Great Mill, Gdańsk
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| Great Mill | |
|---|---|
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| General information | |
| Address | ul. Wielkie Młyny 16 Old Town, Śródmieście, Gdańsk |
| Coordinates | 54°21′14″N 18°39′00″E / 54.3540°N 18.6500°E |
| Completed | 1350 |
| Renovated | After 1962 |
| Owner | Gdańsk Museum |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 4 |
| Floor area | 2,300 m2 (25,000 sq ft) |
The Great Mill (Polish: Wielki Młyn; German: Große Mühle) is a 14th-century watermill located in the Old Town of Gdańsk, powered by the Radunia Canal. It was built in 1350 and functioned as a watermill until 1945. It was then a multi-purpose building and shopping mall, and since 2021, it contains an amber museum. It is listed on the regional heritage list.[1]
The Great Mill was built by the State of the Teutonic Order in 1350 atop a newly-created artificial island.[2] The mill, measuring 26 metres (85 ft) in height, 26 metres (85 ft) in width, and 41 metres (135 ft) in length, was powered by 18 water wheels.[3] It fulfilled the roles of a watermill, a granary, and a bakery. Above the two floors of quern-stones, six floors of granaries were found.[4]
The mill remained in operation, being upgraded with (among other equipment) water turbines and producing flour until it was destroyed during the siege of Danzig in 1945.[3][5] It was renovated after 1962, being 80% authentic.[6] It became a multi-purpose building, with features up until 1992 including a Pewex and amusement arcade.[7] The building then functioned as a shopping mall until 2016.[8]
In December 2016, the building was handed over to the Amber Museum in Gdańsk, which had possessed a smaller building that it had trouble fitting its exhibitions into.[9] It was renovated starting in late 2018 for a total of 33.5 million zł and the museum was opened on 24 July 2021.[10]
