Stocznia Gdańska

Stocznia Gdańska (Gdańsk Shipyard) is a historical post-industrial complex in the city of Gdańsk, located on the western shore of the Martwa Wisła river.

The city's ship-building history dates back to the late 15th century, with the Shipyard itself being officially opened in 1947 by combining the neighbouring Shipyard No. 1 (formerly Danziger Werft, or Stocznia Gdańska) and Shipyard No. 2 (formerly Stocznia Schichaua). In 1967 the complex was renamed to "Stocznia Gdańska im. Lenina" (Vladimir Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk), a name that remained in use until 1989, which marked the fall of communism in the Eastern Bloc and the beginning of the socio-economic transformation of Poland.

Over the course of 1990s - 2020s the Shipyard underwent a number of changes to its name as well as the business model, from a joint-stock company to a private limited company. In 2021 Stocznia Gdańsk S.A. (JSC) was bought out by Stocznia Gdańska sp. z o.o. (Ltd.), and the southern section of the complex was retired and turned into a cultural centre. Among other undertakings, this included turning the historical BHP Hall, where the August Agreements were signed, into a museum of Solidarity, and erecting the European Solidarity Centre.

Beginning with the early years of the 21st century, locations across the post-industrial complex hosted a variety of concerts and cultural events. These include VHS Hell, a double screening of B films: one played from a VHS tape and the other narrated live by a person making up the dialogues on the fly; Octopus Film Festival, specialising in genre films, both all-time classics such as Blade Runner or Stalker, but also exploitation cinema such as Creepozoids or Nude on the Moon; Szlamfest, a self-described celebration of low culture; or Mystic Festival, a four-day set of heavy metal concerts. Over the years there were also standalone concerts by the likes of Jean-Michel Jarre, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Marillion, KULT, Lordi, Cradle of Filth, Sick N' Beautiful or Wednesday 13.

Eventually, Polish wrestling also found its way to the Shipyard, starting with KPW Szlamfest in 2017, which was a part of the aforementioned Szlamfest festival. It was followed by Arena 9 and Arena 14, also accompanying the same event. Years later, in 2025, PpW would feature their showcase at the Tequila Mezcal Festival, and soon after that they'd return with a two-day show at that year's Mystic Festival.

There are several locations within the complex where events are held. The most popular is the B90 Club, located at Elektryków Street in an old industrial hall 90B which used to house a rail ramp. After converting into a music club, the venue saw a nearly-constant stream of concerts, festivals and events, including KPW shows. Plenum, located on the upper level of the same building, has served as an event space for the likes of the aforementioned Octopus Film Festival (in addition to B90 and other spots), or the cannabis festival Kabanafest, and it also held PpW's first show in Gdańsk. Mystic Festival makes use of B90 and the neighbouring Drizzly Grizzly, but also open-air spaces dubbed "Main Stage", "Park Stage" and "Desert Stage" (with B90 called "Shrine Stage", and Drizzly Grizzly "Sabbath Stage"). Behind Park Stage is an area called "Chill Out Zone", used for PpW's showcase at the 2025 festival. Centrum Stocznia Gdańska seems less popular nowadays, but in 2010s bands like KULT and Marillion played there, while Dyskusyjny Klub Filmowy "Miłość Blondynki" ("Loves of a Blonde" Film Society, attached to the University of Gdańsk) held a Film Massacre ("Masakra Filmowa") event there back in 2003.

Events

2025

2019

2018

2017