The Gulf of Gdansk, which at all times was an important strategic object, at the dawn of the twentieth century turned into a recreation area. Here, for example, is one of the largest Polish resorts - Sopot.
B altic Spit of the Gulf of Gdansk
The sandy peninsula, called the B altic Spit, was created by nature itself. This natural rampart owes its appearance to the sea currents and the sands of the Vistula. The B altic Spit occupies the space between Gdansk and B altiysk - Polish and Russian cities. Geographically, the B altic Spit is located on the southeastern coast of the Gulf of Gdansk and ends near Sobieszewski Island.
Nature Spa
This special area, formed over many years, has long been chosen by vacationers. There are four natural reserves here: "Bird Paradise", "Mevya Laha", "Fishing Corners" and "Buki Vistula Spit".
The B altic sandy spit of the Gulf of Gdansk attracts tourists with open, miraculous thermal s alt springs and pine forests.
The fishing villages of Pyaski, Yantar and Mikoshevo are no less popular among travelers. Air saturated with iodine and moisture combined with sunlightmakes these places a climatic resort. It is here that the famous Krynica Morska is located - the warmest place in these parts.
The beauty of local landscapes
To get to the Gulf of Gdansk (Gdansk Bay), you first need to reach the coast of the B altic Sea from Russia or Poland. The bay got its name thanks to the nearby settlement - the city of Gdansk.
The B altic Sea is considered the youngest, shallowest and most non-s alty body of water in the World Ocean. The landscape of the seabed is flat, and the soil, which in the area of the B altic Strait is covered with clay deposits, near the coast consists mainly of sand. The closer to the shore, the finer and lighter the sand.
This area is also famous for its natural beaches. The sand here is soft and so light that on a fine day it seems snow-white.
The Gulf of Gdansk is dotted with underwater depressions, the deepest is the northern one (more than 100 m). In other parts of the bay, the depth generally ranges from 50 to 70 m, but in some places it reaches 90 m.
In the warm (uncharacteristic for the B altic) waters of the Gulf of Gdansk, at a depth of more than 10 m, commercial fish are found. Here you can see schools of B altic cod, vendace, flounder, eelpout, halibut, B altic herring and sprat. Especially lucky travelers managed to meet B altic salmon, sea trout and whitefish, as well as local mammals: B altic seals and porpoises.
The shape and direction of the currents of the Gulf of Gdansk is predeterminedthe location of two narrow sandy peninsulas adjoining it: in the western part of the bay there is the Hel Spit, and in the eastern part - the B altic.
Historical past and present
Historical events taking place in Europe have repeatedly affected the Gulf of Gdansk.
The first people, according to archaeologists, appeared in these places at the beginning of the Bronze Age, and the settlements of the descendants of the ancient Slavs, found during regular excavations, date back to the 5th century.
The first document in which the Gulf of Gdansk, the coordinates of Gdansk and the Vistula appear, was a historical reference dated 997, when Bishop Adalbert of Prague visited these places. The goal of the missionary was to convert local pagans to the Christian faith. Here he was killed.
Slavic princes who ruled Gdansk in the 11th century turned the city into a trading center. Merchant ships from Holland and Scotland moored to the large pier. These lands also saw Flemish, French and Eastern merchants, and the merchant marine "Amber Route", which stretched from Gdansk to the Balkans, was lost off the coast of Byzantium and again "surfaced" far to the east.
B altic Spit today
Today, the Gulf of Gdansk washes the shores of one of the oldest and largest Polish cities. Gdansk stands out among other resort areas for its state of ecology. This is perhaps the greenest and most environmentally friendly port city, where tourists from Sweden, Denmark and other European countries arrive.
In German, the B altic Spit is called"Frische Nerung", that is, "the land that came out of the sea near the freshwater bay." From the pier there is a road to the Western Fort, an ancient structure built during the reign of William the First. But the main attraction of the B altic Spit is the Neutif airfield built by German engineers. In 1937, it was one of the most modern, state-of-the-art facilities, and later one of the best Nazi air bases.
The Neutif airfield as a historical monument is a kind of evidence of the competence and professionalism of the specialists who worked on its construction. The flight control tower, which was repeatedly stormed by Soviet bombers, has been well preserved to this day.
