Wasn't going to post this but people seem to enjoy seeing these shots so thought I'd make it into something. After asking the question "where we dropping boys?", I found myself on holiday with the lads last summer in Gdańsk. Like every good trip, I managed to drag them round the old Imperial Shipyard. It's a mix of industrial wasteland and a slightly hipster area, but mostly just a complete wasteland save the odd information board, active business, art installation and bar. These yards are still partially active in places, but also many are now disused. Given they all looked pretty run down, it was hard to tell what was disused and what wasn't, so we only poked our heads in a few windows and bits. Very much a light-hearted mooch but quite interesting nonetheless.
Gdańsk was historically known as the perhaps more familiar-sounding Danzig, and was annexed by Prussia (what evolved into Germany) in 1793. It changed hands several times so is a strange kind of European nether zone, although was effectively under German control for much of its modern history. After Poland regained independence following WW1, it hoped Danzig would become its port. However, by this time, it was largely German-speaking. Faced with an identity crisis, it was decided by the League of Nations in the Treaty of Versailles that it would become the Free City of Danzig; an independent state. The first shots of WW2 were fired when a German battleship fired upon the city, and it got absolutely devastated from then on. After WW2, the city was finally returned to Poland.
The shipyards were built in the late 19th century as is fairly visible in much of the architecture. The more notable shipbuilding companies include Schichau; which formed a large shipyard in 1890, and Kaiserliche Werft Danzig; or Imperial Shipyard Danzig, which built a lot of infrastructure in 1871 where many of these buildings are. Various companies came and went and added buildings, and prior to WW1 built German U-boats. It became independent in 1945, and home to the Solidarity movement in 1980 led by Lech Wałęsa. I've probably made some generalisations with the history, but this gives the rough idea.
The pre- and post-war shipyard directorate
The only building we properly entered. I bet the others are even better though if anyone goes.
The forge building - partially open for visitors to wander into. Got to love the laissez faire tourism you get in Europe.
Peering in. Lots of teases in this place.
Some of the shipyard's many travelling cranes
View across the city from the cathedral
Gdańsk was historically known as the perhaps more familiar-sounding Danzig, and was annexed by Prussia (what evolved into Germany) in 1793. It changed hands several times so is a strange kind of European nether zone, although was effectively under German control for much of its modern history. After Poland regained independence following WW1, it hoped Danzig would become its port. However, by this time, it was largely German-speaking. Faced with an identity crisis, it was decided by the League of Nations in the Treaty of Versailles that it would become the Free City of Danzig; an independent state. The first shots of WW2 were fired when a German battleship fired upon the city, and it got absolutely devastated from then on. After WW2, the city was finally returned to Poland.
The shipyards were built in the late 19th century as is fairly visible in much of the architecture. The more notable shipbuilding companies include Schichau; which formed a large shipyard in 1890, and Kaiserliche Werft Danzig; or Imperial Shipyard Danzig, which built a lot of infrastructure in 1871 where many of these buildings are. Various companies came and went and added buildings, and prior to WW1 built German U-boats. It became independent in 1945, and home to the Solidarity movement in 1980 led by Lech Wałęsa. I've probably made some generalisations with the history, but this gives the rough idea.
The pre- and post-war shipyard directorate
The only building we properly entered. I bet the others are even better though if anyone goes.
The forge building - partially open for visitors to wander into. Got to love the laissez faire tourism you get in Europe.
Peering in. Lots of teases in this place.
Some of the shipyard's many travelling cranes
View across the city from the cathedral
35mm Shots (Kodak Ultramax 400)
Finishing on an unrelated shot of this rather cool Soviet-looking abandoned park I saw.
That's all folks
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. Looks cracking mate. Them film shots come out really clean.
