Description of the attraction
In the region of Gdansk called Old Suburb, some fragments of the ancient defensive fortifications of the city have also been preserved. Part of such fortifications is considered to be the White Tower, named after the color in which its walls were painted. It is located at the crossroads formed by eznicka and Augustynskogo streets.
The White Tower appeared in Gdansk in the years 1460-1461. It was erected from bricks and given a semicircular shape. A conical roof topped the structure. This building was not built for the beauty and wealth of the city. It had to perform defensive functions, with which it did an excellent job at first. Only at the beginning of the 17th century did the need for the ancient defensive system of Gdansk disappear, and from the 1670s the White Tower began to be used as a warehouse for storing gunpowder and military equipment. Thus, the tower turned into a "branch" of the Small Arsenal, which was located on Valovy Plyatsa next door.
The actions of the German invaders during the Second World War left the White Tower in a very deplorable situation: part of its facade and roof were completely destroyed, and the interior was destroyed by fire. In 1948, the city authorities restored this part of the city fortifications. In 1981, the White Tower was bought by a mountaineering club called Tricity (Troyemiasto), which allocated a huge amount of money for its restoration. Now it houses the headquarters of this organization.
During the renovation, valuable frescoes depicting genre scenes were discovered on the inner walls of the tower.
