Oliwa Park

ul. Opacka 12, Gdańsk Oliwa , Oliwa 01 Dec 2024

Oliwa Park in autumn. Photo by vivoo.

Oliwa Park in autumn. Photo by Canva Pro.

Oliwa Park in autumn. Photo by Patryk Kosmider.

The Abbots' Palace in Oliwa Park. Photo by Darios44 / Canva Pro

Oliwa Park in autumn. Photo by Canva Pro.

Gdańsk has a lot of acreage of greenery that is available for public roaming and romping, however, none can compare to the majestically-kept 10-hectare parkland of Gdańsk Oliwa!

**The Abbot's Palace** across from the canal in Oliwa Park.

The exact origins of Oliwa Park are lost to time, but what is known is that Oliwa's last Cistercian abbot, Jacek Rybiński (1701-1782) had the gardener Kazimierz Dębiński originate the beginnings of its contemporary appearance by designing a French Rococo part of the garden, still in existence today in the south of the park. After Rybiński's death a family by the name of Hohenzollern-Hechingen took over the park, introducing even more grand designs, and over the years, and in the hands of several different people, Oliwa Park gradually took on its modern look, with the addition of a Chinese garden, English touches, botanical gardens, and an ultra-modern glass palm house is open for dining and general "ooh aah" regarding its tropical plant collection!

Gdańsk's very own **Palm House** in Oliwa Park!

Today's park is a hugely popular place for people to come and relax, picnic and enjoy the many sights it has on offer. A fun attraction is the so-called 'Whispering Caves' (aka. Dionysus' Ears) to the southeast of the Abbot's Palace. Assuming that nobody has relieved themselves here for a while, it's possible for two people to stand in each 'ear' and have a conversation in the quietest of whispers.

***Aleja Lipowa*** (ENG: Linden Avenue) during the evening hours of winter in Oliwa Park.

The mighty hedge-row pathway known as Aleja Lipowa (ENG: Linden Avenue) is particularly impressive in the winter months, as seasonal lights mesh over its fantastical forms and offer some wonderful insta opps! Elsewhere, waterways like the Prince's View sport some interesting maritime-theme light fixtures.

The building which once served as the Abbot's Granary is now home to the city's Ethnographic Museum, showcasing all manner of folk artifacts related to the basic activities of various ethnic groups inhabiting Eastern Pomerania. Around the corner, the local area's most noticeable landmark, Oliwa Cathedral, is home to an extraordinary pipe organ, with 7,896 pipes covering 110 pitch registers and even some mechanisms to produce sound effects! Attending one of the numerous daily recitals is highly recommended.