Westerplatte
The site where World War II began, where about 200 Polish defenders held out for seven days. Today it is an open-air memorial with monuments.
At dawn on September 1, 1939, the German battleship “Schleswig-Holstein” shelled the Polish military transit depot on Westerplatte, marking the outbreak of World War II. Around 200 defenders held out for seven days before surrendering. The ruins of the bombed barracks and guard posts remain, and on the hill stands the 25-meter-high Coastal Defenders Monument. The open-air area is free; the guardhouse exhibition charges a small fee. Getting there: take bus 106 or 606 from the Old Town for about 30 minutes. In summer, you can catch a boat near the Crane Gate (about 1 hour, with harbor views along the way).
Opening hours
Open all day (indoor galleries about 09:00–19:00)
Nearby sights
- European Solidarity Centre & Gdańsk Shipyard
- Museum of the Second World War
- Polish Post Office Museum
- Amber Museum
- National Maritime Museum
- Gdańsk Crane
- Mariacka Street
- St. Mary's Church