Conquering the Vistula Mouth Fortress

06.07.2009

The conference convened by Director of the Gdansk History Museum Adam Koperkiewicz at the Vistula Mouth Fortress on 2 July 2009 came as a result of the joint activation of the past few years on the part of historians, conservators and the Gdansk authorities. A wide-ranging group of experts duly recognized the historic role of the Fortress, built five hundred years ago to protect the city from sea invasion, as well as the present-time significance of promoting the port town through a world culture historic monument of unique value, as claimed by Mayor Pawel Adamowicz and representatives of the Port of Gdansk Authority SA.

It is not only tourists that have so far missed the opportunity to admire the Vistula Mouth Fortress. Similarly, only a handful of local residents of Gdansk have had a chance to appreciate the artistry and craftsmanship of the 16th-century architect, Anthony van Obberghen of the Netherlands, and Swiss fortification builder, Hans Schneider von Lindau. This was mainly due to the fact that the Fortress, which had been erected on the eastern bank of the Vistula River, became part of the area designated by contemporary urban planners solely for the industrial and border guard purposes. Destroyed by World War II and neglected over the last half-century, the Vistula Mouth Fortress has endured as no more than an obelisk visible to those sailing along the port canal. It is not until now that the Fortress has received due recognition for its unique qualities. A lot of effort is needed for the Fort Carre (a square-based structure typical of the 16th-century defense fortifications in France, Spain and Italy), one of the few remaining in Europe until this day, to be returned to society and regain its high-ranking position as part of the region's cultural heritage and a tourist attraction.

The Fortress came under the management of the Gdansk History Museum in 1974 and it would be well-advised not to mention its previous plight during the post-war time. Politics coupled by the shortage of funding forced us to wait yet another 30 years for "light in the port's fog". It was not until the construction of Poland's first post-war drawbridge on the outer moat of the Fortress, mainly financed from the EU funds, when the opportunity opened up to salvage the common treasure for the sake of future generations of Poles, Europeans and people all over the world. The Gdansk budget along with the donations from the World Monuments Fund and the Interreg III B prevented the construction disaster of an object enlisted as the world cultural heritage. Further details regarding the dramatic history of the Fort Carré in Gdansk can be found on the Gdansk History Museum website. This article attempts to demonstrate that the Vistula Mouth Fortress undoubtedly represents a common treasure and part of the national heritage to the authorities of thousand-year-old Gdansk, the Gdansk Pomeranian region and also the management of a commercial business entity in charge the Gdansk port.

By allowing even only partial tourists access to the Vistula Mouth Fortress in the 2009 season, the Gdansk History Museum management has "hit the bull's eye". Despite the transport problems, shortage of weekend ferry services and no earlier advertising campaign - the East Bastion of the Fort is increasingly swarmed with tourists on a daily basis. Bike trips and family excursions alike confirm the unique attractiveness of the place located on the road to Westerplatte and the Northern Port as well as to the DCT container terminal. The cylindrical tower of the Fortress (once embellished with a cupola and a beacon), until recently only seen from the opposite bank of the port canal, has now revealed a surrounding ring of former officers' houses and another one - inside the bastion walls housing a garrison barracks. An austere charm of poterns, casemates and battery emplacements (guarding the access to the port and its roadstead) or soldiers' cells has a great emotional effect on visitors independent of their age. The ambience cannot even be spoilt by a symbolic food outlet provided this year and serving no more than ice-cream and beverages. The shortage in that department is more than amply compensated by the panoramic view afforded from the top of the Vistula Mouth Fortress leaning tower with an inclination of 2 percent.

There are information boards giving details about the rescue measures for this world-class historic monument opening up new and, at the same time, long-forgotten opportunities for the Vistula Mouth Fortress as well as for Gdansk and its port. The renovation work and repairs as well as hydrotechnical work currently under way have been financed in 85 percent from the so-called Norwegian Funds and guarantee the introduction of the Fort onto every tourist's must-see itinerary in this part of Baltic Europe. However, conquering the Fortress - or rather recovering it from oblivion - will undoubtedly take a long time. The extent of damage to the foundations sunk in the water, fractured and knocked down bastion walls require specialist technologies in restoration, lots of patience on the part of specialists and monument conservators as well as a considerable amount of money. The restoration of the Fortress calls for a joint effort of various institutions and individuals who consider the memory of our national roots and cultural heritage as a significant value.