The long-awaited decision has been made – Gdynia, and more specifically, the modernist city centre – is to be inscribed on UNESCO’s prestigious World Heritage List. On Monday, 27 July, in Busan, South Korea, experts acknowledged that Gdynia’s architecture and overall urban layout are of exceptional value on a global scale.
A decision by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee to inscribe Gdynia Modernist City Centre on the World Heritage List acknowledges that the city embodies values that extend far beyond the history of Poland. Only sites with Outstanding Universal Value are included on the List – sites that have made a lasting contribution to the history of civilisation and the development of world culture.
In this case, the experts recognised that Gdynia Modernist City Centre is one of the world’s most outstanding examples of early modernism in urban planning. It was built almost from scratch between 1926 and 1939 as a modern centre for a port city, and has retained its unique spatial layout and architecture to this day. Gdynia’s nomination for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List was based on Criterion IV, which relates to properties representing a significant stage in human history.
As late as the early 1920s, Gdynia was a small Kashubian village with a population of around 1,200. A dozen or so years later, it had become one of Europe’s most modern ports and a rapidly developing city with a population of over 120,000. The pace of this development was among the fastest in the world.
The birth of Gdynia was a direct consequence of Poland regaining its independence after 123 years of being partitioned. Following the end of the First World War, the reborn Polish state gained access to the Baltic Sea over a stretch of just 74 kilometres, whilst Gdańsk lay outside Poland’s borders as the Free City of Gdańsk. This meant it was necessary to build an own seaport, which would ensure the country’s economic independence and enable it to engage in international trade. In 1922, the decision was made to build a port in Gdynia based on a design by engineer Tadeusz Wenda. At the same time, work began on designing an entirely new city, with Adam Kuncewicz appointed as the chief town planner.
What makes Gdynia unique is the way it combines traditional urban planning with the new concepts of modernism. The classic street grid and the compact façades of the buildings were preserved, whilst at the same time the structures were designed in accordance with the latest principles of healthy and comfortable living. The flats were well-lit, free from dark annexes, and offered better access to green spaces. This was a completely new approach to urban design – one that placed the needs of residents at the very heart of the process. Gdynia developed its own model of a modern city, combining compact city centre development with high-quality living spaces.
Another feature that sets Gdynia apart from other modernist projects is the city’s exceptionally close connection with the sea. Gdynia’s city centre is a unique example of a centre designed in close connection with the sea and the port, where this idea formed the basis for the composition of the entire development and its unique urban and architectural solutions.
This idea was realised through the construction of South Pier, situated on the extension of the city’s main street-and-square axis – namely 10 Lutego Street and Kościuszki Square – and intended to serve as its continuation. South Pier, together with the accompanying Sailing Basin, is a remarkable landscape feature opening the city out onto the sea and the port, and serves as a symbolic maritime gateway to the world.
The relationship between the city and the sea is also evident in its architecture. The rounded corners of the buildings resemble the silhouettes of ships, the terraces and balconies resemble the decks of ocean liners, and numerous architectural details draw on maritime symbolism. Gdynia’s modernism thus acquired its own distinct local character, stemming from the city’s coastal location and its role as a port.
Gdynia Modernist City Centre is therefore an example of a centre designed from the very beginning as an integral part of a modern port city, where the relationship with the sea forms the basis of the entire urban composition.
Gdynia’s uniqueness also results from the process of its creation. Dozens of architects representing various creative circles worked on the city’s construction. The investors included representatives of the state administration, as well as entrepreneurs, shipowners, merchants and private individuals.
Alongside buildings inspired by functionalism, designs with more expressive forms began to appear: apartment houses with Art Déco elements, prestigious public buildings and structures inspired by naval architecture. A rich variety of architectural forms emerged, yet despite this diversity, the urban layout retained remarkable cohesion. All the developments shared a common aesthetic language, creating a cohesive urban composition which has been recognised as one of the hallmarks of Gdynia’s heritage.
In the 19th century, the cityscape was dominated by densely packed blocks of buildings with annexes, small courtyards and limited access to light. Modernism sought to change this, which is why architects in Gdynia designed apartment houses without annexes, providing residents with adequate sunlight and access to green spaces. This was a response to the demands for an improved quality of life for residents of developing cities. At the same time, the urban character of the buildings was preserved, ensuring that the city centre did not lose its energy and functionality.
One of the fundamental criteria for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List is the preservation of the property’s authenticity and integrity. This means that the site should retain both its original character and all the key elements that constitute its Outstanding Universal Value. According to experts, Gdynia Modernist City Centre meets both of these criteria.
Within the nominated area, the complete historical urban layout from 1926–1939 has been preserved, together with the most important architectural and landscape features that document the process of building a modern port city during the Second Polish Republic. The original layout of streets, blocks and squares remains clearly discernible to this day, and the modernist buildings have retained their scale, composition and character. Its exceptional value lies not only in individual buildings, but also in the entire cohesive urban complex, harmoniously integrated with the port and the coastal landscape.
Although it was primarily the port that was destroyed during the Second World War, the historical city centre avoided serious damage. As a result, most of the interwar-era buildings have retained their authentic historical fabric, including the original building materials and distinctive architectural details.
Post-war renovations were carried out with due regard for the city's historical character, using traditional techniques and materials, whilst new buildings were constructed in accordance with pre-war urban plans. The historical layout of the streets, development lines, building heights and proportions of public spaces were preserved, allowing contemporary additions to blend harmoniously into the city’s modernist fabric.
Gdynia’s authenticity is also evidenced by the preservation of the historical functions of most of its buildings and the continuity of its intangible heritage – the historical names of streets, squares and buildings, and the strong modernist identity cherished by its residents and local institutions. Thanks to the preservation of both its tangible and intangible values, Gdynia Modernist City Centre remains one of the best-preserved examples of a 20th-century modern port city.
The inscription of ‘Gdynia Modernist City Centre’ on the UNESCO World Heritage List would be the culmination of a process that has lasted over twenty years. It is the result of a consistently pursued heritage conservation policy, many years of academic research, and cooperation between local government, central government, and both international and national experts.
Although the modernist centre of Gdynia was built in the interwar period as a symbol of the reborn Polish state and a modern port city, for many years its value was perceived primarily in local terms. It was only just short of 30 years ago that systematic efforts began to effectively protect this unique urban complex through conservation measures.
A key milestone was the launch of the programme to protect Gdynia’s modernist heritage and the inclusion of Gdynia’s city centre urban layout in the Pomeranian Voivodeship’s register of historical monuments in 2007. In this way, it gained permanent legal protection. The idea was initiated by the then Deputy Mayor of Gdynia, Dr. Eng. Arch. Marek Stępa, who also appointed the Municipal Conservator of Monuments, as well as started further activities described below.
The next step was to have Gdynia’s city centre recognised as a Historical Monument. This required the preparation of comprehensive documentation and a demonstration of the site’s exceptional value. Following positive assessments by experts from the National Institute of Heritage and the National Council for the Protection of Monuments, the President of the Republic of Poland, Bronisław Komorowski, granted Gdynia’s city centre the status of a Historical Monument in 2015. This confirmed that modernist Gdynia holds a special place in Polish history.
It was at this point that thoughts began to turn more and more boldly towards Gdynia’s candidacy for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Initially, the idea was met with some caution at national level, particularly in the context of previous unsuccessful attempts to have other Polish sites inscribed.
Foreign researchers of modernism, however, viewed Gdynia quite differently. During the international academic conferences on 20th-century architecture entitled ‘Modernism in Europe – Modernism in Gdynia’, experts from abroad pointed out that Gdynia represents a type of heritage that is very rarely found on the World Heritage List. They emphasised that the history of Gdynia’s construction – a city built almost from scratch according to a coherent urban planning concept – has a universal dimension and is likely to be of interest to the international community.
A breakthrough came in 2019, when Poland submitted Gdynia’s nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, paving the way for the preparation of the full nomination dossier. From that moment on, a period of several years of intensive analysis, research and consultation began, aimed at demonstrating that Gdynia’s city centre possesses Outstanding Universal Value (OUV).
The work on Gdynia’s nomination dossier required not only a detailed description of the city’s history, its architectural heritage and the state of its conservation, but also a comparison of Gdynia with the world’s most significant modernist complexes. Among others, the analysis covered Asmara in Eritrea, Brasília in Brazil, Chandigarh in India, Dalian in China, Le Havre in France, Kaunas in Lithuania, Ljubljana in Slovenia, Tel Aviv in Israel, and Bauhaus-related sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau in Germany. As part of the comparison, two examples of urban planning schemes from Poland were also presented – Stalowa Wola and Nowa Huta in Kraków. The comparisons showed that Gdynia stands out for its modernist urban layout, and no such complex is currently included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
At the same time, the Management Plan was drawn up – a document setting out the principles for the conservation, monitoring and development of the historical centre. It was developed in collaboration with experts, institutions and local residents, and has become a strategic tool for heritage management.
The proposal, together with the Management Plan, was prepared by Deputy Mayor Dr. Eng. Arch. Marek Stępa, Prof. Maria Jolanta Sołtysik, Dr. Eng. Arch. Hab., and Dr. Eng. Arch. Hab. Robert Hirsch, supported by Prof. Edward Denison, Guang Yu Ren, Alina Limańska-Michalska, Celina Łozowska, Anna Orchowska-Smolińska, Joanna Leman, PhD, and Iwona Markesić.
Following the submission of the complete documentation to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, a multi-stage evaluation process led by ICOMOS began. In mid-2024, following the local government elections and changes in the city’s administration, the coordination of the team’s work was taken over by Oktawia Gorzeńska, Deputy Mayor of Gdynia.
The next stage of the process involved analysing the documentation, a visit to Gdynia by the expert Prof. Jörg Haspel, and the preparation of extensive supplementary materials. Detailed analyses were carried out on the boundaries of the nominated property, its integrity and authenticity, as well as the effectiveness of the existing protection mechanisms. The following months were marked by intensive dialogue between the team preparing the nomination and ICOMOS experts, thanks to which the documentation was gradually refined and supplemented.
This process has shown that contemporary nominations for the UNESCO World Heritage List are not limited to presenting the history and value of a site. The way in which it is protected and managed, as well as its ability to preserve its value for future generations, are also assessed. In the case of Gdynia, the experts highly evaluated the city’s long-standing conservation policy, emphasising the effectiveness of the measures carried out by the local authority and the high standard of preservation of the modernist urban fabric.
The years 2025–2026 marked a crucial stage in the efforts to have ‘Gdynia Modernist City Centre’ inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Following the completion of many years’ work on the nomination dossier, a highly demanding stage of the process began – supplementing the application in accordance with the recommendations of the experts from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), followed by diplomatic and public awareness activities preceding the consideration of Gdynia’s candidacy by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
A key milestone in the process was the release of the ICOMOS evaluation report in June 2025, which contained a ‘referral’ recommendation – that is, a request for the nomination to be supplemented. This document confirmed the Outstanding Universal Value of Gdynia Modernist City Centre and the justification for its nomination, whilst also identifying elements requiring further clarification prior to the final consideration of the nomination.
Over the following months, intensive work was carried out to supplement the documentation. A team of experts from Gdynia City Hall and Gdańsk University of Technology, in collaboration with the National Heritage Institute and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, prepared responses to all of ICOMOS’s comments. The boundaries of the buffer zone were verified, the description of the attributes of Outstanding Universal Value was supplemented, and the information on conservation measures and the management of the property was extended.
Prior to submitting the final report, representatives from Gdynia took part in consultations with experts from ICOMOS and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, which took place in November 2025 in Paris. These consultations provided an opportunity to discuss all the experts’ recommendations in detail and confirmed that the direction of the work on the documentation was in line with ICOMOS’s expectations.
Following the submission of the supplemented nomination documentation, the process of its re-evaluation by ICOMOS experts began. During this time, Gdynia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Heritage Institute, carried out preparations for the final stage of the nomination process.
In parallel with the substantive activities, a wide-ranging information and diplomatic campaign was launched. On behalf of the City of Gdynia, the campaign was initiated by the Deputy Mayor of Gdynia, Oktawia Gorzeńska; these efforts were supported by the Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, Mieczysław Struk, Senator Sławomir Rybicki, and Ambassador Mariusz Lewicki, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to UNESCO.
On 27 May 2026, a joint field meeting of two committees of the Polish Senate – the Committee on Culture and the Media, and the Committee on Local Government and State Administration – took place at the Emigration Museum in Gdynia. The senators unanimously adopted a position supporting the inscription of Gdynia Modernist City Centre on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The meeting was initiated by Senator Sławomir Rybicki, who also presented the official position. The proceedings were chaired by Senator Zygmunt Frankiewicz, and were also attended by the Marshal of the Senate, Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska. Senator Halina Bieda, Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Group on UNESCO, highlighted the significance of Poland’s UNESCO sites.
The committees recognised Gdynia as a site of universal value to all humanity and noted that its modernist city centre meets Criterion IV as “an outstanding, coherent and functionally diverse urban and architectural complex illustrating a groundbreaking stage in the history of world urban planning”. This position was conveyed by the Marshal of the Senate to Aleksandra Kosiorek, Mayor of Gdynia.
The nomination of Gdynia Modernist City Centre was subsequently presented during numerous meetings with representatives of the member states of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. These activities were led by the Deputy Mayor of Gdynia, Oktawia Gorzeńska, in collaboration with Ambassador Mariusz Lewicki, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to UNESCO. Joanna Leman, PhD, also took part in all the meetings, briefings and consultations, playing an active role in both the substantive and diplomatic aspects of the process.
The culmination of this phase of diplomatic efforts was a briefing for the ambassadors of the member states of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, organised on 22 June 2026 at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Paris, in cooperation with the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Poland to UNESCO. The meeting provided an opportunity to present the case for Gdynia’s inscription and to hold direct discussions with representatives of the states that will be making the decision at the Committee’s forthcoming session in Busan.
Following the receipt of a further ICOMOS evaluation report, which also contained a referral recommendation, representatives of the City of Gdynia, together with the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to UNESCO, took part in consultations with ICOMOS experts in Paris on 1 July 2026.
Another important diplomatic event was a briefing for representatives of the diplomatic corps of UNESCO World Heritage Committee member states based in Poland, which took place on 14 July 2026 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland in Warsaw. The meeting was organised jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, and the City of Gdynia.
Representatives from 14 out of the 21 countries comprising the Committee participated in the meeting. The nomination of ‘Gdynia Modernist City Centre’ was presented and received a very positive response from the participants. During the meeting, representatives of the Committee’s member states were asked to support the Polish nomination.
The briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs marked the culmination of several months of efforts undertaken by the City of Gdynia and the government administration. Poland made use of the available diplomatic instruments to highlight the exceptional value of the nominated property and to lay the groundwork for its consideration during the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea.
The process, initiated by Dr. Eng. Arch. Marek Stępa, the then Deputy Mayor of Gdynia, with the support of Mayor Wojciech Szczurek, was developed in subsequent years by Deputy Mayor Oktawia Gorzeńska, supported by Mayor Aleksandra Kosiorek.
Gdynia’s road to this inscription is a joint achievement of many people: Prof. Maria Jolanta Sołtysik, Dr. Eng. Arch. Hab., Dr. Eng. Arch. Hab. Robert Hirsch, Prof. Edward Denison, Guang Yu Ren, Celina Łozowska, Alina Limańska-Michalska, Luiza Skrzypkowska, Anna Orchowska-Smolińska, Joanna Leman, PhD, Małgorzata Omachel-Kwidzińska, Beata Sikorska, Iwona Markesić, Markos Pagudis, Jacek Debis, Marcin Szerle, Dariusz Małszycki, Zofia Trusiewicz, Anna Czerwińska, Magdalena Jambroż, Maria Piradoff-Link, Arkadiusz Brzęczek, Jan Rutka and Mirosław Studniak, amongst others. It is also the result of the commitment of teams from Gdynia City Hall and Gdańsk University of Technology, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Heritage Institute and the Polish diplomatic service. The cooperation between local government, central government, academics and experts has enabled Gdynia’s nomination to reach its current, most crucial stage.