Celebration of the 3rd of May Constitution in Gdansk par Agnieszka Pazdykiewicz / SOPA Images
On 3 May 2024, the historic changing of the guard took place at the Prison Tower in Gdańsk. Then the re-enactors in period costume walked down Długa Street towards Artus Court, where they took the oath based on the original text, the tradition of which dates back to the second half of the 17th century.
The changing of the guard of the Gdansk garrison under the prison tower in Gdansk is linked to the adoption of the Constitution of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth by the Great Senate on 3 May 1791. It was the first constitution in modern Europe and the second - after the American one - in the world. The 3 May Constitution transformed the state into a constitutional monarchy and introduced the principle of a tri-partite government.
The day is celebrated as a public holiday in Poland. Every city hosts events related to this patriotic holiday.