Architecture, Koszalin

The main buildings of the National Museum in Szczecin (Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie) is located at the Chrobry Embankment, in the former Maritime Museum. Here you will find thousands of historic artifacts from the region, information about the seafaring history of the city, as well as a new permanent exhibition on the Golden Age of the Pomeranian Region. Also worthwhile is a view from the viewing tower on top of the museum, although the climb to the platform via a narrow staircase is said to be challenging. Also part of the National Museum is Szczecin's History Museum (Muzeum Historii Szczecina), which is situated in the Old Town Hall. http://www.visitpomerania.eu/cities/szczecin/attractions/national-museum/

The first wooden residence for the rulers of Pomerania was first erected here in the 13th century, on a hill along the Odra River. More than 100 years later Barnim III made it a building of stone. The Pomeranian Duke's Castle (Zamek Książąt Pomorskich) was then continuously expanded. http://www.visitpomerania.eu/cities/szczecin/attractions/pomeranian-dukes-castle/

Bydgoszcz Canal was built in the years 1773-1774 as a part of the international waterway E 70. It connects the Vistula River and the Odra River through their tributaries: the Brda River, the Notec River and the Warta River. The establishment of Bydgoszcz Canal has contributed to the dynamic development of the city. http://www.visitbydgoszcz.pl/en/explore/what-to-see/2364-bydgoszcz-canal

The Sea Towers near the harbour of Gdynia are the tallest apartment buildings in Poland and the highest towers of the country outside Warsaw. Construction of the 141 tall towers started in 2006 and finished three years later. Most of the apartments are privately owned, but also visitors can rent via various organizations apartments with great views over Gdynia and the Baltic Sea. http://www.visitpomerania.eu/cities/gdynia/attractions/sea-towers/

Golden Gate is the must see during the visit to Gdansk. The virtues of Peace, Freedom, Wealth, Fame, Piety, Justice and Concord are depicted in allegorical statues adorning the balustrade of this gate overlooking ul. Długa. Designed by Flemish architect Abraham van den Blocke, it was built between 1642-44, later destroyed during WWII and not restored until 1997. An inscription on the gate reads, “Small states grow by concord, great ones fall by disagreement.” As you walk through the gate, you are now on ul. Długa (Long Street) - the heart of Gdańsk Old Town. https://www.inyourpocket.com/gdansk/golden-gate_16176v

The Długa and Długi Targ Streets which are also known as Trakt Królewski (the Royal Route) rank among the most beautiful streets in Gdańsk. The wealthiest Gdańsk patricians used to live there and almost every tenement house has its own interesting history to tell. http://www.gdansk.pl/en/for-tourists/Tourist-Attractions,a,12042

The Neptune Fountain has stood in front of the Artus Court since 1633 and is a symbol of Gdańsk. It was built on the initiative of the Mayor of Gdańsk, Bartłomiej Schachmann. http://www.gdansk.pl/en/for-tourists/Tourist-Attractions,a,12042

The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the largest brick church in the world, went through several stages of development over the period from 1343 to 1502. Its interior displays many exquisite pieces of Medieval and Baroque art, including the stone Pieta from about 1410, a copy of the Last Judgement by Hans Memling, the original canvas dating back to 1472, the astronomical clock built by Hans Düringer between 1464 and 1470 and the main altar put up between 1510 and 1517. http://www.gdansk.pl/en/for-tourists/Tourist-Attractions,a,12042

The National Maritime Museum, considered to be one of the finest of its kind in Europe. Among the exhibits presented one can see: port navigation, techniques of reloading goods, what a merchant trading office and middle-class salon looked like, as well as the workshops of sailmakers, ship carpenters and ropemakers. The historic walls also conceal Poland’s only permanent exhibition of maritime paintings. The exhibition shows the history of diving and the most interesting archaeological sites in Poland and the world. It includes diving equipment: suits, devices and different types of diving bells that were used to explore the seabed. Some of the world’s most famous archaeological sites presented in the exhibition are shipwrecks from Homer’s epoch found off the coast of Turkey. The section devoted to underwater archaeology in Poland presents the largest achievements of the National Maritime Museum’s research team - “Miedziowca” a merchant ship from the fifteenth century, exploration of the Swedish warship “Solena” from the seventeenth century and the English wreck from the eighteenth century “General Carlton of Withby”. The youngest branch of the museum - the Maritime Culture Centre located next to the Crane is the only educational facility in Poland and one of the most modern facilities in Europe, which in an interactive and multimedia way presents maritime issues. It is an exciting adventure in science! http://visitgdansk.com/en/hity-gdanska/The-Crane,a,3485

A thick hemp rope, a system of blocks and two wooden turnstiles moved by... walking workers. The crane’s medieval mechanism lifting 4-ton loads to a height of 11 metres was also used to install masts. Located on the Motława River, Gdańsk’s most characteristic monument is the largest medieval port crane in Europe and at the same time a fortified water gate with two huge brick towers, once protecting the city from the side of the harbour. Now the majestic Crane, as a great example of historic port buildings, a witness of the powerful Hanseatic Gdańsk, called the granary of Europe, is the perfect setting for exhibitions of the National Maritime Museum. Its headquarters are also situated on the other side of the Motława River on Ołowianka Island. http://visitgdansk.com/en/hity-gdanska/The-Crane,a,3485

Provincial and Municipal Public Library in Bydgoszcz has in its collection approximately 520 thousand. volumes, and the special collections over eight thousand. manuscripts, documents, social, cartography, audio books and notes. http://www.visitbydgoszcz.pl/en/discover/curiosities/2325-wojewodzka-i-miejska-biblioteka-publiczna-en-gb

Żnin is a charming town, situated about 42 km from Bydgoszcz in the historical region of Pałuki, whose origins date back 750 years.Its symbol is the 15th-century tower of the Town Hall. http://www.visitbydgoszcz.pl/en/discover/environs/3020-znin

The Oborski Palace at 73 Legions Street - this palace houses the Regional Museum and Municipal Cultural Centre. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries it was a manor house built on the banks of the River Visloka following the demolishment of the renaissance knights’ castle belonging to the Gryf-Mielecki family. http://www.mielec.pl/tourism.php?lang=en

Malbork castle was medieval Europe’s largest fortress. Picturesquely situated by the Nogat river, the three-castle complex was, for 150 years, the capital of the Teutonic state. The castle's origins date back to the second half of the 13th century. Beginning in 1309, Malbork was the seat of the grand masters of the Teutonic Order and the capital of one of medieval Europe's most powerful states. With a surface area of some 21 hectares, Malbork Castle is the largest Gothic castle complex in the world and a masterpiece of late-medieval fortification and residential architecture. In 1997 Malbork Castle was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the castle's must-sees is the exhibition of Amber Contexts, looking at the gemstone from a variety of possible angles. Tree resin fossilised millions of years ago, amber reflects the complexity of nature. It can be regarded in a number of contexts, including a natural scientific and artistic one. It can also be looked at from a functional perspective. The Malbork amber collection has earned a reputation as one of the world's best and largest. http://en.visitmalbork.pl/905,The-biggest-gothic-castle-in-the-world.html

Is the oldest, in its complexity the best preserved and with 88 meters length at the same time the largest gate area. Around 1300 the 20 meter high main gate was built on the town site. The outer gate on the field site was constructed in the middle of the 14 century. https://www.neubrandenburg-touristinfo.de/en/city-portrait/monuments-and-sights

Designed with the street leading to railway station (now al. Independence) in the 60s, it received its final form in 1894. Until the First World War there was a monument of the German Emperor William I. However, the statue was later seized for military purposes in 1917. In 1945, the monument of Gratitude to Soviet Soldiers was unveiled. http://www.cit.zielona-gora.pl/article,en,206,monuments.html

The main building of Art Nouveau architecture was established in 1909 as the parish house of the Evangelical community. After 1945 it belonged to the Catholic parish, and in 1960 it was adapted to the needs of Zielona Gora Symphony Orchestra, renamed the Philharmonic in 1974. http://www.cit.zielona-gora.pl/article,en,206,monuments.html

The oldest architectural monument in the city, dated to the 2nd half of the 14th century.The cathedral has a triple-nave hall arrangement with a separate presbytery. Inside there are a neo-Gothic alter, late Gothic sculptures of Saint Hedwig and Saint Anna Samotrzec, a Baroque choir and a series of stone slabs with epitaphs. http://www.cit.zielona-gora.pl/article,en,206,monuments.html

Malmo Konsthall was opened in 1975 and is one of the Swedens largest spaces for contemporary art. Architect Klas Anshelm has created an exhibition with great flexibility, generous space and fantastic light. ” A large, low concrete box open on the park and the light of heaven ”, described Anshelm himself his creation. The construction materials are light and simple; concrete, glass, wood and aluminium. Most of the gallery has a roof built as a lattice of 550 light domes. The ceiling height varies. The light well – with higher ceilings – has large sloping skylight north. Klas Anshelm got the idea to construction when visiting the sculptor Constantin Brancusi’s Paris studio. The result is a gallery that is both functional and aesthetic. An exhibition space that the artist with endless. Malmö Konsthall arranges annually a number of exhibitions with an international focus. https://www.konsthall.malmo.se/en/om-malmo-konsthall/

The Moderna Museet Malmö is a branch of the famous Swedish Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm. It is located in a converted former power station, within walking distance from the center of the old town of Malmö. The former power station was built in 1901 as a brick building, the typical industrial architecture of its time. As part of the modernization, the building received an extension with a red-painted steel sheeting facade and in 2009 the Moderna Museet moved into the old power station. The museum is specialized on Scandinavian and international art of the 20th and 21st century. The changing exhibitions throughout the year are attracting visitors from all around the world. The former turbine hall was converted as an exhibition room and covers an area of over 800 square meters. In addition, the museum also has an educational workshop of about 100 square meters. The Moderna Museet is the only Scandinavian museum that features a significant collection of contemporary art of the 20th century. In its possession are works by Dali, Kandinsky, Matisse and Picasso. https://www.guidebook-sweden.com/en/guidebook/destination/moderna-museet-malmoe-museum-of-modern-art-in-malmoe

Malmö Opera presents the whole range of music theatre with the main emphasis on opera and musical. We perform the great opera classics, musicals, contemporary musical drama, concerts and dance, always meeting the highest international standards of quality. Operaverkstan, our department for children and young adults, produces high-quality performances for children aged 3-19 with focus on contemporary works and subject matters. Operaverkstan also introduces classic opera to its audience. The building that houses Malmö Opera was built during the Second World War and inaugurated in 1944. The main auditorium holds an audience of 1511 and the stage is one of the largest in Europe. With it, renowned architect Sigurd Lewerentz, together with colleagues Erik Lallerstedt and David Helldén, created one of the masterpieces of functionalist architecture. The foyer is considered of particular beauty, with its open spaces and sweeping marble staircases, and it is adorned with a number of works of art by artists such as Carl Milles and Isaac Grünewald. The building was listed with the National Trust in connection with the theatre’s 50th jubilee in 1994. https://www.malmoopera.se/node/211

St. Petri Church is both the oldest preserved church in the city and its oldest preserved brick building. In the 13th century, herring fishing helped Malmö to flourish as a trading town. The Malmö residents came into contact with the Hanseatic cities around the Baltic Sea. There they were inspired to build a new church that would correspond to the city's position. St. Petri Church was probably inaugurated in 1319. Around 1380 the church was completed. The apostle's Peter and Paul became the patron saints of the church. The church building has a tight exterior with pillars and arches. The brick walls are lightened by a few parts with different coloured and glazed bricks. As a building material, clay was used from the district, which was turned into a brick in Malmö. The cream parlour was created in the middle of the 15th century. On the outer walls of the chapel, there are about ten chalkstone figures representing various saints. https://svenskakyrkanmalmo.se/st-petri-kyrka/

Soaring 368 metres into the sky, Berlin’s TV Tower is the city’s most visible landmark. But the tower on Alexanderplatz is not just literally a must-see sight, it is also the highest building in Europe open to the general public. And from the dizzying height of its viewing platform, you have spectacular 360-degree panoramic views out across the entire city – and beyond! East Germany, though, has long been history. But the TV Tower is still drawing the crowds – and is ranked among the top sights in twenty-first century Germany. After German reunification, the TV Tower took on an entirely new significance. No longer just a symbol of East Germany, the TV Tower quickly became an integral element of Berlin’s new cityscape, and soon came to symbolise the city – both nationally and internationally. Clear early morning skies – and not a cloud in sight? Then it’s time to hop out of bed and head for the TV Tower. For this popular tourist sight, the early riser really does skip the queues for the lift, especially on sunny days. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/berlin-television-tower

The magnificent dome of the Cathedral Church (Berliner Dom) is one of the main landmarks in Berlin’s cityscape – and marks the spot of the impressive basilica housing the city’s most important Protestant church. With its elaborate decorative and ornamental designs, the church interior is especially worth seeing. Yet although the church is known as a cathedral, it actually has the status of a parish church – though not just any parish. This was the court church to the Hohenzollern dynasty, the rulers of Prussia and later the German Emperors. Today, as the High Parish and Cathedral Church, the church serves the Protestant community in Berlin and the surrounding areas. The congregation is not based on place of residence, but open through admission to all baptised Protestants in the region. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/berlin-cathedral

The Pergamonmuseum is nothing short of a wonder in itself. Its rooms are overflowing with some of the world’s most impressive, long buried, treasures. The museum encompasses the vast history of the Ancient East, with collections that can not be experienced elsewhere. The museum is named after the Pergamon Altar, a Hellenistic masterpiece of white stone architecture. The imposing structure invites you to walk the steps of 2000 years of history and behold its intricacies close-up. But don’t get lost in this wonder for too long, as there are many more under the museum’s roof. Artefacts have been gathered from Iran, Asia Minor, Egypt and the Caucasus, and these worlds have been recreated for you to explore within the Pergamonmuseum. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/pergamon-museum

The Oresund Bridge is one very impressive piece of architecture and it is the scenic way of getting from Copenhagen to Malmö by car or train. But surely the symbolic meaning is even greater, given that in days gone by the province of Skåne was part of Denmark and the Swedes and Danes were at each other’s throats. The TV series The Bridge (Bron in Swedish) is a Scandinavian crime and drama television series created and written by the Swedish screenwriter Hans Rosenfeldt. Riding on the tide of Nordic Noir and Swedish crime, with predecessors like Sjöwall-Wahlöö and Henning Mankell having paved the way, the series was first aired in 2011 and quickly gained enormous popularity. Today the series has acquired a large international cult following and fans travel from all over the world to check out the filming locations in Malmö and Copenhagen. https://visitsweden.com/where-to-go/southern-sweden/malmo/malmo-and-bridge/

The Reichstag is an internationally recognisable symbol of democracy and the current home of the German parliament. Every year, thousands of guests visit the Reichstag - and with good reason: It is not often that you can enjoy such an amazing panorama while, just beneath your feet, the political decisions of tomorrow are being made. Both as an architectural wonder and a historical testimony, the Reichstag has an important role to play in Berlin. There are several options to visit the Reichstag: join a guided tour; listen to a plenary session (in German of course) or climb up to the dome and the roof! https://www.visitberlin.de/en/reichstag-in-berlin

The government buildings in the heart of Berlin form a ribbon across the river Spree, symbolically connecting East and West. The parliamentary offices and the chancellery were not built until the wall came down and Berlin was chosen as the country’s seat of government. The buildings are exciting examples of contemporary architecture that no-one sightseeing in Berlin can afford to miss. The original idea for the Band des Bundes was a gesture of reunification. In a dual piece of symbolism, the government buildings and the offices for democratically elected MPs are both a physical connection and a symbolic bridge between East and West. The federal buildings are not just the centre of the town in geographical terms; since 2006, the striking concrete and glass buildings have been the first thing that visitors to Berlin see when they arrive at the city’s main station. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/band-des-bundes

The Brandenburg Gate is one of the most iconic sights in today’s vibrant Berlin. More than just Berlin’s only surviving historical city gate, this site came to symbolise Berlin’s Cold War division into East and West – and, since the fall of the Wall, a reunified Germany. Architecturally, the sandstone Brandenburg Gate also represents one of the earliest and most attractive examples of a neo-classical building in Germany. Constructed between 1788 and 1791, the Brandenburg Gate was Berlin’s first Greek revival building. Designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans, architect to the Prussian court, it was inspired by the monumental gateway at the entrance to the Acropolis in Athens. The Brandenburg Gate is 26 metres high, 65.5 metres long and 11 metres deep, and supported by two rows of six Doric columns. In 1793, the gate was crowned by the Quadriga statue, designed by Johann Gottfried Schadow. This statue also has its own story to tell. In 1806, when Napoleon’s army took Berlin, the French Emperor had the Quadriga transported to Paris as war booty and a sign of his victory. In 1814, after Napoleon’s forced abdication, the Quadriga was returned to Berlin where it once again adorned the Brandenburg Gate, facing towards the east and the city centre. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/brandenburg-gate

Discover the magic of the rococo at the beautiful Charlottenburg Palace – once a royal summer residence, today Berlin’s largest and most magnificent palace. In the Neuer Flügel (New Wing), you can view the staterooms and the rococo ballroom known as the Goldene Galerie (Golden Gallery). The Silver Vault includes quite stunning tableware of gold, silver, glass and porcelain displayed on laid tables. Around 100 table services have survived intact, a vivid reminder of the magnificence of dining at court. The impressive display of the remaining pieces of the Prussian crown jewels, complete with the imperial insignias, as well as personal treasures, such as the elaborated designed, exquisite snuffboxes collected by Friedrich the Great, are also well worth seeing. The Porcelain Cabinet in the Old Palace offers a breathtaking collection of the finest blue-and-white porcelain decorating the entire room. https://www.visitberlin.de/en/charlottenburg-palace-old-palace

Nyhavn is the perfect place to end a long day. With a cold one on the quay like the locals, or at one of the many restaurants. Originally, Nyhavn was a busy commercial port where ships from all over the world would dock. The area was packed with sailors, ladies of pleasure, pubs and alehouses. Today the beautiful old houses have been renovated and restaurants dominate the old port. Nyhavn is filled with people enjoying the relaxed atmosphere by the canal, jazz music and great food. The famous Danish fairytale writer, Hans Christian Andersen, used to live in no. 20. This is where he wrote the fairy-tales 'The Tinderbox', 'Little Claus and Big Claus', and 'The Princess and the Pea'. He also lived twenty years in no. 67 and two years in no. 18. During Christmas, Nyhavn sets the perfectly Christmas-lit setting for your holiday in Copenhagen. The cafés and restaurants offer Danish Christmas delicacies and the annual Christmas market fills the cobbled street with decorated stalls. A classic Christmas experience. https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/nyhavn-gdk474735

Amalienborg Palace is a must for anyone with a taste for royal history and the life of Denmark’s royal family who still resides inside the palace. Experience royal history at the museum and sense the present of one of the world's oldest monarchies from the beautiful palace square where you can watch the changing of the guards. Amalienborg is famous for its Royal Guard, called Den Kongelige Livgarde. Every day you can experience the changing of the guards, as they march from their barracks in 100 Gothersgade by Rosenborg Castle through the streets of Copenhagen and end up at Amalienborg, where the changing of the guard takes place at 12:00 noon. https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/amalienborg-palace-gdk492887

Christiansborg Palace, located on the tiny island of Slotsholmen, contains the Danish Parliament Folketinget, the Supreme Court, and the Ministry of State. Parts of the palace are used by the Royal Family for various functions and events. The Royal Reception Rooms include The Tower Room and The Oval Throne Room where foreign ambassadors to Denmark are received by the Queen. The Throne Room gives access to the balcony where the Danish monarchs are proclaimed. https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/christiansborg-palace-gdk420896