Description of the attraction
The Central Maritime Museum Crane (Zhurav) is one of the most original architectural monuments in Gdansk. Rising majestically over the embankment of the Motława River, this 14th-century building was one of the most advanced buildings of its time in Europe. This port crane was used for unloading and loading ships, and also performed a defensive function, since it was the port gate of the city. It also served to install masts on ships.
It acquired its present form in the Middle Ages, in the years 1442-1444. In essence, it is a crane, consisting of two round towers and a blackened wooden superstructure between them. There is a copper crane on the roof - a symbol of vigilance, hence the name - Crane.
The exposition, arranged inside the Crane, explains the mechanism of its action, witty and simple. Previously, the front wall of the Crane hung over the water's edge. On a rope, loads weighing up to 4 tons were lowered and lifted by hooks onto a wall 27 meters high. The rope was attached to the axle, and already it was set in motion by people moving in two huge wheels with a diameter of more than 5 meters, according to the principle of a squirrel in a wheel. In the center of the Crane there is a window through which the movement of the cargo was monitored.
During the Second World War, the Crane was destroyed and rebuilt in 1956-1965. Thanks to this, tourists have a unique opportunity to feel the spirit of the past. In the rooms of the museum, everyday sketches of crane workers - a weigher, an accountant and a receiver of goods - have been recreated. Also, the lower floors of the Crane were used as living quarters. There is a reconstruction of the living room. In each hall of the exposition there are brief descriptions of expositions in foreign languages.
This unique crane-gate is featured on the 1932 5-guilder coins of the Free City of Danzig (Gdansk). Since then Crane
has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Gdansk.
Bringing a unique flavor to the panorama of the city, the Maritime Museum Crane over the Motlawa River is one of the most interesting tourist attractions in Gdansk.
