Gdansk (Polish pronunciation [gda?sk] ( listen); German: Danzig ['dants?ç] ( listen), Kashubian: Gdunsk, Latin: Gedania, Dantiscum) is the city at the centre of the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Poland.[1] It is Poland's principal seaport as well as the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is also historically the largest city of the Kashubian region. The city lies on the southern edge of Gdansk Bay (of the Baltic Sea), in a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdynia and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the Tricity (Trójmiasto), with a population of over 800,000.[1] Gdansk itself has a population of 458,053 (2006), making it the largest city in the Pomerania region of Northern Poland. Gdansk is situated at the mouth of the Motlawa River, connected to the Leniwka, a branch in the delta of the nearby Vistula River, whose waterway system waters 60% of the area of Poland and connects Gdansk to the national capital in Warsaw. This gives the city a unique advantage as the center of Poland's sea trade. Together with the nearby port of Gdynia, Gdansk is also an important industrial center. Historically an important seaport and shipbuilding center, Gdansk was a member of the Hanseatic League. The city was the birthplace of the Solidarity movement which, under the leadership of Gdansk political activist Lech Walesa, played a major role in bringing an end to communist rule across Central Europe. It is also the home and birthplace of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who is of Kashubian origin. Gdansk enjoys a temperate climate, with cold, cloudy, moderately-severe winters and mild summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms. Average temperatures range from -1.0°C to 17.2°C and rainfall varies from 84.0 mm/month to 210.0 mm/month. In general it is a maritime climate and therefore damp, variable and harsh. The seasons are clearly differentiated. Spring starts in March and is initially cold and windy, later becoming pleasantly warm and often very sunny. Summer, which begins in June, is predominantly warm but hot at times (with temperature reaching as high as 30-35C at least once per year) with plenty of sunshine interspersed with heavy rain. The average annual hours of sunshine for Gdansk are 1600, similar to other Northern cities. July and August are the hottest months. Autumn comes in September and is at first warm and usually sunny, turning cold, damp and foggy in November. Winter lasts from December to March and includes periods of snow. January and February are the coldest months with the temperature sometimes dropping as low as -15°C. Main sights Neptune statue at the Old Town.The city has many fine buildings from the time of the Hanseatic League. Most tourist attractions are located along or near Ulica Dluga (Long Street) and Dlugi Targ (Long Market), a pedestrian thoroughfare surrounded by buildings reconstructed in historical (primarily 17th century) style and flanked at both ends by elaborate city gates. This part of the city is sometimes referred to as the Royal Road as the former path of processions for visiting kings. Walking from end to end, sites encountered on or near the Royal Way include: Upland Gate (Brama Wyzynna) Torture House (Katownia) Prison Tower (Wieza wiezienna) Golden Gate (Brama Zlota) Long Street (Ulica Dluga) Uphagen House (Dom Uphagena) Main Town Hall (Ratusz Glównego Miasta) Long Market (Dlugi Targ) Arthur's Court (Dwór Artusa) Neptune Fountain (Studnia Neptuna) Golden House (Zlota kamienica) Green Gate (Brama Zielona) Gdansk has a number of historical churches: St. Bridget St. Catherine St. John St Mary (Bazylika Mariacka), a municipal church built during the 15th century, is the largest brick church in the world. St Nicholas' Church Church of the Holy Trinity The museum ship SS Soldek is anchored on the Motlawa River. In the 16th century, Gdansk hosted Shakespearean theatre on foreign tours, and the Danzig Research Society founded in 1743 was one of the first of its kind. Currently, there is a Fundation Theatrum Gedanensis aimed at rebuilding the Shakespeare theatre at its historical site. It is expected that Gdansk will have a permanent English-language theatre, as at present it is only an annual event.