High Gate in Gdańsk, Renaissance city gate in Gdańsk, Poland
The High Gate is a Renaissance city gate in Gdańsk with two elaborately designed sides. Statues crown the rooflines and represent different virtues such as peace, freedom, wealth, and fame.
The gate was built in 1574 and served as the main entrance to Gdańsk as well as part of the city fortifications. Its defensive purpose ended in 1895 when the city no longer needed its medieval walls.
The Latin inscriptions on this gate reflected values important to the community, with verses about prosperity and protection. Visitors today can still discover these messages on the walls and understand what mattered to people at that time.
The gate now houses a museum section and a Tourist Information Centre at 2A Wały Jagiellońskie Street. Visitors can find help with city information and explore the interior spaces.
Willem van den Blocke, a Dutch architect, designed this gate in the Mannerist style and created a bridge between Gothic and Renaissance styles. The symbolic figures on both sides of the facade show how skilled architects used ornamentation to express urban ideals.
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