Gdansk Crane was built before 1366. It was burned by the Soviet troops after they conquered the city in early 1945.
The oldest and preserved medieval, port crane in Europe, is the most characteristic building in Gdansk. It is the symbol of Gdansk and symbolic of the city’s character as a port. It is certainly the oldest surviving port crane in Europe. It was built between 1442 and 1444 with two brick towers between which was installed the wooden lifting mechanism. It was intended for three functions; a loading crane, a defensive fortification and a city gate. As a crane, it was designed to lift heavy cargo from ships and also for standing and lowering ship’s masts. Its power mechanism was two pairs of wheels of different diameter fitted with wooden beams over which the workers walked setting the wheels in motion. During World War II, the wooden area was destroyed and only 60% of the brick portion remained in tact. After the war, Zuraw was once again rebuilt
Size: 3403px × 5120px
Location: Gdanska, Poland
Photo credit: © Jim Gibson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: crane, eastern, europe, gdansk, krantor, medieval, poland, port, tourism, wooden, zuraw, Żuraw
