Długa Street (literally: Long Street) and the Long Market are the most beautiful streets in Gdańsk, and are also the symbol of the city. They run from the Golden Gate to the Green Gate and are perpendicular to the Motława River.
Since the 12th century, this was a trade route which, from the moment Teutonic Knights arrived in the city, became the most important route in the entire Main Town. The route was the centre of town life – there was the Town Hall, the private quarters of Polish kings, and tenement houses of the richest residents. It was also the setting of numerous parades, fairs and executions, which attracted many curious passers-by. For centuries the streets were paved with field stones, which were later replaced by cobblestones that were specially imported for this purpose from Scandinavia.