View of Motlawa river
by Balthazar Frederic Leizel, Augsburg, Germany, 2nd half of the 18th cent.
At Granaries Island
by unknown author, 2nd half of the 19th cent. Photo Ewa Meksiak
Looking at the peaceful port today, it is hardly to believe that some centuries ago it was overcrowded by ships, boats and rafts and, complying with the rules, vessels could stay here for only four days. Poland was called in those days "the granary of Europe" and "the storehouse of shipbuilding materials". Agricultural and forest products were rafted down the rivers to the longest Polish river, the Vistula, and then to Gdansk. It was said that "rye and wheat" flowed in the river, not water.
Gdansk was always ready to receive the greatest possible amount of goods, to re-load and store them. The length of the quaysides in port increased every year, up to 3 kilometres. The same applies to the warehouses: there were almost 300 of them, sometimes of 7 storeys - their total area was said to be greater than that of some towns!
Wyspa Spichrzów (‘Granaries Island’) became the transhipment centre of the port of Gdansk. There were many warehouses specially designated for specific cargo, but most of them were granaries. So that people might more easily find their way about the port, the warehouses received names, e.g. the King David, the Stag, the Grey Goose, the Bear. The granaries were also built on the next island, called Olowianka (‘Lead Island’).