There is only one city as Gdańsk. Others may only be similar. Unusual location and over thousand years of history cause that Gdańsk is distinctive, determined and has an established position on the map of Europe.
At the same time it is a city which still hides a lot of mysteries and has this “something” thanks to which you cannot mistake it for any other.
There is no Gdańsk without freedom. Courage, freshness and, in the first place, freedom – this is a truly Gdańsk tradition. Virtue for centuries appreciated most by the residents of Gdańsk formed its unique genius loci.
You can feel it equally among the tenement houses and among the shipyard cranes, on beautiful sand beaches and in post-industrial rooms, parks and tunnels: in Gdańsk freedom is omnipresent, almost tangible. It inspires and transforms both the space and people. This is what the residents of Gdańsk are like: brave, involved, passionate and creative. This is modern Gdańsk: open to new ideas, moving with the times, originator of events and always surprising.
Gdańsk – the city of freedom changes its face from day to day. Not long ago it was in the centre of events that changed the history of Europe. August 1980, strike in the Gdańsk Shipyard led by Lech Wałęsa and creation of Solidarity, a great social movement, captured imagination of millions. Precisely these events gave a great impulse to the freedom movements around the world and let people believe that impossible is after all possible.
Today’s Gdańsk is a modern, European metropolis, economy based on knowledge, actively developing centre of culture, science, entertainment and sport, attractive tourist destination and the world amber capital. Not without a reason Gdańsk, famous also for its breathtaking stadium, was one of the Host Cities of the UEFA EURO 2012™ European Football Championship.
As the birthplace of Solidarity, Gdańsk is becoming a centre for debate about the modern world; as the World Capital of Amber it fires the imaginations of fashion and jewellery designers; as a city of freedom it inspires artists; and as an IT centre it attracts the most innovative in today’s economy. Gdańsk is an intriguing city, teeming with life, which according to the British Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Travel, publishers of the world’s best selling city guidebook, is one of the top ten cities in the world to visit. Gdańsk is also on the list of forty cities from throughout the world recommended as tourist friendly by The New York Times. Lonely Planet has also put Gdańsk on top of the list of places worth visiting in Poland: Gdańsk guarantees a unique atmosphere and a unique experience. The atmosphere comes from the old and beautiful historic monuments and the scent of the sea. Tempting shops and 20 kilometres of beaches. Cultural events and nature reserves that cannot be found anywhere else. Restaurants, cafes and clubs and the spirit of freedom and tolerance which has emerged many times over the thousand-year multi-national history of Gdańsk.
Website: http://en.ergoarena.pl/
More info about Gdańsk
ERGO ARENA GDAŃSK
Gdansk is one of the oldest cities in Poland, once the most populated and richest in the country.
The hall’s design by the KiPP Projekt Architectural Bureau, created in 2004–06, has received many awards in the architectural industry. The constructional challenges included: reconciling the plans to develop the road network around the building with the necessity to retain a 50 per cent biologically active terrain, budget constraints alongside a wide range of the hall’s technical possibilities, and creating appropriate acoustics inside the building.
Especially for this investment the border between Gdansk and Sopot was modified so now it cuts the hall exactly in half. Thanks to this change ERGO ARENA became a common good for both cities.
The building is 30 metres tall and has 4.3 hectares of usable floor space, comprising seven storeys. It is sitting on a monolithic concrete slab, with its roof structure based on four space pylons.
The construction began in 2007 and lasted until May 2010:
- involving over 1000 workers
- using over 2000 tons of steel
- using nearly 10,000 shoring elements
- laying over 750 kilometres of wire
- with over 1000 lorries delivering concrete to the construction site
The ceremonial opening of the hall took place on 18 August 2010, welcoming over 10,000 spectators to see the friendly opening match between the national teams of Brazil and Poland in men’s volleyball. After an emotional duel the game ended with 3-2 for the red and white team.
ERGO ARENA, due to its modern construction, can host up to 11000, and when we include standing places even 15000 people. It allows to organize whole spectrum of sports competitions. Volleyball, basketball, handball, martial arts, all those disciplines are quite a standard set. Yet the ability to host ice hockey, motorsports, and even windsurfing events, makes this place unique. Apart from sports, obviously, we cannot forget about other events. Our advanced PA system, great venue acoustics, roof truss construction supporting up to 144 tons of lighting or sound equipment, and lots and lots of space, guarantee the highest quality of any music or theatrical event. A complete technical infrastructure allows us to organize conferences, business meetings, fairs, banquets, shows, and other, less conventional events.
High technological standards of ERGO ARENA make it not only a multifunctional venue, but also a safe and comfortable place to visit. The BMS (Building Management System) and DSO (Safety Warning System), infrastructure adapted for handicapped, extensive parking lot, and a very convenient location between Gdańsk and Sopot, allow us to organize events of the highest, world standard.