Great Mill, Gdańsk
| Great Mill | |
|---|---|
_ID_635793.jpg) | |
| General information | |
| Address | ul. Wielkie Młyny 16 Old Town, Śródmieście, Gdańsk |
| Coordinates | 54°21′14″N 18°39′00″E / 54.3540°N 18.6500°E |
| Completed | 1350 |
| Renovated | After 1962 |
| Owner | Gdańsk Museum |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 4 |
| Floor area | 2,300 m2 (25,000 sq ft) |
The Great Mill (Polish: Wielki Młyn; German: Große Mühle) is a 14th-century watermill located in the Old Town of Gdańsk, powered by the Radunia Canal. It was built in 1350 and functioned as a watermill until 1945. It was then a multi-purpose building and shopping mall, and since 2021, it contains an amber museum. It is listed on the regional heritage list.[1]
History
The Great Mill was built by the State of the Teutonic Order in 1350 atop a newly-created artificial island.[2] The mill, measuring 26 metres (85 ft) in height, 26 metres (85 ft) in width, and 41 metres (135 ft) in length, was powered by 18 water wheels.[3] It fulfilled the roles of a watermill, a granary, and a bakery. Above the two floors of quern-stones, six floors of granaries were found.[4]
The mill remained in operation, being upgraded with (among other equipment) water turbines and producing flour until it was destroyed during the siege of Danzig in 1945.[3][5] It was renovated after 1962, being 80% authentic.[6] It became a multi-purpose building, with features up until 1992 including a Pewex and amusement arcade.[7] The building then functioned as a shopping mall until 2016.[8]
In December 2016, the building was handed over to the Amber Museum in Gdańsk, which had possessed a smaller building that it had trouble fitting its exhibitions into.[9] It was renovated starting in late 2018 for a total of 33.5 million zł and the museum was opened on 24 July 2021.[10]
Gallery
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The Radunia Canal flowing around the Great Mill -
Repairs being carried out, 2019 -
The interior of the Amber Museum
References
- ^ "Zestawienia zabytków nieruchomych - woj. pomorskie" (PDF). nid.pl. National Institute of Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ Samp 2000, p. 33.
- ^ a b Samp 2000, p. 36.
- ^ Antioniewicz, Grażyna (25 November 2016). "Czy Gdańsk ma oddać Krzyżakom Wielki Młyn? [ZDJĘCIA]". Dziennik Bałtycki. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ Januszajtis, Andrzej (19 May 2017). "Jeszcze o Wielkim Młynie". Gazeta Wyborcza.
- ^ Januszajtis, Andrzej (18 June 2019). "Tego na pewno nie wiecie. Dookoła Wielkiego Młyna". wyborcza.pl. Gazeta Wyborcza. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ Moritz, Katarzyna (7 September 2016). "Po ponad 20 latach skończył się handel w Wielkim Młynie". trojmiasto.pl. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ Stawikowska, Emilia (7 September 2016). "To już koniec handlu w Wielkim Młynie. "Kupcy potrafią przecież liczyć..."". wyborcza.pl. Gazeta Wyborcza. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ Moritz, Katarzyna (19 December 2016). "Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Gdańska przejmuje Wielki Młyn". trojmiasto.pl. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ Muraszko, Małgorzata (17 July 2021). "Życie zatopione w bursztynie. 24 lipca otwarcie Muzeum Bursztynu w Wielkim Młynie w Gdańsku". wyborcza.pl. Gazeta Wyborcza. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
Bibliography
Samp, Jerzy (2000). Miasto czterdziestu bram. Gdańsk: Marpress. ISBN 83-85349-71-5.