Long Market (Dlugi Targ) and Neptune Fountain

The Long Market (Dlugi Targ) is the widest and most photographed public space in Gdansk, a pedestrian square in the Main Town of Poland's Pomeranian region that forms the centre of the Royal Way. It runs east from the Golden Gate and the western end of Dluga Street towards the Green Gate and the Motlawa river, and it is framed by tall, narrow merchant houses with painted and carved facades, many of them rebuilt after the destruction of 1945. The Main Town Hall with its slender tower and the Artus Court stand along the square, so a short stroll covers several of the city's best-known buildings. The bronze Neptune Fountain stands in front of Artus Court and dates from the early 17th century. The sea god holds a trident above a basin decorated with sculpted figures, and the fountain is the unofficial emblem of the city and a traditional meeting point. Visitors can spend time simply looking up at the facades, including the richly decorated Golden House close to Artus Court, then step into one of the cafes and restaurants that spill tables onto the square in the warmer months. The square is open around the clock because it is a public street, and the fountain is lit in the evening, which gives a different mood from the daytime scene. For photographs, the classic angle is from the Green Gate end looking west towards the Town Hall tower, with the fountain in the foreground; the low light of early morning or late evening is kinder to the facades than midday sun. A typical visit lasts 30 to 45 minutes, longer when combined with the nearby museums. Crowds are heaviest from late morning to mid-afternoon in summer, when cruise passengers and tour groups arrive, and during the August events season. Early morning, after about 20:00, and winter weekdays are the quietest times. The Christmas market and the summer Dominican Fair bring additional stalls and crowds to the surrounding streets. The cobbled surface is uneven in places, and the square is about a 12 minute walk from Gdansk Glowny railway station along Dluga Street, so no transport is needed once in the Old Town.