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. A great attraction for tourists is to be able to see the internal mechanisms. Currently, the Zuraw Crane is a division of the Central Maritime Museum and has an exhibition showcasing life in a port city in times of its greatest prosperity, between the 16th and 18th centuries. Gdansk, then called the breadbasket of Europe, was the most dynamic port on the Baltic Sea. Exhibited displays include navigational aids in the port, cargo handling techniques, an example of a merchant’s premises with reception rooms and local craft workshops, especially those connected with the sea. Central Maritime Museum – Gdansk (woj. Pomorskie) www.cmm.pl