Join us for the sixth installment of our summer walking tour series through one of Gdańsk’s most fascinating neighborhoods. As we explore together, we’ll delve into the history of Wrzeszcz, its architecture, and the stories of the people who shaped the character of this unique part of the city.
In 2021, as the Palma Foundation, we published the “Architectural Guide to Wrzeszcz,” and since then we have been organizing annual architectural walking tours that bring together architecture and history enthusiasts from Wrzeszcz, Gdańsk, and all over Poland.
Wrzeszcz is one of Gdańsk’s most remarkable neighborhoods—a place where the city’s history has been preserved in its authentic setting. Unlike the historic center, the district largely survived World War II, allowing us to admire to this day the original tenement houses, villas, modernist buildings, and the original urban layout dating back over a century.
Michał Ślubowski—a historian, tour guide, creator of the Gedanarium website, and author of the books on the women of Gdańsk, *Witches, Townswomen, and Penitents* and *Beggars, Celebrities, and Saints*—will take us on these walks. Known for his passionate, fascinating, and witty stories, he has been bringing the history of Wrzeszcz to life for residents and tourists alike for years.
Dates and schedule of the walks:
July 25, 10:00 a.m., Villas of Górny Wrzeszcz
Join us for a stroll through the picturesque Jaśkowa Valley and the extraordinary villas of Górny Wrzeszcz from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Amid the green streets and historic gardens, we’ll discover the district’s most impressive residences—from villas inspired by Swiss guesthouses and the English cottage style to homes designed for Gdańsk merchants, doctors, and industrialists. We’ll take a closer look at wooden verandas, turrets, bay windows, decorative half-timbering, and facades hidden among the greenery. We’ll learn the stories of the residents and architects who created one of the most unique and intimate parts of Gdańsk. This is a story about the former prestige of Jaśkowa Dolina, the trend of living close to nature, and the architecture that still gives this neighborhood its unique atmosphere today.
Start of the walk: We’ll meet at the Palma Foundation’s headquarters at 11/4 Jaśkowa Dolina Street, where there will be a brief introduction to the walk at 10:00 a.m.
July 26, 10:00 a.m., Garden City in Wrzeszcz [Abegga Colony]
The Abegga Colony—one of the oldest workers’ colonies in Gdańsk—was established in the late 19th century as a modern response to the problems of a rapidly growing industrial city. Cozy houses surrounded by greenery, small gardens, and a tranquil street layout were intended to provide workers with better living conditions than cramped tenement buildings. We’ll explore the concept of the garden city and the origins of modern social urban planning, which aimed to combine functional housing, green spaces, and a sense of community. We’ll discuss the development of workers’ colonies, the daily lives of their residents, and why the Abegga Colony remains one of the most unique and best-preserved developments of its kind in Gdańsk to this day.
Starting point of the walk: main entrance to Gdańsk University of Technology, 11 Narutowicza St., 10:00 a.m.
August 22, 10:00 a.m. Socialist Realist Wrzeszcz
Join us on a journey to Gdańsk in the 1950s, when architecture was meant not only to rebuild the devastated city but also to shape the image of a new, socialist society. Along Grunwaldzka Avenue and the surrounding streets, we’ll see monumental tenement buildings, rhythmic facades, arcades, grand gateways, and decorative details characteristic of the Stalinist era. During our walk, we’ll explore the history of the Grunwaldzka Residential District, which was intended to become the prestigious center of the new Gdańsk. Although the project was never fully realized, its traces are still visible throughout Wrzeszcz today. This is a story of postwar reconstruction, the political ambitions of the Polish People’s Republic, architecture subordinated to ideology, and what remains of those original plans.
Start of the walk: We’ll meet at the Palma Foundation’s headquarters at 11/4 Jaśkowa Dolina Street, where there will be a brief introduction to the walk at 10:00 a.m.
August 23, 10:00 a.m., Jaśkowa Dolina Park
Where was one of Europe’s first public parks located? How many people could the famous Forest Theater seat, and why did Gdańsk’s elite come to Jaśkowa Valley? Jaśkowa Valley Park became famous as a venue for concerts, festivals, performances, winter sleigh rides, and walks among the forested hills. It was here that restaurants and observation pavilions operated, and paths led to romantic viewpoints and hidden nooks. During our walk, we’ll visit, among other places, the Forest Theater, the Festival Meadow, the Singers’ Grove, the former Jewish cemetery, the Forest Glade, Royal Hill, and Gutenberg Grove. We’ll tell you about the hills’ former names, extraordinary events, the people who lived here, and the history of this place, which has remained the green heart of Wrzeszcz for over two centuries.
Start of the walk: We’ll meet at the Palma Foundation’s headquarters at 11/4 Jaśkowa Dolina Street, where there will be a brief introduction to the walk at 10:00 a.m.
TICKETS
30 PLN – regular / 20 PLN – reduced rate for students and people aged 60 and older *
BUY A TICKET: https://fpalma.pl/kategoria-produktu/bilety/
*[Enter the discount code: student / 60+ when shopping online]
A student ID entitles you to a discount [1 ID = 1 discounted ticket]. You must present your ID during ticket inspection before the tour. Please note: The number of discounted tickets is limited!
The Palma Foundation’s
projects on Jaśkowa Dolina Street are funded by the City of Gdańsk as part of the “Social Spaces of Culture” program.
