It was built at the beginning of the 17th Century according to the design of the great Gdańsk architect, Anthonis van Obberghen. It used to be referred to as the most beautiful arsenal in the world. It acted as a weapon storehouse until 1793, after which it was taken over by the army and closed off to civilians. The facades of the armoury are richly decorated with stonework. Most of the stonework originates from the workshop of the famous sculptor and architect Abraham van den Blocke, the creator of the Golden Gate, the Golden Tenement House, the Neptune Fountain and the facade of the Artus Manor.
From the direction of Piwna Street, the facade is accented with the statue of Minerva in its central part and military-themed sculptures. The well between the entrances from Piwna Street, designed by Abraham van den Blocke, draws attention. It was used to extract gunpowder and ammunition from the undergrounds of the Armoury. The portals are decorated with grand Gdańsk coats of arms supported by lions and additionally decorated with statues of warriors from the direction of the Coal Market. The current owner of the Armoury is the Gdańsk Academy of Fine Arts and the valuable monument can only be admired from the outside. The target functions of the building are still in negotiation.
