The transformation of Gdynia from small seaside village to bustling port city during Poland's interwar period represents a compelling case study in how urban development projects acquire mythological significance beyond their material dimensions. As a symbol of progress and national pride within the Second Polish Republic, Gdynia's rapid growth became a powerful embodiment of Poland's aspirations for independence and prosperity following extended periods of foreign domination.

The city's development encapsulated not merely infrastructure construction but the creation of tangible proof that Poland could direct its own modernisation after centuries of partition. This symbolic dimension explains why Gdynia acquired such exceptional significance in Polish national consciousness—it provided concrete evidence of national capability and autonomy at a time when these qualities remained psychologically crucial but practically uncertain.

The political and economic tensions that marked Gdynia's transformation reveal the complex reality behind national mythologies of progress. The challenges inherent in rapid urban development—competing interests, resource limitations, ideological conflicts—created significant gaps between idealised narratives of national triumph and lived experiences of urban growth. This tension between mythological representation and complex reality characterises many national development projects, which typically generate simplified narratives that obscure underlying conflicts and contradictions.

Gdynia's enduring status as powerful symbol in Polish cultural memory demonstrates how built environments acquire mythological significance that persists beyond their original historical contexts. The city continues to function as reference point in Polish discourse about national development and identity, demonstrating how physical spaces become repositories of collective meaning that evolve through changing historical circumstances while maintaining connection to foundational national narratives. This persistent symbolic resonance exemplifies how modern societies continue to create mythological frameworks around material developments, transforming concrete structures into carriers of abstract cultural values.