Wisloujscie Fortress

Wisloujscie Fortress stands at Stara Twierdza 1 in the Przerobka area at the mouth of the Vistula, north-east of central Gdansk, Poland. It began as a brick lighthouse tower built in 1482 to guide ships into the harbour, and it grew over the following centuries into a star-shaped fortress with earth bastions, a moat and defensive buildings. Its role was to protect the sea entrance to Gdansk, and it survived the sieges of the city, including that of 1734 during the War of the Polish Succession, when it fell after a long defence by the garrison. After the partitions of Poland the fortress was used by the Prussian army and then by the German and Polish forces, and it was in military use up to the Second World War. The lighthouse, which is one of the oldest in Poland, remains the core of the complex and was operated as a lighthouse until the 19th century. The buildings were damaged in the war and later restored, and the site is now a branch of the Museum of Gdansk. The restoration continues in stages, and parts of the complex still show wear and conservation work. The exhibition inside the fortress covers the history of the fortifications and the harbour entrance and includes arms, models, maps and archaeological finds. Visitors can walk through the courtyards and along the ramparts, and the lighthouse tower can usually be climbed for a view over the river mouth and the port. The curatorial approach is thematic and combines exhibition spaces with the experience of the fortification itself. The area is quieter than the city centre and is reached by road, bus or in season by water tram.