Żuraw nad Motławą jako przedsiębiorstwo miejskie w późnośredniowiecznym i wczesnonowożytnym Gdańsku
The Great Crane on the Motława River as a municipal enterprise in late medieval and early modern Gdańsk

Summary/Abstract: One of the elements of port infrastructure in the late Middle Ages and in modern times were cranes. The most important device of this kind in Gdańsk was the Great Crane. From the sixteenth century it was used primarily for setting masts on ships and lifting cargoes of wine. There were also other harbour cranes in Gdańsk in modern times. The so‑called Rear Crane (Hinter‑Krahn) was built outside the city fortifications opposite the Unicorn Bastion (Eichhorn‑Bastion). In 1619, the so‑called Small Crane / Iron Crane (Eisen‑Krahn) was built at the Iron Weigh House (Eisen‑Waage); used for lifting millstones and iron parts, it was relocated from the wharf at the Old Castle (Altes Schloss, Zamczysko). A fourth crane was built at the Lead Court (Bleihof, Ołowianka). The article outlines the organisation of a municipal enterprise for the operation of the Great Crane. It was headed by the crane master (Kranmeister) and included also wine writers (Weinschreiber) and a wine carrier (Weinschröter). The article further presents an analysis of expenses and income related to the operation of port cranes in Gdańsk between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries.

• Details
• Contents