Brandgasse

In the area of Brandgasse lay the oldest commercial buildings on the right bank of the old Mottlau. As early as 1331, the Right Town butchers' guild acquired a plot from the Teutonic Order to build a slaughterhouse (Kuttelhof), whose location is still recalled by the name of a granary on Hopfengasse at the level of Brandgasse. In 1440, the street itself had no proper name and was listed only by its number counted from Milchkannengasse as "arta platea quarta" (Fourth Street). Regarding the origin of the name, the chronicle of Christoph Beyer the Elder reports for the year 1515: "Am Donnerstag noch pfingsten auf den obend brandten viel speicher und holczhoff ab kegen dem Kuttelhof uber, davon itzt die strosse doselbst brandegasse heist. Disz feuer aber war angelegt durch die mordbrenner des Simon Maternen gesellschafter." While the fire itself is historically certain, it is doubtful that the street name derives from it. The oldest inheritance book of the Speicherinsel contains an entry showing that the brothers Gregor and Salomon Brandt already permitted the use of their passageway for transporting goods in 1451 – this can only refer to Brandgasse. The name thus originates from this family name; only later, when the true origin was no longer known, was it associated with Simon Matern's great granary fire. After the war, which left only ruins here, the street was briefly called Zarzewie (Ember). Once the ruins were cleared, the street disappeared entirely. Only after 2000 was the location marked again as part of reconstruction plans, but it is not listed in the official street register of Gdansk.