One of the most popular places to go for a walk people of Gdańsk consider a pier. We can certainly point out many reasons why either people living in Gdańsk or tourists choose to spend their time here.
The Pier then
Pier in Brzeźno has its origins back in XIX century. It was build as a extension of Zdrojowa street in 1900. Back then the pier was 100 meters long. During the Interwar Period it was extended to 200 meters and was 6 meters wide. The way the pier looks like right now as we know was build from scratch in 1993-1996 and had its opening on July 16th 1996. For now, it is 136 meters long, but there is a plan to expand it again.
Before World War II the pier was a fully equipped place. There was a direct access to the pier by a tram. What is more, on a lighthouse, which currently is located in Nowy Port district, there was an object called the orb of time – a device which helped with navigation of ships. It also helped to find a right course. Although the orb was restored, it is no longer a part of the lighthouse.
The Pier now
The pier is surrounded with two parks on each side. First is the Park of J.J. Haffner in Brzeźno. Haffner came there in 1808 as a military doctor from Napoleon’s army. He instructed building special bathrooms for sea bathing. at that time it was really innovative. We can find a lot of attractions in the park like: sculptures, outdoor gyms or constructions.
Second park is located in neighbor districts – Żabianka and Przymorze- park of Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan was 40th president of United Sates. He was popular thanks to his huge impact on anti-communist social movement. This park is much larger than Haffner’s park. Besides sculptures and gyms there is also one of the biggest playgrounds in Gdańsk.
Why the pier is such a popular place amongst people either in summer or winter?
Beside the sea and refreshing air, while taking a walk on pier we can be encountered with many beautiful views: panorama of beaches in Tricity, mentioned before – lighthouse in Nowy Port district and Westerplatte – one of the most important historical places worth sightseeing. The pier itself is surrounded with many restaurants and cozy places to spend quality time with your family or friends. There are also booths with season-timed treats like waffles or ice-creams which are available during summer. For winter though, there are also vending machines serving hot teas, chocolate or coffee.
Also, there is a free Wi-Fi available on the pier and the beach. Obviously, anyone can log in and use it. It is called GD@ŃSKwifi.
Around the pier there are organized events like marathons, group Zumba, sports competitions like volleyball on the beach or concerts, for example yearly „Fląder Festiwal”. It is a one of the biggest outdoor concerts with free admission. There are artists who are either popular or gaining their audience with different music styles.
Let’s go for a long walk!
