Gdańsk Crane, one of the water gates of Gdańsk

The gate known as the Gdańsk Crane was erected between 1442 and 1444 on the site of an earlier, probably entirely wooden gate from the 14th century. The structure consists of two powerful towers and a wooden lifting mechanism. It was one of the largest port cranes in medieval Europe, serving as a transshipment point for beer, ship ballast, and mast-raising. The medieval device could lift 4-ton loads to a height of 11 meters. The crane mechanism was powered by two pairs of walking wheels, operated by port workers inside the wheels. The crane retired in the interwar period, used for lifting small vessels during screw propeller repairs. During the war, it suffered significantly, and all wooden elements were destroyed, leaving only the remnants of the thickest walls. It was reconstructed in 1956, based on a design from the early 17th century. Currently, it serves as the headquarters of the Central Maritime Museum. Inside, there is an exhibition depicting the life of Gdańsk residents in a 17th-century port city. Visitors can see a merchant's office, typical interiors of bourgeois houses, craft workshops, methods of storing and transporting goods, and, above all, the crane mechanisms. The exhibition is complemented by models illustrating the functioning of the port.