Green Gate in Gdansk

The Gate, known as the Green Gate, closes off the Long Market and was erected as a residence for Polish kings. Its construction took place between 1564-1568, replacing the earlier Gothic Koga Gate. It was built by Regnier from Amsterdam and Hans Kramer from Dresden. The building's form, the first of its kind in Gdańsk, draws inspiration from Northern Mannerism, giving the city a unique architectural character for the years to come. Interestingly, during the construction of the gate, bricks of smaller dimensions, referred to as "Dutch bricks" due to being imported as ballast on ships from Amsterdam, were used. Despite its original purpose, the Green Gate never served as a residence for Polish monarchs. It only briefly hosted Maria Ludwika Gonzaga, the wife of Władysław IV, and later Jan Kazimierz. In subsequent years, it served various functions – initially as the seat of the Gdańsk Naturalists Society, later relocated to the Naturalists' House. The gate initially had three passages, with a fourth added in the 19th century. Above the original passages, the coats of arms of Poland, Royal Prussia, and Gdańsk were placed. Above the passage added in 1868 is the Prussian coat of arms. Currently, the palace serves as one of the branches of the National Museum in Gdańsk.