carving in Artus’s Court

Artus Court 0

Dwór Artusa

ul. Długi Targ 44. Map D4.

# 10am–3pm Tue, 10am–

4pm Wed–Sat, 11am– 4pm Sun.

& free on Tue. ^ =

Originally established in the

14th century, Artus Court

was a meeting place for the

wealthy burghers of Gdańsk,

who were inspired by the

chivalrous traditions of King

Arthur and the knights of the

Round Table. Similar fraterni-

ties were set up throughout

Europe, and they were

par ticularly fashionable in the

cities of the Hanseatic League.

Visitors came to discuss the

issues of the day and to enjoy

the unlimited supply of fine

beer that was served there.

The original building was

destroyed by fire in 1477

and reconstructed by 1481.

Its rear elevation pre serves

the build ing’s original Gothic

style, but the façade was

rebuilt twice – first in 1552

and again from 1616–17 by

the architect and sculptor

Abraham van den Blocke

(1572–1628). Despite wartime

destruction, recon struction

has succeeded in re-creating

something of the court’s

historic atmosphere. One of

the highlights of the interior

is the intricately deco rated

12-m (40-ft) high, 16th-

century Renaissance tiled

stove. The furnishings were

changed several times, fund ed

mainly by individual frater-

nities, who would gather for

meetings on benches along

the walls of the court.