Heveliusplatz

The square formerly bore the name Zuchthausplatz (Penitentiary Square), named after the correctional facility that stood on the site of the later garrison hospital. This penitentiary was established as early as 1629 - one of the oldest in Germany - to combat the increasingly unbearable plague of beggars.

In 1894, the square was renamed Heveliusplatz in memory of Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687), the famous Danzig astronomer known for his pioneering work in lunar cartography. Today, it is named after the defenders of the Polish Post Office in Gdansk, which was located here from 1921 to 1939.