The Crane (Zuraw)

The largest medieval port crane in Europe, now a branch of the Maritime Museum

The Crane — Zuraw in Polish — is the most distinctive structure on the Gdansk waterfront. Built in 1442 and rebuilt after the Swedish siege of 1659, it is the largest surviving medieval port crane in Europe. Two massive wooden treadwheels inside, powered by men walking them like hamster wheels, drove the lifting mechanism. The building spans the Motlawa on two massive brick towers, and its distinctive double-gate silhouette is one of the city's most recognisable images.

Now part of the National Maritime Museum, the Crane houses an exhibition on the history of the port and Polish seafaring. The Maritime Museum also includes exhibition halls on the opposite bank connected by a small boat ferry. Worth the admission — the interior mechanism alone is remarkable.

things to do museum landmark
A story
The Crane straddled the Motlawa and could hoist loads of up to four tonnes — enormous for its era. It also served to install new masts on ships. When the Swedish army sacked Gdansk in 1659, they dismantled it and shipped the internal workings back to Sweden; the exterior shell survived and the mechanism was later reconstructed.

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