Toruń

Reconstructed Old Towns decidedly have their charm, but there is nothing like the real thing. Torun escaped the ravages of WWII, a lucky fact its many sights support. One portion of the town is in ruins though: read up on the valiant Torunian history and the town’s lesson to would-be invaders. More history can be picked up in the town’s many museums and galleries.

ViolinistIf music or theater are more to your taste, you’ll find plenty to sup on in Torun. Other more tangible edibles and drinkables are available in the town’s restaurants, cafes, and of course, pubs.

 

 

 

History

The citizens of Torun take their town seriously: the ruins of a Teutonic Knight Castle remain still as a reminder to all who might hope to subjugate them. Attacked in the 15th century, the castle fell to the angered citizens whose revolt ignited a regional uprising against the no longer welcome Knights. Apparently, Torun’s residents were experienced: initially plagued by the now extinct pagan Prussians in the 12th century, the town subsequently proved tempting to the Knights, the Swedes, and the modern-day Prussians over the long years.

Statue of Mikolaj KopernikPart of its appeal surely rested on its location: nestled next to the Vistula, Torun proved a likely site for travellers up and down that watery route. As a result of the trade that accompanied them, Torun grew wealthy over the centuries and built to display that wealth. Fortunately, most of what was constructed remains as Torun survived WWII essentially intact. Along with its genuinely lovely Old and New Towns, Torun can also boast a world-famous native son: Nicholas Copernicus. Having established that the sun and earth maintain a slightly different relationship to one another than claimed elsewhere, Copernicus entered history and Torun along with him.

Sights

Old Town Hall
Old Town  Hall
An easy site not to miss, the Gothic Old Town Hall dominates the square. It’s three story red brick mass was constructed in the late 14th century, rebuilt in the 17th, and then again in the 18th.
Artus Hall
Opposite the Old Town Hall, this relative late comer (late 19th century) also underscores the continual construction an old town undergoes. Built on the site of 2 previous halls, it was a gathering spot for local movers and shakers. Artus Hall
Church of the Holy Ghost
The Church of the Holy Ghost
For an architectural change, this Baroque beauty contrasts nicely with all that red brick.
St. Catherine’s Cathedral
Like any decent centuries-old town, Torun offers numerous sites of worship. This version — constructed in the late 19th C — replaced the one destroyed in 1814. St. Catherine's Cathedral
Townhouse
A Rich  Man’s Home
Torun grew fat off the trade its proximity to the Vistula brought to its residents. In that time honored tradition, many displayed that wealth inside as well as out.
Town Walls
and Gate
Initially a fortified city, Torun’s past remains in its present. Town Walls and Gate