The post-war coach station on 3 Maja Street in Gdańsk will not be listed as a historic monument. The Pomeranian Provincial Conservator of Monuments has refused to place the building under protection. However, the decision is not final, so there is still a chance of saving this modernist building.
The Gdańsk coach station: is the battle over?
On 4 September 2026, the Pomeranian Provincial Conservator of Monuments, Dariusz Chmielewski, issued a decision regarding the inclusion of Gdańsk’s coach station in the register of historic monuments. Protection was refused. The proceedings were initiated following an application by the Association for the Protection of Post-War Architecture, which sought to save this distinctive example of modernism. This does not, however, mean that the building will disappear immediately, as the conservator’s decision is not yet final. The association has 14 days from the date of delivery to lodge an appeal with the Chief Conservator of Monuments. The case may subsequently be referred to the Provincial Administrative Court and then to the Supreme Administrative Court.
A station from the 1970s
The design for the building was developed between 1968 and 1969 at the Gdańsk Railway Design Office. The team was led by architect Bernard Cofta, who worked alongside Wiesław Pławiński, Andrzej Ulasiński and Jan Szuca. The station was opened on 18 March 1973. For its time, the building was very modern. Its lightweight structure, large glazed areas and dynamically shaped form set it apart from the urban transport architecture of the period. The station was connected to Gdańsk Główny railway station via an underground passage and escalators. It was anticipated that it would eventually serve up to 27,000 passengers a day. Interestingly, just one year after its opening, the building was recognised by the Ministry of Construction. In 1974, the design team received a second-class award from the Minister of Construction and Building Materials for the design of the station and the tunnel connecting it to the railway station.
The coach station then and now. Source: Przemysław Szafer, “Nowa Architektura Polska 1971–1976” and Panek/Wikimedia Commons
The developer has other plans
The bus station’s current appearance differs quite significantly from its original design. Over the years, the building was neglected and no major renovations were carried out, until eventually its poor condition and questionable aesthetics became a key argument for those in favour of replacing it with a new development. Since 2012, the site has been owned by Przedsiębiorstwo Budowlane Górski, which plans to demolish the existing building. The new concept envisages the creation of a retail and service complex with offices and a hotel. The bus station itself, however, would remain in the same location, albeit relocated underground. The design was prepared by the Gdynia-based architectural practice Kwadrat. Architect Jacek Droszcz has also announced that the inscription ‘Dworzec PKS’ will be retained as a symbolic reminder of the historic building.
Will the PKS bus station in Gdańsk disappear?
The refusal to list the building on the register of historic monuments makes it much easier for the developer to carry out their plans, but it does not yet settle the matter. Community activists may lodge an appeal, and further decisions may be challenged in the administrative court. Only once the entire procedure has been completed will it become clear whether the distinctive 1973 building will disappear from Gdańsk’s skyline.
Source: gdansk.pl, radiogdansk.pl
See also:Gdańsk|Modernism|Interesting facts|Technology|History|whiteMAD on Instagram