The most important entrance gate to Gdańsk was originally located between the city's modern fortifications, which were designed by Hans Kramer and built between 1571 and 1576. It was through this gate that Polish kings always entered Gdańsk. The construction of the gate was finally completed in 1588, making King Sigismund III Vasa the first Polish king to see it.
The gate was designed in the spirit of the Renaissance style by Wilhelm van den Blocke, who also gave it its beautiful stone decorations. The massive form of the structure was inspired by the city gates of Antwerp, which were based on Italian designs. The gate features three openings: the largest in the center for vehicular traffic and two smaller ones on the sides for pedestrians. The entrance and passageways are flanked by double pilasters with Tuscan capitals. The entire level is adorned with rustication featuring deeply carved plant motifs.
An interesting element is the upper part of the structure, the attic, which is disproportionately high. There is a structural reason for this design; the attic housed the portcullis, which protected the entrance to the city. The main decoration of the attic is the so-called heraldic triad: above the main entrance is the coat of arms of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth supported by two angels, to the right is the coat of arms of Gdańsk supported by two lions, and to the left is the coat of arms of Royal Prussia supported by two unicorns. The entire structure is crowned by four lions guarding the entrance to the city.
At the end of the pilasters, there are three Latin inscriptions, reflecting the then-fashionable trend of placing maxims about justice, piety, peace, freedom, and harmony:
- The first inscription: "Sapientissime fiunt quae pro Republica fiunt" – "The wisest acts are those done for the Republic."
- The second inscription: "Iustitia et Pietas duo sunt Regnorum omnium Fundamenta" – "Justice and piety are the two foundations of all kingdoms." Interestingly, if you read only the highlighted bottom line, it reads: "Rum omnium Fundamenta," which can be translated as "Rum is the foundation of everything." This is considered a typical example of Gdańsk humor of that time.
- The third inscription: "Civitatibus haec optanda bona maxime Pax Libertas et Concordia" – "The greatest goods desired for states are peace, liberty, and harmony."