Small Armoury

This place is on tourist attraction maps, but I don't believe that most tourist would be bothered to check this place out. To those tourists I say: Shame on you! :)

Small arsenal is placed outside of immediate Old Town. I think that this would be the reason people can't be bothered going there. I, myself adore this place. I like it the most at night. Also small arsenal gives me the creeps at night, but I guess I like to torture myself. Why does it give me the creeps? I'll tell you later. First a little bit of history :)

The arsenal was build in 1645 during the times of uncertainty and wars :) It was built by one architect of many names: George Strakwitz, who liked to spell his surname differently. Sometimes he signed on his designs Strakowski or Strakoffsky (maybe he was trying to disguise himself as he simply wasn't that happy with his work - who knows:)

The small armoury is of a simple, but yet beautiful design, with very few decorative accents, but with six huge gates, that allowed to move in big objects. It is part of heavy fortification of Gdansk, but was used not only to store armoury, but also other objects like decorations used to embellish route for kings and queens.

As time went by and all wars finished, armoury wasn't used for military purposes. At one point it served as headquarters of taxi company (taxis went to sleep there :). Now small armoury is where art comes to life. The building is home to Faculty of Sculpture and Intermedia of Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk.

Remember, when I told you that small armoury gives me the creeps at night? Well, here is why: a lot of the sculptures made by fine artists are stored outside and a lot of them look like people. So when I walk alone in dark around that place, which isn't very busy I feel there are people up there are observing me.

Nonetheless small armoury is beautiful place, with small part upfront. And the cool think is that the outside display changes from time to time, so in a way it is like changing exposition at a museum :) What is also nice is that not far from small armoury are bastions, which I think are a must see for absolutely everybody.