T O R U Ń

T or uń
city of Copernicus
Toruń – city of copernicus
T or uń m ov es !
Toruń is proud of its exceptionally beautiful Old Town with a plethora of historical monuments
whose image reflected in the waters of the Vistula River has become the most recognizable picture of the town. Rich in greenery and original monuments, the town provides an extra-ordinary
background for various cultural and sports events. Toruń impresses with its vivid atmosphere,
authentic Gothic architecture (enlisted by the UNESCO) and unique taste of gingerbread.
t he g o t hi c ci ty of coper ni cus
The charm of Gothic houses and narrow paved lanes, the spires of old churches, the fountain of
the raftsman playing the violin to frogs at the foot of the huge brick city hall - they all dazzle everyone who for the first time comes to Toruń, a city inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Toruń spreads its special magic in the evenings when the lanterns of the old town are lit and little
cafes, pubs and restaurants round the market are filled with a hum of visitors till the late hours. A
glass of wine sipped in the scenery of original, mediaeval buildings lets the imagination go back
to the 13th century, when the city was ruled by its founders, the knights of the Teutonic Order. The
night panorama of Toruń’s Old Town seen from the left bank of the Vistula is a view that arouses
admiration of tourists from the entire world over.
In Toruń one finds traces of its royal past at every step. Richly decorated façades of houses and dozens of cereal granaries remind of the golden times in the development of trade and craft and the
city’s membership in the Hanseatic League. Beyond a doubt, however, the most important date in
Toruń’s history is the 19 of February, 1473. It was on that day that in one of the Gothic houses on
St. Anne Street that the famous astronomer, Nicholas Copernicus, was born. Nowadays, one can
still see the font at which he was baptised in the nearby St. Johns’ cathedral. In the Nicholas Copernicus Museum, installed at the house of his birth, can be seen old editions of his scientific works
and wooden astronomical instruments with the aid of which he formed his heliocentric theory.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
T he O l d T own Mar ket Squar e
For centuries this almost square marketplace has been the main tourist attraction of Toruń. It
was a site of trade, tournaments and parades, announcements of sentences and performance
of public executions. A monumental Town Hall occupies central place on the market. Nearby
there is an eye-catching neo-renaissance Hall of Artus – a place where many concerts and exhibitions take place; and a baroque House under the Star – at present a Far East Art Museum.
The western frontage of the market is closed by the Church of the Holy Spirit and a neo-gothic
post office building. Over 150 year ago, a monument of Nicolas Copernicus was placed on the
market, alongside a monument of a violin-playing rafter, a protagonist of a local legend.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
The astronomer lived in Toruń until 1491 when, as an 18 year-old youth, he went to study in
Cracow, the contemporary capital of Poland. Although he left his native town, he never forgot
about it, just like the citizens of Toruń did not forget him and erected a grand monument to him
in the city centre in 1853. Cast-in bronze, the figure of the astronomer is 2.6 metres high. A Latin
caption on its granite plinth reads: “Nicolaus Copernicus Thorunensis Terrae motor, Solis Caelique
stator” (“Nicholas Copernicus of Toruń moved the Earth and stopped the Sun and the Sky”).
For the citizens of Toruń the monument of Copernicus is a favourite meeting point and a place for dates.
Toruń’s Nicholas Copernicus University is also traditionally connected with the astronomer. It has
more than 40 thousand students, which means that in spite of its antique character the city emanates with a climate of youth and fun. Students fill numerous pubs, clubs and discotheques in
town. Astronomical studies enjoy a special fame among university courses. The stars can be studied
in Toruń by means of huge university radioscopic telescopes and watched at popular scientific
performances in Toruń’s planetarium.
When we have already seen everything, looked for ghosts in the Teutonic castle ruins, looked into
the dark interiors of Gothic churches and taken the winding lanes to reach the Leaning Tower,
deflected from the plumb-line by 1.5 metres, it’s time to rest and have a coffee and a little something. Tasting Toruń’s famous delicacy, the gingerbread, is a must. These spicy cookies of different
shapes and sorts have been baked in Toruń since the fourteenth century. And the most famous
are those small “katarzynki” glazed with chocolate. According to one of the many legends they
were invented by a baker who so mused over an unhappy love of a beautiful girl called Catherine
that his tears joined into the shape of three hearts. Today Toruń’s gingerbread is an obligatory souvenir that every tourist takes home from Toruń. More fastidious visitors poke about art galleries
and studios of stained glass that offer unique pictures, jewellery and glass products.
For tourists, the city is attractive not only in view of the statue of Copernicus, the beauty of ancient
monuments or the abundance of cultural events. On the background of other Polish tourist attractions Toruń tempts visitors with comparatively low prices in shops, hotels of style and restaurants.
A night in a house that Nicholas Copernicus had walked by 500 years ago does not happen very often.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
T he Old Town Hall
The gothic-renaissance Town Hall is a symbol of the past glory of the town. It was built on the Old
Market at the end of the 14th century, with the consent of Konrad Wallenrod – the Grand Master
of the Teutonic Order. The Town Hall was a seat of town authorities and court; its representative
halls played host to Polish kings. The Town Hall also housed stalls, bread benches, town weight,
and in its cellars there was a beer and wine license. Especially worth seeing is the Town Hall
Museum, with extensive collection of gothic art, ancient craft and Polish paintings. From the top
of 40 meter high tower one can admire the entire old town complex of buildings.
Whilst admiring this fine gothic-renaissance biulding the visitor may care to test the truth of the
old saying that the Toruń Town Hall is a calendar. The single tower is said to correspond to a year,
the four wing to the four seasons, the twelve rooms to the twelve months, a there are supposed to
be as many windows as here are days in the year. Even if this is not true, Toruń Town Hall is nonetheless
one of the most fascinating buildings in Europe.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
T he Ar tus Cour t
Artus (Arthur’s) Court in its present form dates back only to the end of the 19th c., being built in the
place where, until 1802, a Gothic building with the same name had stood. This former building, constructed at the end of 14th c., though modernized several times, was the seat of merchant guilds and
brought together the wealthiest of Toruń’s burghers. The spacious and richly ornamented interiors
of the former Court witnessed in 1466 the signing of the Second Peace of Toruń between Poland
and the Teutonic Order, which brought about the incorporation of Toruń into Poland. National and
provincial Sejms (assemblies) debated in the Artus Court while it also housed an inn popular among
rich merchants and even monarchs visiting the city. In the 18th c. the beautifully ornamented but
deteriorating building served as both a Protestant and Orthodox Church.
Finally due to the Court’s poor condition, it was demolished and replaced by smaller premises
housing the town’s theatre. Only after their demolition at the end of the 19th c., was the present
building erected. For many years its richly-decorated interiors have been the place where the
most important municipal and cultural events, exhibitions, concerts and festivals have been held.
Artus Court is also the home of the Toruń Symphony Orchestra.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
M o nu me n t o f Ni colaus Coper ni cus
Monument of Nicolaus Copernicus, the work of a sculptor from Berlin, Friedrich Tieck, in front of
the Town Hall in the Old Market Square
S ai n t Mar y’ s Chur ch
This gothic church was built by Franciscan friars in mid- 15th century. According to the severe
principle of the convent, which demands a life in poverty, the church does not have a tower nor
rich architectural decorations. Inside there are wooden stallses from early 15th century, intricately
crafted pulpit, organs, medieval paintings and epitaphs of fine Toruń families. In 1636, Anne Wasa,
a sister of a Polish king Sigmund Wasa III, was buried there.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
T he Leani ng Tower
The 14th century Leaning Tower, one of the most characteristic buildings of Toruń.
According to the legend, this medieval fortified tower was built by a Teutonic knight from Toruń
as a penance for committed sins. The building, with a vertical deviation of about 1,5m, was a part
of old Toruń’s fortifications. After it ceased to play a defensive role, it served as a prison, and later
as a smithy. Now it is an important point of every sightseeing trip.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
S ai n t J ohns ’ Cathedr al
The construction of the cathedral started in mid–13th century and was continued in stages for
over 200 years. It is the biggest of all town’s churches. Among its rich interior decorations, of particular importance are the main altar created by Saint Wolfgang in years 1502-1506, valuable wall
paintings and baroque and rococo altars. There is also a medieval font in which Nicholas Copernicus was baptized. On the tower opened for sightseeing there is a gothic bell Tuba Dei and a clock
called “rafters’ clock”, which shows time with only one hand.
T u ba Dei Bell
“God’s Trumpet” was cast in 1500 in bronze with an addition of silver and gold. It is the biggest
medieval bell in Poland and it weights about 7,5 tones. According to the legend, in order to place
the bell on the tower, a 800 meter ramp was built over the roofs of houses and seven fine oxen
pulled it up. In the old times, the sound of the bell welcomed monarchs visiting Toruń. Nowadays,
it honours all the most important church ceremonies.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
T he H o u se of Coper ni cus
This magnificent gothic house is considered to be the birthplace of Nicholas Copernicus. It is a
perfect example of old merchant’s house with typical arrangement of rooms and fittings. At present, it houses a museum devoted to life and work of the great astronomer. There is a scale model
of a 15th century Toruń with audiovisual presentation accompanying it. In the basements, there
is an exhibition devoted to the history of Toruń’s gingerbreads. Gingerbread baking and tasting
accompany the exhibition.
Nicolas Copernicus was born in Toruń on 19 February 1473 in a rich merchant family. At the age of
18 he went to Cracow to study, and afterwards he continued his education in Italy. He studied Law,
Medicine, Theology, Greek and Mathematics with Astronomy. For many years he was a canon in
Frombork and the administrator of church goods in the Warmia region. In a scientific dissertation
„De revolutionibus”, he presented new, revolutionary theory of the construction of the universe in
which he proved that the Sun is the centre of universe.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
T he M u se u m of Tor uń Gi nger br ead
The Museum of Toruń Gingerbread is located in a former gingerbread factory of Gustav Weese
at 4 Strumykowa Street.
The exhibition is connected with two rooms: a room for museum activities and gingerbread feasts
and a kitchen with an oven for baking decorative gingerbreads.
Numerous attractions are prepared while visiting the exhibition. The guides in historical costumes
invite our guests to see the exhibition and they introduce into the world of Toruń gingerbread by
knowing with the history of Toruń gingerbread craft, telling legends, as well as common making
of ornamental gingerbreads. For this purpose there are prepared copies of the historical gingerbread forms. The visit is combined with gingerbread baking and tasting.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
T he C hu r ch of the Holy Spi r i t
The Church of the Holy Spirit is late Baroque, and was erected in the mid-18th c. as a Lutheran
church. Inside, fittings in the Rococo style are preserved, among which special attention should
be given to the main altar and the pulpit. The Toruń master responsible also constructed the doors
to the vestry in 1756, using an intarsia technique with colourful decorative motifs from the woods
of various kinds of tree. This is one of the most important artistic achievements in Toruń in the
medium of wood, and depicts scenes from martyr’s deaths and the resurrection of Christ.
As a result of a fire which damaged the church’s interior in May 1989 the organ, a preserved monument from the second half of the 18th c., was completely burnt. It has been replaced by a new
instrument resembling the old in appearance.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
The r u i n s o f t he Teutoni c Or der Cas tle
The castle was built in 13th century on site of former fortified settlement. That is why it has an
unusual horseshoe shape. The inhabitants were 12 order knights and a commander representing
the Teutonic Order power on these lands. In 1454 the inhabitants of Toruń instigated an uprising
against the Teutonic Order; they took over the castle and pulled it down. Nowadays, the only
remains of the castle are Gdanisko, a former lavatory tower, and picturesque ruins. The ruins serve
as a background for many concerts, festivals and tournaments.
T he n e w G e n e r al Elżbi eta Z awacka Br i dge
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Toruń – city of copernicus
T he C o sm opoli s Fountai n
The fountain, in its form, refers to the famous work of Nicolaus Copernicus ‘On the Revolutions
of Celestial Spheres’. The astronomer presented in it his revolutionary views on the creation of
the universe proving that the Earth is not the centre of the universe but only one of the planets
which revolve around the still Sun. The granite board of the fountain reads a Latin sentence and
a diagram of the heliocentric system. The circles symbolising the orbits contain 100 nozzles from
which water springs up. The central nozzle symbolising the Sun shoots water 5 meters in the air.
In the summer, in the evening hours the visitors can admire spectacular fountain performances of
water, light and sound. Streams of water illuminated by colourful light jet in the air to the sounds
of the music. The performances are accompanied by film music and a composition entitled
Cosmopolis – composed specially for the Toruń fountain by Krzesimir Dębski.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
T he T or -Tor i ce r i nk
The indoor TOR-TOR ice rink is one of the most modern buildings of that type in Poland. Tor-Tor
consists of 2 ice rinks of 30x60 meters. Players of different kinds of sports such as hockey, figure
skating or short track train here on everyday basis. However, most importantly – its ice rinks are
open for general use.
T he M o t o ar e na s peedway s tadi um
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Toruń – city of copernicus
P l ane t a r i u m, Or bi tar i um and Geodi um
Planetarium, Orbitarium and Geodium are situated in the nineteenth century buildings of the old
gas plant. In Planetarium, on the dome of a 15-meter long diameter, shows promoting the knowledge
of the universe and astronomy are presented.
The system of projectors enables presentation of star constellations and distant galaxies. During
one day there are several shows presented which are prepared for different age groups – part of
them are aimed at few-year-olds. Some of the shows are available with English audio.
Orbitarium is a place especially attractive for children. A set of devices and models are assembled
here and they facilitate learning about the often complex phenomena occurring in space in an
interesting way. Another object worth attention is an interactive model of the Cassini space probe
which takes the central place of the Orbitarium.
Geodium is an interactive exhibition dedicated to the Earth as a Planet and to various phenomena
occurring on it. The ones pictured there include: magnetic field, Earthquake, convection, the Earth
atmosphere, Coriolis effect, precession of Earth axis, lithosphere plates, viscosity of liquid, cyclone,
Newton’s disk, creation of dunes, renewable energy sources and a lift-off.
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Toruń – city of copernicus
T he V i st u l a Ri v er v i ewi ng-poi nt
From the viewing platform situated on the Vistula island, called Kępa Bazarowa, there is an excellent
view on Toruń Old Town. The city walls, gates and church towers dominating over the roofs create
the most beautiful city panorama in Poland.
The historical architecture of the Old Town looks especially spectacular in the light of the night
illumination. Kępa Bazarowa is also a nature reserve preserving the rarely seen nowadays riparian
forest with monumental poplar and willow trees. From the Old Town the island can be reached by
‘Katarzynka’ – a small boat which sails from a landing on Philadelphia Boulevard and sets on Kępa
Bazarowa at the viewing platform.
From the land it is possible to get to the island by walking along Majdany Street which starts
nearby the main train station of Toruń and ends at the viewing point.
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