Gdansk is the sixth largest city in Poland with a population of approximately 465,000 people. Gdansk is also a principal seaport and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodship. Gdansk is the waterway system that connects 60 percent of the area of Poland, giving the city a unique advantage as the center of Poland's sea trade. Gdansk has been an important seaport since Medieval times, and was also a leader in the shipbuilding trade. Today, Gdansk is an important industrial setting and is world famous as the birthplace of the Solidarity movement under the leadership of Lech Welesa, who played a major role in bringing an end to Communist rule in the Eastern Bloc. Gdansk was once an important center of culture. The city is steeped with political history, which might be the single draw for some tourists. Other tourist will enjoy the city's architectural offerings, the reconstructed buildings in 17th century style, and walking end-to-end down Royal Way which would include: Upland Gate, Torture House, Prison Tower, and more. Gdansk has several churches, and the SS Soldek River Museum Ship. Gdansk is the starting point of the EuroVelo 9 cycling route which continues through Poland and ends in Croatia. There are 14 universities (including schools of technology, medicine, physical education, music, arts, etc.) and 60,500 students in Gdansk.