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 The Seven Cities conurbation (Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot, Wejherowo, Reda, Rumia, Pruszcz Gdanski) are seven neighbouring towns situated at the Baltic Sea, close to the Gdanska Bay. They are something more than the traditional Triple City (Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot). In the Triple City the number of population has been gradually decreasing over the past few years. It is especially seen in Sopot. According to the statistics, in 20 years time Sopot will be the smallest of the Seven Cities. In the remaining four towns – Wejherowo, Reda, Rumia, Pruszcz Gdanski – the number of their population is constantly growing. It is clear then, that the prospects of the future growth and development of the Triple City are actually situated outside it.
After the process of urbanization of this area, the so called sub-urbanization is taking place here at the moment. This is the stage in the city development when the main feature is depopulation of the centre and growth of the suburbs. An effect of the suburbanization is development of the infrastructure in the suburbs (housing estates, shopping and service centres, public transport, etc.) as well as creating so called “sleeping room - towns” whose residents commute to work in the city centre or to bigger cities. What is more, there are already seen some symptoms of de-urbanization which means a social and cultural process of depopulation of big urban centres, de-concentration of the trade, industries and services and gradually disappearing of so called city life style. It can be said that the future development of the Triple City lies in the seven mutually completing each other cities and towns as well as in their vicinity – in their neighbouring municipalities. The Seven Cities conurbation has been developing over the span of 700 years. The dates of establishing its cities and towns stand for their contemporary urban characteristics. The oldest and largest Gdansk received its city rights in 1263. Dating back to the 13th century Gdansk is therefore a medieval, multicultural sea port. Looking into the latest history it is worth remembering that here the World War II started in 1939 and in 1980 a great social movement for freedom – “Solidarity” rose which sustained in spite of really hard times to finally force in 1989 the communist regime to share its ruling power with the whole Polish nation. This meant the change of the political system and the beginning of democracy in Poland. And this is here where the eventual “melting” of the East European Soviet system started and totalitarian systems were rejected. Gdansk was the first. The next city is Gdynia. It is a relatively young city as it received the city rights in 1926. A decision about building a new Polish sea port was made in 1920 when Poland regained its independence and received an access to a little fragment of the Baltic coast. The area of the Free City of Gdansk (which included also Sopot) by the Treaty of Versailles became a republic (similarly to former Hanseatic cities considered to have been independent republican states) under the protectorate of the League of Nations. Since Poland was not given any rights to control or expand the port of Gdansk, a decision to build a new port in Gdynia was made. The building started in 1923. In the place of the little fishermen village a new modern city and huge port was built in the inter-war time. Its modernistic and functional features are still present here. Every year Gdynia hosts the biggest cruise liners entering the Baltic Sea, also tall ship rallies take place here. The third biggest town of the Seven Cities is Wejherowo. In 1643 a noble landowner Jakub Wejher founded a new village – Weiherfrey. He especially encouraged Lutheran craftsmen from Gdansk to settle in his properties. Catholic and Lutheran churches were built here. As soon as in 1650 the new little but prospering town received the city rights and the name – Weiheropolis. A German name Neustadt was also in use. Such a fast establishing of a new town was something exceptional. Also something unique is the Wejherovian Calvary – a group of 26 little chapels which were built in 1649-55 years. The chapels have been renovated by the means of the European funds and at present they are a bright jewel of the sacred architecture of Pomerania. Worth noticing is also the main square of Wejherowo – well-maintained, with a specific climate of a 17th century town. The next four towns – Rumia, Reda, Sopot, Pruszcz Gdanski – are a direct effect of the urbanization of this whole area. They formed as a sort of “urban link” between Gdansk, Gdynia and Wejherowo. All the seven towns have a common road and rail “backbone” which was eventually formed in the 19th century. From Wejherowo it goes westwards, towards Szczecin, from Pruszcz it goes in the south direction, towards Warsaw and Łodz. From Reda a road and rail artery leads to the Hel Peninsula, towards open sea. Sopot received its city rights in 1902. It was created as a spa resort. As early as in the 17th century summer residences were built here by the patricians from Gdansk. The architecture of Sopot in the 19th and 20th century was not different from the buildings which appeared at the same time in Gdansk. Quite often even the architects were the same. Houses in various styles were built then – neo-Gothic, neoclassicism, eclecticism and art nouveau. The beauty and charm of these building we can admire today while walking round the town. The town was established and built in the time of the German Empire. In the inter-war time Sopot belonged to the Free City of Gdansk. After the war, almost not destroyed, it became part of Poland and Polish Pomerania. According to its spa character, the biggest attractions here are the walking path and the longest in Europe wooden pier. The way in which Pruszcz (Pruszcz Gdanski from 1951) gained its city rights is somehow unusual. During the war, in 1942, under the German rule it was incorporated into Gdansk and received the city rights ... as part of Gdansk which at this time was part of ... the German Third Reich, eg. a totalitarian Nazi regime. Three years later, in 1945, the regime eventually fell down. After the war Gdansk got back to its former city borders, but without Pruszcz which in 1951 received the present name – Pruszcz Gdanski. There are a few remarkable facts concerning the history of Pruszcz. In the 14th century an artificial, almost 14-kilometre-long canal of Radunia River was built here. It provided drinking water for Gdansk and the castle of Gdansk as well as for its moats. The main purpose for the canal was using its water for driving the Big Mill in the Old Town in Gdansk. The mill was one of the largest industrial facilities in medieval Europe (18 huge wheels powered by water) and the canal itself was the best art of engineering of those days. At present a commercial trading post from ancient Roman times is being reconstructed in Pruszcz nearby the Radunia River and the canal. The town can also take pride in the fact that the oldest settlement areas in this part of the Baltic coast were located here several thousand years ago. Rumia received the city rights in 1954. At this time many detached and semi-detached cheap, plain, sqaure-like houses were built. The town was the “sleeping area” for developing Gdynia as well as the town of little manufactures and craftsmen of various kind. A soul of enterprise is seen here. The town is developing in a very dynamic way. With two large shopping centres (Auchan and Castorama, another one already being built) and its closeness to the centre of Gdynia, Rumia gains the features of a big city. Although there aren’t any interesting old buildings or any specific architecture, it is close to everywhere from Rumia. The youngest and the smallest town in the Seven Cities is Reda. Its city rights date back to 1967. For those who don’t live here, Reda means mainly a piece of a wide busy road and the place where the road turns towards the Hel Peninsula. It actually used to be like that – not much more than a few houses along the road. In the 1980s Reda started growing and new housing estates were built. At present new modern estates of detached houses and blocks are being built. Like Rumia, Reda also has an excellent location. The coast of the sea, the ferry terminal in Gdynia or the airport in Gdansk is within 30 minutes drive. If you feel bored with the shopping centres of Rumia, you can go to Wejherowo. Another great advantage of Reda is the neighbourhood of two huge forest areas – the Darżlubska Wilderness area and the Triple City Wildlife Park. And a lot of fresh air.
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