)''
, image_skyline =
, image_caption =
, image_flag = POL Toruń flag.svg
, image_shield = POL Toruń COA.svg
, nickname = City of Angels, Gingerbread city, Copernicus Town
, pushpin_map = Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship#Poland#Europe
, pushpin_relief=1
, pushpin_label_position = top
, subdivision_type =
Country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 =
Voivodeship
A voivodeship is the area administered by a voivode (Governor) in several countries of central and eastern Europe. Voivodeships have existed since medieval times and the area of extent of voivodeship resembles that of a duchy in western medieval ...
, subdivision_name1 =
, leader_title = City mayor
, leader_name = Michał Zaleski
, established_title = Established
, established_date = 8th century
, established_title3 = City rights
, established_date3 = 1233
, area_total_km2 = 115.75
, population_as_of = 31 December 2021
, population_total = 196,935 ( 16th) Data for territorial unit 0463000.
, population_density_km2 = 1716
, population_metro = 297646
, timezone =
CET
CET or cet may refer to:
Places
* Cet, Albania
* Cet, standard astronomical abbreviation for the constellation Cetus
* Colchester Town railway station (National Rail code CET), in Colchester, England
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Comcast En ...
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST =
CEST CEST or cest may refer to:
* Central European Summer Time (UTC+2), daylight saving time observed in the central European time zone
* Cognitive-Experiential Self-Theory
* Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer, a subset of Magnetization transfer in ...
Car plates
A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate (British English), license plate (American English), or licence plate (Canadian English), is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identificatio ...
, blank_info = CT
, blank_name_sec2 =
Highways
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
: ''Thorunium'', ''Thorunia'' is a historical city on the
Vistula
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
River in north-central
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
and a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–1998) and the Pomeranian Voivodeship (1921–1945). Since 1999, Toruń has been a seat of the self-government of the
Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, also known as Cuiavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship or simply Kujawsko-Pomorskie, or Kujawy-Pomerania Province ( pl, województwo kujawsko-pomorskie ) is one of the 16 voivodeships (provinces) into which Poland is divide ...
and is one of its two capitals, together with Bydgoszcz. The cities and neighboring counties form the
Bydgoszcz–Toruń
Bydgoszcz–Toruń metropolitan area (Polish: ''aglomeracja bydgosko-toruńska'') is the name of the bi-polar agglomeration in the middle of the Vistula river created by 2 cities: Bydgoszcz and Toruń. The distance between the built-up areas of ...
twin city metropolitan area.
Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland; it was first settled in the 8th century and in 1233 was expanded by the
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians o ...
. For centuries it was home to people of diverse backgrounds and religions. From 1264 until 1411, Toruń was part of the Hanseatic League and by the 17th century a leading trading point, which greatly affected the city's architecture, ranging from Brick Gothic to
Mannerist
Mannerism, which may also be known as Late Renaissance, is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Ita ...
and Baroque.
In the Early Modern period, Toruń was a royal city of Poland and one of Poland's four largest cities. With the partitions of Poland in the late 18th century, it became part of
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...
, then of the short-lived
Duchy of Warsaw
The Duchy of Warsaw ( pl, Księstwo Warszawskie, french: Duché de Varsovie, german: Herzogtum Warschau), also known as the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and Napoleonic Poland, was a French client state established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807, during ...
, serving as the temporary Polish capital in 1809, then again of Prussia, of the German Empire and, after
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, Toruń was spared bombing and destruction; its Old Town and iconic central marketplace have been entirely preserved.
Toruń is renowned for its Museum of Gingerbread – the gingerbread-baking tradition dates back nearly a
millennium
A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...
– as well as for its large
Cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominatio ...
. Toruń is noted for its very high standard of living and quality of life. In 1997 the medieval part of the city was designated a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
The first settlement in the vicinity of Toruń is dated by archaeologists to 1100 BC (
Lusatian culture
The Lusatian culture existed in the later Bronze Age and early Iron Age (1700 BC – 500 BC) in most of what is now Poland and parts of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, eastern Germany and western Ukraine. It covers the Periods Montelius III (earl ...
). During early medieval times, in the 7th through 13th centuries, it was the location of an old Slavonic settlement,Encyklopedia Powszechna PWN Warsaw 1976 at a ford in the Vistula river. In the 10th century it became part of the emerging Polish state ruled by the Piast dynasty.
In spring 1231 the
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians o ...
crossed the river
Vistula
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
at the height of
Nieszawa
Nieszawa (Polish pronunciation: ; german: Nessau) is a town and a commune in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, in north-central Poland. As of June 30, 2014, the town has a population of 1,985 people. It is located in the historic region of ...
and established a fortress. On 28 December 1233, the Teutonic Knights
Hermann von Salza
Hermann von Salza (or Herman of Salza; c. 1165 – 20 March 1239) was the fourth Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, serving from 1210 to 1239. A skilled diplomat with ties to the Holy Roman Emperor and the Pope, Hermann oversaw the expansio ...
and Hermann Balk, signed the city charters for Toruń (''Thorn'') and
Chełmno
Chełmno (; older en, Culm; formerly ) is a town in northern Poland near the Vistula river with 18,915 inhabitants as of December 2021. It is the seat of the Chełmno County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.
Due to its regional impor ...
(''Kulm''). The original document was lost in 1244. The set of rights in general is known as
Kulm law Kulm law, Culm law or Chełmno Law (german: Kulmer Recht; lat, Jus Culmense vetus; pl, Prawo chełmińskie) was a legal constitution for a municipal form of government used in several Central European cities during the Middle Ages.
It was initia ...
. In 1236, due to frequent flooding, it was relocated to the present site of the Old Town. In 1239
Franciscan
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
friars settled in the city, followed in 1263 by Dominicans. In 1264 the adjacent New Town was founded predominantly to house Torun's growing population of craftsmen and artisans, who predominantly came from German-speaking lands.
In 1280, the city (or as it was then, both cities) joined the mercantile Hanseatic League, and thus became an important medieval trade centre.
The city was recaptured by Poland in 1410 during the
Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War
The Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War, also known as the Great War, occurred between 1409 and 1411 between the Teutonic Knights and the allied Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Inspired by the local Samogitian uprising, the war beg ...
however, after the
First Peace of Thorn
The (First) Peace of Thorn was a peace treaty formally ending the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War between allied Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania on one side, and the Teutonic Knights on the other. It was signed on 1 February 1 ...
was signed in the city in February 1411, the city fell back to the Teutonic Order. In 1411, the city left the Hanseatic League. In the 1420s, Polish King
Władysław II Jagiełło
Jogaila (; 1 June 1434), later Władysław II Jagiełło ()He is known under a number of names: lt, Jogaila Algirdaitis; pl, Władysław II Jagiełło; be, Jahajła (Ягайла). See also: Names and titles of Władysław II Jagiełło. ...
built the
Dybów Castle
Dybów Castle ( pl, Zamek Dybów) is a castle in Toruń, Poland. It is a national Object of Cultural Heritage.
Location
The castle is located in the Piaski district of Toruń, on the western side of the Vistula river.
History
Built by Władysła ...
, located in present-day left-bank Toruń, which he visited numerous times. During the next big
Polish–Teutonic War
Polish–Teutonic War may refer to:
* Teutonic takeover of Danzig (Gdańsk) (1308–1309)
*Polish–Teutonic War (1326–1332) over Pomerelia, concluded by the Treaty of Kalisz (1343)
*the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War or ''Great War'' (140 ...
, the Dybów Castle was occupied by the Teutonic Knights from 1431 to 1435.
In 1440, the gentry of Thorn co-founded the
Prussian Confederation
The Prussian Confederation (german: Preußischer Bund, pl, Związek Pruski) was an organization formed on 21 February 1440 at Kwidzyn (then officially ''Marienwerder'') by a group of 53 nobles and clergy and 19 cities in Prussia (region), Prussi ...
to further oppose the Knights' policies. From 1452, talks between the Polish King
Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV (in full Casimir IV Andrew Jagiellon; pl, Kazimierz IV Andrzej Jagiellończyk ; Lithuanian: ; 30 November 1427 – 7 June 1492) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447, until his death. He was one of the m ...
and the burghers of the Confederation were held in the Dybów Castle. The Confederation rose against the
Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights
The State of the Teutonic Order (german: Staat des Deutschen Ordens, ; la, Civitas Ordinis Theutonici; lt, Vokiečių ordino valstybė; pl, Państwo zakonu krzyżackiego), also called () or (), was a medieval Crusader state, located in Cen ...
in 1454 and its delegation submitted a petition to Polish King
Casimir IV Jagiellon
Casimir IV (in full Casimir IV Andrew Jagiellon; pl, Kazimierz IV Andrzej Jagiellończyk ; Lithuanian: ; 30 November 1427 – 7 June 1492) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1440 and King of Poland from 1447, until his death. He was one of the m ...
asking him to regain power over the region as the rightful ruler. An act of incorporation was signed in
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
(6 March 1454), recognizing the region (including Toruń), as part of the Polish Kingdom. These events led to the Thirteen Years' War. The citizens of the city enraged by the Order's ruthless exploitation, conquered the Teutonic castle, and dismantled the fortifications brick by brick, except for the Gdanisko tower which was used until the 18th century for the gunpowder storage. The local mayor pledged allegiance to the Polish King during the incorporation in March 1454 in Kraków, and then in May 1454, an official ceremony was held in Toruń, during which the nobility, knights, landowners, mayors and local officials from
Chełmno Land
Chełmno land ( pl, ziemia chełmińska, or Kulmerland, Old Prussian: ''Kulma'', lt, Kulmo žemė) is a part of the historical region of Pomerelia, located in central-northern Poland.
Chełmno land is named after the city of Chełmno (hist ...
, including Toruń, again solemnly swore allegiance to the Polish King and the Kingdom of Poland. Since 1454, the city was authorized by King Casimir IV to mint Polish coins. During the war, Casimir IV often stayed at the Dybów Castle and Toruń financially supported the Polish Army. The New and Old Towns amalgamated in 1454. The Thirteen Years' War ended in 1466, with the
Second Peace of Thorn
The Peace of Thorn or Toruń of 1466, also known as the Second Peace of Thorn or Toruń ( pl, drugi pokój toruński; german: Zweiter Friede von Thorn), was a peace treaty signed in the Hanseatic city of Thorn (Toruń) on 19 October 1466 betwe ...
, in which the Teutonic Order renounced any claims to the city and recognised it as part of Poland. The Polish King granted the town great privileges, similar to those of Gdańsk. Also in 1454, in the
Dybów Castle
Dybów Castle ( pl, Zamek Dybów) is a castle in Toruń, Poland. It is a national Object of Cultural Heritage.
Location
The castle is located in the Piaski district of Toruń, on the western side of the Vistula river.
History
Built by Władysła ...
, the King issued the famous
Statutes of Nieszawa The Nieszawa Statutes () were a set of laws enacted in the Kingdom of Poland in 1454, in the town of Nieszawa located in north-central Poland. The King Casimir IV Jagiellon made a number of concessions to the Polish nobility and the gentry (szlachta ...
, covering a set of privileges for the Polish nobility; an event that is regarded as the birth of the noble democracy in Poland, which lasted until the country's
demise
Demise is an Anglo-Norman legal term (from French ''démettre'', from Latin ''dimittere'', to send away) for the transfer of an estate, especially by lease. It has an operative effect in a lease, implying a covenant "for quiet enjoyment."
The ...
in 1795.
Early modern period
Throughout history, the city was home to notable personas, scholars and statesmen. In 1473,
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus (; pl, Mikołaj Kopernik; gml, Niklas Koppernigk, german: Nikolaus Kopernikus; 19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic canon, who formulated ...
was born, and, in 1501, Polish King
John I Albert
John I Albert ( pl, Jan I Olbracht; 27 December 1459 – 17 June 1501) was King of Poland from 1492 until his death in 1501 and Duke of Głogów (Glogau) from 1491 to 1498. He was the fourth Polish sovereign from the Jagiellonian dynasty, the s ...
church bell
A church bell in Christian architecture is a bell which is rung in a church for a variety of religious purposes, and can be heard outside the building. Traditionally they are used to call worshippers to the church for a communal service, and to ...
in Poland at that time, was placed in the church of St. John the Baptist, and a bridge across the Vistula was built, which was the country's longest wooden bridge at that time. In 1506, Toruń became a royal city of Poland. In 1528, the royal mint started operating in Toruń. In 1568, a gymnasium was founded, which after 1594 became one of the leading schools of northern Poland for the centuries to come. Also in 1594, the Toruń's first museum (''Musaeum'') was established at the school, beginning the city's museal traditions. A city of great wealth and influence, it enjoyed voting rights during the royal election period. Sejms of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth were held in Toruń in 1576 and 1626.
In 1557, during the
Protestant Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and ...
, the city adopted
Protestantism
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
. Under Mayor
Henryk Stroband
Henryk Stroband (1548–1609) was a Polish jurist and mayor of Toruń
)''
, image_skyline =
, image_caption =
, image_flag = POL Toruń flag.svg
, image_shield = POL Toruń COA.svg
, nickname = City of Angels, ...
(1586–1609), the city became centralized. Administrative power passed into the hands of the city council. In 1595,
arrived to promote the Counter-Reformation, taking control of St John's Church. The Protestant city officials tried to limit the influx of Catholics into the city, as Catholics (Jesuits and Dominican friars) already controlled most of the churches, leaving only St Mary's to Protestant citizens. In 1645, at a time when religious conflicts occurred in many other European countries and the disastrous
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battle ...
was fought west of Poland, in Toruń, on the initiative of King
Władysław IV Vasa
Władysław IV Vasa; lt, Vladislovas Vaza; sv, Vladislav IV av Polen; rus, Владислав IV Ваза, r=Vladislav IV Vaza; la, Ladislaus IV Vasa or Ladislaus IV of Poland (9 June 1595 – 20 May 1648) was King of Poland, Grand Duke of ...
, a three-month congress of European Catholics, Lutherans and Calvinists was held, known as ''Colloquium Charitativum;'' an important event in the history of interreligious dialogue.
During the
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swed ...
(1700–21), the city was besieged by Swedish troops. The restoration of
Augustus II the Strong
Augustus II; german: August der Starke; lt, Augustas II; in Saxony also known as Frederick Augustus I – Friedrich August I (12 May 16701 February 1733), most commonly known as Augustus the Strong, was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as K ...
as King of Poland was prepared in the city in the Treaty of Thorn (1709) by Russian Tsar Peter the Great. In the second half of the 17th century, tensions between Catholics and Protestants grew, similarly to religious wars throughout Europe. In the early 18th century about 50 percent of the populace, especially the gentry and middle class, were German-speaking Protestants, while the other 50 percent were Polish-speaking Roman Catholics. Protestant influence was subsequently pushed back after the Tumult of Thorn of 1724.
Late modern period (from 1793)
After the
Second Partition of Poland
The 1793 Second Partition of Poland was the second of three partitions (or partial annexations) that ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth by 1795. The second partition occurred in the aftermath of the Polish–Russian W ...
in 1793, the city was annexed by
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...
. It was briefly regained by Poles as part of the
Duchy of Warsaw
The Duchy of Warsaw ( pl, Księstwo Warszawskie, french: Duché de Varsovie, german: Herzogtum Warschau), also known as the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and Napoleonic Poland, was a French client state established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807, during ...
in years 1807–1815, even serving as the temporary capital in April and May 1809. During these years the city began to attract a growing
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
community. In 1809, Toruń was successfully defended by the Poles against the Austrians. After being re-annexed by Prussia in 1815, Toruń was subjected to Germanisation and became a strong center of Polish resistance against such policies. The city's first synagogue was inaugurated in 1847. New Polish institutions were established, such as Towarzystwo Naukowe w Toruniu (''Toruń Scientific Society''), a major Polish institution in the
Prussian Partition
The Prussian Partition ( pl, Zabór pruski), or Prussian Poland, is the former territories of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth acquired during the Partitions of Poland, in the late 18th century by the Kingdom of Prussia. The Prussian acquis ...
of Poland, founded in 1875.
In 1976, it was awarded the Commander's Cross with Star of the
Order of Polonia Restituta
The Order of Polonia Restituta ( pl, Order Odrodzenia Polski, en, Order of Restored Poland) is a Polish state order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on foreigners for outstanding achievement ...
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Poland declared independence and regained control over the city. In
interwar Poland
The Second Polish Republic, at the time officially known as the Republic of Poland, was a country in Central and Eastern Europe that existed between 1918 and 1939. The state was established on 6 November 1918, before the end of the First World ...
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, Germany
occupied
' (Norwegian: ') is a Norwegian political thriller TV series that premiered on TV2 on 5 October 2015. Based on an original idea by Jo Nesbø, the series is co-created with Karianne Lund and Erik Skjoldbjærg. Season 2 premiered on 10 October ...
the city from 7 September 1939 to 1 February 1945. The '' Einsatzkommando 16'' entered the city to commit various crimes against Poles. Under German occupation, local people were subjected to arrests, expulsions,
slave labor
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
, deportations to
concentration camps
Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simply ...
and executions, especially the Polish elites as part of the ''
Intelligenzaktion
The ''Intelligenzaktion'' (), or the Intelligentsia mass shootings, was a series of mass murders which was committed against the Polish intelligentsia (teachers, priests, physicians, and other prominent members of Polish society) early in the ...
''.
A group of Polish railwaymen and policemen from Toruń was murdered by the German gendarmerie and ''
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
'' in
Gąbin
Gąbin is a small town in Płock County, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland, with 4,065 inhabitants as of December 2021. The Warsaw radio mast, which stood near Gąbin, was the tallest structure in the world until its collapse in 1991.
History
Gąb ...
on 19–21 September 1939. Local Poles, including activists, teachers and priests, arrested in Toruń and the
Toruń County
__NOTOC__
Toruń County ( pl, powiat toruński) is a unit of territorial administration and local government (powiat) in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, north-central Poland. It was created on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local gover ...
from September 1939, were initially held in the pre-war prison, and after its overcrowding, from October 1939, the Germans imprisoned Poles in Fort VII of the Toruń Fortress.Wardzyńska, p. 161 Only on 17–19 October 1939, the German police and ''
Selbstschutz
''Selbstschutz'' (German for "self-protection") is the name given to different iterations of ethnic-German self-protection units formed both after the First World War and in the lead-up to the Second World War.
The first incarnation of the ''Selb ...
'' arrested 1,200 Poles in Toruń and the county. In early November 1939, the Germans carried out further mass arrests of Polish teachers, farmers and priests in Toruń and the county, who were then imprisoned in Fort VII. Imprisoned Poles were then either deported to
concentration camps
Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simply ...
or murdered on the site. Large massacres of over 1,100 Poles from the city and region, including teachers, school principals, local officials, restaurateurs, shop owners, merchants, farmers, railwaymen, policemen, craftsmen, students, priests, workers, doctors, were carried out in the present-day district of Barbarka. Six mass graves were discovered after the war, in five of which the bodies of the victims were burnt, as the Germans tried to cover up the crime. Local teachers were also among Polish teachers murdered in the Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg,
Mauthausen
Mauthausen was a Nazi concentration camp on a hill above the market town
A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regu ...
and Dachau concentration camps. Despite such circumstances, the Polish resistance movement was active in the city, and Toruń was the seat of one of the six main commands of the Union of Armed Struggle in occupied Poland (alongside
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
,
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
,
Poznań
Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint Joh ...
prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured by a belligerent power in time of war.
There are significant differences among POW camps, internment camps, and military prisons. ...
in the city with multiple forced labour subcamps in the region, in which Polish,
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
Australian
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal A ...
and
Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...
POWs were held. From 1940 to 1943, in the northern part of the city there was a German transit camp Umsiedlungslager Thorn for Poles expelled from Toruń and the surrounding area, which became infamous for inhuman sanitary conditions. Over 12,000 Poles passed through the camp, and around 1,000 died there, including about 400 children. From 1941 to 1945, a German forced labour camp was located in the city. In the spring of 1942, the Germans murdered 30 Polish scouts aged 13–16 in Fort VII.
While the city's population suffered many atrocities, as described, there were no battles or bombings that damaged its buildings. Thus, the city avoided damage during both World Wars, due to which it retained its historic architecture ranging from Gothic through
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history
The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...
World Heritage Sites
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
since 1997, Toruń has many monuments of architecture dating back to the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
. The city is famous for having preserved almost intact its medieval spatial layout and many Gothic buildings, all built from brick, including monumental churches, the Town Hall and many burgher houses.
Gothic architecture
Toruń has the largest number of preserved Gothic houses in Poland, many with Gothic wall paintings or wood-beam ceilings from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
* The Cathedral of SS. John the Evangelist and John the Baptist, an aisled hall church built in the 14th century and extended in the 15th century; outstanding Gothic sculptures and paintings inside (Moses, St. Mary Magdalene, gravestone of Johann von Soest), Renaissance and Baroque epitaphs and altars (among them the epitaph of Copernicus from 1580), as well as the Tuba Dei, the largest medieval
church bell
A church bell in Christian architecture is a bell which is rung in a church for a variety of religious purposes, and can be heard outside the building. Traditionally they are used to call worshippers to the church for a communal service, and to ...
in Poland and one of the largest in Europe
* St. Mary's church, a formerly Franciscan aisled hall built in the 14th century
* St. James the Greater's church (often mistakenly called St Jacob's), a basilica from the 14th century, with monumental wall paintings and Gothic stalls
* The Old Town Hall was inaugurated in 1274, than extended and rebuilt between 1391 and 1399, and extended again at the end of the 16th century; considered one of the most monumental town halls in Central Europe ( Toruń Regional Museum or ''Muzeum Okręgowe'' in Polish)
* City fortifications, begun in the 13th century, extended between the 14th and 15th centuries, mostly demolished in the 19th century, but partially preserved with a few city gates and watchtowers (among them the so-called
Leaning Tower
This is a list of leaning towers. A leaning tower is a tower which, either intentionally or unintentionally (due to errors in design, construction, or subsequent external influence such as unstable ground), does not stand perpendicular to the g ...
) from the Vistula side. See also: Toruń Fortress
* A 15th-century Gothic house ( now a museum) where Copernicus was reputedly born
* Ruins of 13th-century Teutonic Knights' castle
* House at the sign of the Star ( pl, Kamienica Pod Gwiazdą, the East Asian Museum, previously Gothic, briefly owned by
Filip Callimachus
Filippo Buonaccorsi, called Callimachus, Callimico, Bonacurarius, Caeculus, Geminianensis (Latin: ''Philippus Callimachus Experiens'', ''Bonacursius''; , 2 May 1437 – 1 November 1496) was an Italian humanist, writer and diplomat active in Pola ...
, then rebuilt in the 16th century and in 1697, with a richly decorated stucco façade and wooden spiral stairs.
Toruń, unlike many other historic cities in Poland, escaped substantial destruction in World War II. Particularly left intact was the Old Town, all of whose important architectural monuments are originals, not reconstructions.
Major renovation projects have been undertaken in recent years to improve the condition and external presentation of the Old Town. Besides the renovation of various buildings, projects such as the reconstruction of the pavement of the streets and squares (reversing them to their historical appearance), and the introduction of new plants, trees and objects of 'small architecture', are underway.
Numerous buildings and other constructions, including the city walls along the boulevard, are illuminated at night, creating an impressive effect - probably unique among Polish cities with respect to the size of Toruń's Old Town and the scale of the illumination project itself.
Toruń is also home to the Zoo and Botanical Garden opened in 1965 and 1797 respectively and is one of the city's popular tourist attractions.
Districts
Toruń is divided into 24 administrative districts (dzielnica) or boroughs, each with a degree of autonomy within its own municipal government. The Districts include: Barbarka, Bielany, Bielawy, Bydgoskie Przedmieście, Chełmińskie Przedmieście, Czerniewice, Glinki, Grębocin nad Strugą, Jakubskie Przedmieście, Kaszczorek, Katarzynka, Koniuchy, Mokre, Na Skarpie, Piaski, Podgórz, Rubinkowo, Rudak, Rybaki, Stare Miasto (''Old Town''), Starotoruńskie Przedmieście, Stawki, Winnica, Wrzosy.
Symbols
The colors of Toruń are white and blue in the horizontal arrangement, white top, blue bottom, equal in size. The flag of the city of Toruń is a bipartite sheet. The upper field is white, the lower field is blue. If the flag is hung vertically, the upper edge of the flag must be on the left.
The flag with the coat of arms is also in use. The ratio of the height of the coat of arms to the width of the flag is 1:2.
Climate
The climate can be described as
humid continental
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
: ''Dfb'') using the isotherm of is used or an oceanic climate (''Cfb'') if the isotherm is adopted. Back in 1930s, the city passed close to the original boundary and dividing line of climates C and D groups in the north–south direction proposed by climatologist
Wladimir Köppen
Wladimir Peter Köppen (; russian: Влади́мир Петро́вич Кёппен, translit=Vladimir Petrovich Kyoppen; 25 September 1846 – 22 June 1940) was a Russian-German geographer, meteorologist, climatologist and botanist. After st ...
. Toruń is in the transition between the milder climates of the west and north of the
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
and the more extreme ones like the south (warmer summer) and the east (colder winter). It is not much different from the climates of more southerly
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
and easterly
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
, though it has slightly milder winters and more moderate summers.Archived 27 December 2018, at the
Wayback Machine
The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the World Wide Web founded by the Internet Archive, a nonprofit based in San Francisco, California. Created in 1996 and launched to the public in 2001, it allows the user to go "back in time" and see ...
.
Being close to definitely continental climates, it has a high variability caused by the contact of eastern continental air masses and western oceanic ones. This is influenced by the geographical location of the city – the Toruń Basin to the south, and the Vistula Valley to the north.
Demographics
The most recent statistics show a decrease in the population of the city, from 211,169 in 2001 (highest) to 202,562 in 2018. Among the demographic trends influencing this decline, are: suburbanisation, migration to larger urban centres, and wider trends observed in the whole of Poland such as general population decline, slowed down by immigration in 2017. The birth rate in the city in 2017 was 0.75. Low birthrates have been consistent in the city for the first two decades of 21st Century.
The official forecasts from
Statistics Poland
Statistics Poland (formerly known in English as the Central Statistical Office ( pl, Główny Urząd Statystyczny, popularly called GUS)) is Poland's chief government executive agency charged with collecting and publishing statistics related to th ...
state that by 2050 the city population will have declined to 157,949.
Inside the city itself, most of the population is concentrated on the right (northern) bank of the Vistula river. Two of the most densely populated areas are Rubinkowo and Na Skarpie, housing projects built mostly in the 1970s and 1980s, located between the central and easternmost districts; their total population is about 70,000.
The
Bydgoszcz–Toruń
Bydgoszcz–Toruń metropolitan area (Polish: ''aglomeracja bydgosko-toruńska'') is the name of the bi-polar agglomeration in the middle of the Vistula river created by 2 cities: Bydgoszcz and Toruń. The distance between the built-up areas of ...
metro area of Toruń and Bydgoszcz, their counties, and a number of smaller towns, may in total have a population of as much as 800,000. Thus the area contains about one third of the population of the Kuyavia-Pomerania region (which has about 2.1 million inhabitants).
Transport
The transport network in the city has undergone major development in recent years. The partial completion of ring road (East and South), the completion of the second bridge (2013) and various road, and cycling lane improvements, including construction of Trasa Średnicowa, have decidedly improved the traffic in the city. However, noise barriers that have been erected along the new or refurbished roads have been criticised as not conducive to a beautiful urban landscape. The extensive roadworks have also drawn attention to the declining population numbers, casting doubt that the city might over-delivered for the future number of road users, as the demographic trends forecast from
Statistics Poland
Statistics Poland (formerly known in English as the Central Statistical Office ( pl, Główny Urząd Statystyczny, popularly called GUS)) is Poland's chief government executive agency charged with collecting and publishing statistics related to th ...
predicts a reduction of population by almost 1/4 by year 2050.
The city's public transport system comprises five tram lines and about 40 bus routes, covering the city and some of the neighboring communities.
Toruń is situated at a major road junction, one of the most important in Poland. The A1
highway
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-acces ...
reaches Toruń, and a southern
beltway
A ring road (also known as circular road, beltline, beltway, circumferential (high)way, loop, bypass or orbital) is a road or a series of connected roads encircling a town, city, or country. The most common purpose of a ring road is to assist i ...
surrounds the city. Besides these, the
European route E75
European route E 75 is part of the International E-road network, which is a series of main roads in Europe.
The E 75 starts at the town of Vardø in Norway by the Barents Sea and it runs south through Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, ...
and a number of domestic roads (numbered 10, 15, and 80) run through the city.
With three main railway stations ( Toruń Główny, Toruń Miasto and Toruń Wschodni), the city is a major rail junction, with two important lines crossing there (
Warszawa
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officiall ...
Wrocław
Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...
–
Olsztyn
Olsztyn ( , ; german: Allenstein ; Old Prussian: ''Alnāsteini''
* Latin: ''Allenstenium'', ''Holstin'') is a city on the Łyna River in northern Poland. It is the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, and is a city with county rights. ...
). Two other lines stem from Toruń, toward Malbork and
Sierpc
Sierpc ( Polish: ) is a town in north-central Poland, in the north-west part of the Masovian Voivodeship, about 125 km northwest of Warsaw. It is the capital of Sierpc County. Its population is 18,791 (2006). It is located near the national ...
.
The rail connection with Bydgoszcz is run under a name "BiT City" as a "metropolitan rail". Its main purpose is to allow traveling between and within these cities using one ticket. A joint venture of Toruń, Bydgoszcz,
Solec Kujawski
Solec Kujawski (Polish pronunciation: ; german: Schulitz) is a town in north-central Poland with 15,505 inhabitants, located in Bydgoszcz County in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is situated within the historic region of Kuyavia, around ...
and the voivodeship, it is considered as important in integrating Bydgoszcz-Toruń metropolitan area. A major modernization of BiT City railroute, as well as a purchase of completely new vehicles to serve the line, is planned for 2008 and 2009. Technically, it will allow to travel between Toruń-East and Bydgoszcz-Airport stations at a speed of in a time of approximately half an hour. In a few years' time "BiT City" will be integrated with local transportation systems of Toruń and Bydgoszcz, thus creating a uniform metropolitan transportation network – with all necessary funds having been secured in 2008.
Since September 2008, the "one-ticket" solution has been introduced also as regards a rail connection with
Włocławek
Włocławek (Polish pronunciation: ; german: Leslau) is a city located in central Poland along the Vistula (Wisła) River and is bordered by the Gostynin-Włocławek Landscape Park. As of December 2021, the population of the city is 106,928. Loc ...
, as a "regional ticket". The same is planned for connection with
Grudziądz
Grudziądz ( la, Graudentum, Graudentium, german: Graudenz) is a city in northern Poland, with 92,552 inhabitants (2021). Located on the Vistula River, it lies within the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and is the fourth-largest city in its prov ...
.
Two bus depots serve to connect the city with other towns and cities in Poland.
, a small sport airfield exists in Toruń; however, a modernization of the airport is seriously considered with a number of investors interested in it. Independently of this,
Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport
Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport ( pl, Port lotniczy im. Ignacego Jana Paderewskiego Bydgoszcz-Szwederowo) is a Polish regional airport in the city of Bydgoszcz, Poland. It lies only from the city centre and around 50 km from the cit ...
, located about from Toruń city centre, serves the whole Bydgoszcz-Toruń metropolitan area, with a number of regular flights to European cities.
Economy
Although a medium-sized city, Toruń is the site of the headquarters of some of the largest companies in Poland, or at least of their subsidiaries. The official unemployment rate, as of September 2008, is 5.4%.
In 2006, construction of new plants owned by
Sharp Corporation
is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products, headquartered in Sakai-ku, Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. Since 2016 it has been majority owned by the Taiwan-based Foxconn Group. Sharp employs more than 5 ...
and other companies of mainly Japanese origin has started in the neighboring community of Łysomice - about from city centre. The facilities under construction are located in a newly created special economic zone. As a result of cooperation of the companies mentioned above, a vast high-tech complex is to be constructed in the next few years, providing as many as 10,000 jobs (a prediction for 2010) at the cost of about 450 million euros. , the creation of another special economic zone is being considered, this time inside city limits.
Thanks to its architectural heritage Toruń is visited by more than 1.5 million tourists a year (1.6 million in 2007). This makes tourism an important branch of the local economy, although time spent in the city by individual tourists or the number of hotels, which can serve them, are still not considered satisfactory. Major investments in renovation of the city's monuments, building new hotels (including high-standard ones), improvement in promotion, as well as launching new cultural and scientific events and facilities, give very good prospects for Toruń's tourism.
In recent years Toruń has been a site of intense building construction investments, mainly residential and in its transportation network. The latter has been possible partly due to the use of European Union funds assigned for new member states. Toruń city county generates by far the highest number of new dwellings built each year among all Kuyavian-Pomeranian counties, both relative to its population as well as in absolute values. It has led to almost complete rebuilding of some districts. , many major constructions are either under development or are to be launched soon - the value of some of them exceeding 100 million euros. They include a new speedway stadium, major shopping and entertainment centres, a commercial complex popularly called a "New Centre of Toruń", a music theater, a centre of contemporary art, hotels, office buildings, facilities for the Nicolaus Copernicus University, roads and tram routes, sewage and fresh water delivery systems, residential projects, the possibility of a new bridge over the Vistula, and more. Construction of the A1 motorway and th e BiT City fast metropolitan railway also directly affects the city. About 25,000 local firms are registered in Toruń.
Culture
Toruń has two drama theatres (''Teatr im. Wilama Horzycy'' with three stages and ''Teatr Wiczy''), two children's theatres ('' Baj Pomorski'' and ''Zaczarowany Świat''), two music theatres (''Mała Rewia'', ''Studencki Teatr Tańca''), and numerous other theatre groups. The city hosts, among others events, the international theatre festival, "Kontakt", annually in May.
A building called ''Baj Pomorski'' has recently been completely reconstructed. It is now one of the most modern cultural facilities in the city, with its front elevation in the shape of a gigantic chest of drawers. It is located at the south-east edge of the Old Town. Toruń has two cinemas including a Cinema City, which has over 2,000 seats.
Over ten major museums document the history of Toruń and the region. Among others, the "House of Kopernik" and the accompanying museum commemorate
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus (; pl, Mikołaj Kopernik; gml, Niklas Koppernigk, german: Nikolaus Kopernikus; 19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic canon, who formulated ...
and his revolutionary work, the university museum reveals the history of the city's academic past.
The Tony Halik Travelers' Museum ( Muzeum Podróżników im. Tony Halika) was established in 2003 after Elżbieta Dzikowska donated to citizens of Toruń a collection of objects from various countries and cultures following the death of her husband, famous explorer and writer, Toruń native, Tony Halik. It is managed by the District Museum in Toruń.
The Centre of Contemporary Art (''Centrum Sztuki Współczesnej'' - ''CSW'') opened in June 2008 and is one of the most important cultural facilities of this kind in Poland. The modern building is located in the very centre of the city, adjacent to the Old Town. The Toruń Symphonic Orchestra (formerly the Toruń Chamber Orchestra) is well-rooted in the Toruń cultural landscape.
Toruń is home to a planetarium (located downtown) and an astronomical observatory (located in nearby village of Piwnice). The latter boasts the largest radio telescope in Central Europe with a diameter of , second only to the Effelsberg radio telescope.
Toruń is well known for Toruń gingerbread, a type of piernik often made in elaborate molds. Muzeum Piernika in Toruń is Europe's only museum dedicated to gingerbread. The 15-year-old composer
Fryderyk Chopin
The Fryderyk is the annual award in Polish music. Its name refers to the original Polish spelling variant of Polish composer Frédéric Chopin's first name. Its status in the Polish public can be compared to the American Grammy and the UK's B ...
was smitten with Toruń gingerbread when he visited his godfather,
Fryderyk Skarbek
Fryderyk Florian Skarbek (15 February 1792 – 25 September 1866), a member of the Polish nobility, was an economist, novelist, historian, social activist, administrator, politician, and penologist who designed the Pawiak Prison of World War II ...
, there in the summer of 1825.
Toruń is a center of conservative Roman Catholic culture.
Redemptorist
The Redemptorists officially named the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer ( la, links=no, Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris), abbreviated CSsR,is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men (priests and brother ...
Radio Maryja
Radio Maryja is a religious and political socially conservative Polish radio station. It was founded in Toruń, Poland, on 9 December 1991, by the Redemptorist Tadeusz Rydzyk. The name "Maryja" is a traditional Polish form of the name "Mary" ...
,
Telewizja Trwam
TV Trwam is a Polish TV channel in Toruń, Poland, belonging to the Lux Veritatis Foundation.
Ownership and financing
The station is owned by the Warsaw Province of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer and is financed through donations f ...
, a college whose students contribute to the mentioned media. Now a museum is being constructed.
The 12999 Toruńasteroid is named after the city.
Education
Over thirty elementary and primary schools and over ten high schools make up the educational base of Toruń. Besides these, students can also attend a handful of private schools.
The largest institution of higher education in Toruń,
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń or NCU ( pl, Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu, UMK) is located in Toruń, Poland. It is named after Nicolaus Copernicus, who was born in Toruń in 1473.Toruń Scientific Society, Stefan Batory University in Wilno, and Jan Kazimierz University in Lwów. The existence of a high-ranked and high-profiled university with so many students plays a great role the city's position and importance in general, as well as in creating an image of Toruń's streets and clubs filled with crowds of young people. It also has a serious influence on local economy.
Other public institutions of higher education:
* Wyższe Seminarium Duchowne (a section of the Theological Faculty of the Nicolaus Copernicus University)
* The Teacher Training College - Nauczycielskie Kolegium Języków Obcych (affiliated to the Nicolaus Copernicus University)
* College of Fashion (Kolegium Mody)
* University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn - Faculty of Geodesy and Land Management Department in Toruń
* College of Social Work - Kolegium Pracowników Służb Społecznych
*
University of Gdańsk
The University of Gdańsk ( pl, Uniwersytet Gdański) is a public research university located in Gdańsk, Poland. It is one of the top 10 universities in Poland and is also an important centre for the studies of the Kashubian language.
History
...
- College of Language
There are also a number of private higher education facilities:
*
WSB Universities
WSB Universities also WSB University ( pl, Wyższe Szkoły Bankowe, Wyższa Szkoła Bankowa) are group of state-recognized private (non-public) universities in Poland. WSB Universities are the largest group of business schools in Poland and have b ...
- WSB University in Toruń
* The University of Social & Medial Culture in Toruń - Wyższa Szkoła Kultury Społecznej i Medialnej (affiliate to the
Radio Maryja
Radio Maryja is a religious and political socially conservative Polish radio station. It was founded in Toruń, Poland, on 9 December 1991, by the Redemptorist Tadeusz Rydzyk. The name "Maryja" is a traditional Polish form of the name "Mary" ...
)
* Toruńska Szkoła Wyższa
* Wyższa Szkoła Filologii Hebrajskiej (Higher School of Hebrew Philology)
* Toruń School of Entrepreneurship - Toruńska Wyższa Szkoła Przedsiębiorczości
Also located in Toruń is one of the oldest
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
Six hospitals of various specializations provide medical service for Toruń itself, its surrounding area and to the region in general. The two largest of these hospitals, recently run by the voivodeship, are to be taken over by Nicolaus Copernicus University and run as its clinical units. At least one of them is to change its status in 2008, with the formal procedures being very advanced.
In addition, there are a number of other healthcare facilities in the city.
Media
* Press
** daily newspapers:
Nasz Dziennik
''Nasz Dziennik'' ("Our Daily") is a Polish-language Roman Catholic daily newspaper published six times a week in Warsaw, Poland. It is connected to the Lux Veritatis Foundation. Its viewpoint has been described as right-wing to far-right (har ...
,
Rzeczpospolita
() is the official name of Poland and a traditional name for some of its predecessor states. It is a compound of "thing, matter" and "common", a calque of Latin ''rés pública'' ( "thing" + "public, common"), i.e. ''republic'', in Engli ...
,
Gazeta Wyborcza
''Gazeta Wyborcza'' (; ''The Electoral Gazette'' in English) is a Polish daily newspaper based in Warsaw, Poland. It is the first Polish daily newspaper after the era of " real socialism" and one of Poland's newspapers of record, covering the ...
Metro
Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to:
Geography
* Metro (city), a city in Indonesia
* A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center
Public transport
* Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urb ...
City Toruń
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
Polskie Radio
Polskie Radio Spółka Akcyjna (PR S.A.; English: Polish Radio) is Poland's national public-service radio broadcasting organization owned by the State Treasury of Poland.
History
Polskie Radio was founded on 18 August 1925 and began making ...
Pomorza i Kujaw,
** Radio ESKA – which plays international hits, along with Polish music
** Radio GRA
** Radio ZET Gold
** Radio Sfera
** Radio WAWA
**
RMF FM
RMF FM (abriviation to ''Radio Muzyka Fakty FM'', translation: ''Radio Music Facts FM''; previously: ''Radio Małopolska Fun FM''; translation: ''Radio Lesser Poland Fun FM'') is the first commercial radio station in Poland, currently broadcas ...
**
Radio Maryja
Radio Maryja is a religious and political socially conservative Polish radio station. It was founded in Toruń, Poland, on 9 December 1991, by the Redemptorist Tadeusz Rydzyk. The name "Maryja" is a traditional Polish form of the name "Mary" ...
– a radio station that broadcasts religious observances such as mass and prayer in Polish
* TV Stations:
**
TVN TVN may refer to:
* TVN (Australian TV channel), a former horse racing channel
* Televisión Nacional de Chile, a public broadcaster
* TVN (Indonesia), a former television station; predecessor of Rajawali Televisi
* TVN (Norway), or TVNorge, a comm ...
/
TVN24
TVN24 is a Polish 24-hour commercial news channel, launched on 9 August 2001. Being a part of the TVN Network, TVN24 has been owned since July 2017 by US-based media company Warner Bros. Discovery. It gained broader popularity after the Septe ...
– regional office
**
TVP Info
TVP Info is a Polish free-to-air television news channel, run by the public broadcaster, state media TVP. It is focused on newscasts, airing nationwide news bulletins from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Its main offices are located at the TVP ...
– Oddział w Bydgoszczy, Redakcja Terenowa w Toruniu,
**
Telewizja Trwam
TV Trwam is a Polish TV channel in Toruń, Poland, belonging to the Lux Veritatis Foundation.
Ownership and financing
The station is owned by the Warsaw Province of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer and is financed through donations f ...
KS Toruń
Apator Toruń, historically KS Toruń, known also in the past as Unibax Toruń due to ownership changes, is a Polish speedway team from Toruń, Poland.
Team information
* Name: Klub Sportowy KS Toruń SA
* Address: 87-100 Toruń, ul. Pera Jonsso ...
Speedway Ekstraliga
The Speedway Ekstraliga ( en, Polish Extraleague, pl, Ekstraliga żużlowa) is the top division of motorcycle speedway in Poland. It has been called the "richest and most popular speedway league in the world", and attracts riders from all over th ...
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
1968
The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide.
Events January–February
* January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
* Janu ...
runners-up, 2005
Polish Cup
The Polish Cup in football ( pl, Puchar Polski w piłce nożnej ) is an elimination tournament for Polish football clubs, held continuously from 1950, and is the second most important national title in Polish football after the Ekstraklasa title. ...
winner
*
Elana Toruń
Elana Toruń is a Polish football club based in Toruń. It competes in the IV liga, 5th tier of the Polish football league system (2022–23 season).
History
The team was at the 2nd level of the Polish pyramid in the 1990s, but were relegate ...
– football team, competing in the 4th division in Poland, whose home ground is the Municipal Stadium
* Pomorzanin Toruń – field hockey (premier league in Poland), football (4th division in Poland), boxing
* Twarde Pierniki Polski Cukier Toruń – basketball club, which is competing in the
Polish Basketball League
Polska Liga Koszykówki (PLK) (English: Polish Basketball League) is a professional men's club basketball league in Poland. It constitutes the first and highest-tier level of the Polish league pyramid. The winning team of the final round are crow ...
(men premier league in Poland), two times runners-up, whose home ground is the
Arena Toruń
Arena Toruń is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment arena in Toruń, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland. It is home to Twarde Pierniki Toruń of the Polish Basketball League (PLK).
It was officially opened on 10 August 2014.
History
...
* Energa Katarzynki Toruń – basketball club, competing in the Basket Liga Kobiet (women premier league in Poland), finishing 3rd in 2010, 2012, 2015, whose home ground is the Arena Toruń
*
Angels Toruń
Angels Toruń is an American football team based in Toruń, Poland. The team currently competes in the PLFA II of Polish American Football League.The club also hosts the Angels Junior (PLFA J for under-17 players) and reserve team Metropolitans in ...
– American football –
Polish American Football League
The Polish American Football League or shortly PLFA ( pl, Polska Liga Futbolu Amerykańskiego) was a structured system for the American football competitions in Poland founded in 2004 by the Polish federation PZFA. In 2012, the Topliga was creat ...
First Division
* Nestle-Pacyfic – cycling
* Toruński Klub Bowlingowy – bowling
* Budowlani Toruń – volleyball (women premier league in Poland), whose home ground is the Arena Toruń
* UKS Budowlanka Toruń – volleyball
* Toruński KS – defunct Polish football club, co-founders of the Polish football league
* The E11 European long distance path for hikers passes through Toruń
Notable people
Notable residents of Toruń include:
*
Filippo Buonaccorsi
Filippo Buonaccorsi, called Callimachus, Callimico, Bonacurarius, Caeculus, Geminianensis (Latin: ''Philippus Callimachus Experiens'', ''Bonacursius''; , 2 May 1437 – 1 November 1496) was an Italian humanist, writer and diplomat active in Pola ...
(1437–1496), Italian humanist, writer, and diplomat
*
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus (; pl, Mikołaj Kopernik; gml, Niklas Koppernigk, german: Nikolaus Kopernikus; 19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic canon, who formulated ...
(1473–1543), Renaissance
polymath
A polymath ( el, πολυμαθής, , "having learned much"; la, homo universalis, "universal human") is an individual whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific pro ...
and
astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, moons, comets and galaxies – in either ...
Bartholomeus Strobel
Bartholomeus Strobel the Younger or Bartholomäus in German or Bartlomiej in Polish (11 April 1591 (baptised) – after 1650) was a Baroque painter from Silesia, who worked in Prague, Silesia, and finally Poland, where he emigrated to escape ...
(1591–1650), Baroque painter
*
Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring
Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring (28 January 1755 – 2 March 1830) was a German physician, anatomist, anthropologist, paleontologist and inventor. Sömmerring discovered the macula in the retina of the human eye. His investigations on the brain ...
(1755–1830), German physician and anatomist
* Samuel Linde (1771–1847), linguist, librarian, and lexicographer of the
Polish language
Polish (Polish: ''język polski'', , ''polszczyzna'' or simply ''polski'', ) is a West Slavic language of the Lechitic group written in the Latin script. It is spoken primarily in Poland and serves as the native language of the Poles. In a ...
*
Zvi Hirsch Kalischer
Zvi (Zwi) Hirsch Kalischer (24 March 1795 – 16 October 1874) was an Orthodox German rabbi who expressed views, from a religious perspective, in favour of the Jewish re-settlement of the Land of Israel, which predate Theodor Herzl and the Zionist ...
(1795–1874), Orthodox rabbi
* Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849), composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period
*
Fryderyk Skarbek
Fryderyk Florian Skarbek (15 February 1792 – 25 September 1866), a member of the Polish nobility, was an economist, novelist, historian, social activist, administrator, politician, and penologist who designed the Pawiak Prison of World War II ...
(1792–1866), economist, novelist, historian, social activist, administrator, politician, and penologist
*
Julie Wolfthorn
Julie Wolfthorn (8 January 1864 – 26 December 1944) was a German painter. Born as Julie Wolf(f) to a middle-class Jewish family, she later styled herself as Julie Wolfthorn after Thorn (Toruń), her city of birth.
Life
Wolfthorn was bor ...
(1864–1944), German painter
* Władysław Dziewulski (1878–1962), astronomer and mathematician.
*
Hermann Rauschning
Hermann Adolf Reinhold Rauschning (7 August 1887 – February 8, 1982) was a German politician and author, adherent of the Conservative Revolution movement who briefly joined the Nazi movement before breaking with it. He was the President of the ...
(1887–1982), German conservative reactionary
*
Roman Ingarden
Roman Witold Ingarden (; February 5, 1893 – June 14, 1970) was a Polish philosopher who worked in aesthetics, ontology, and phenomenology.
Before World War II, Ingarden published his works mainly in the German language. During the war, he swi ...
(1893–1970), philosopher
* Lotte Jacobi (1896–1990), American portrait photographer and photojournalist
* Elżbieta Zawacka (1909–2009), university professor, scouting instructor, SOE agent, and a freedom fighter during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
* Tony Halik (1921–1998), film operator, documentary filmmaker, travel writer, traveller, explorer, and polyglot
*
Kazimierz Serocki
Kazimierz Serocki (3 March 1922 – 9 January 1981) was a Polish composer and one of the founders of the Warsaw Autumn contemporary music festival.
Life
Serocki was born in Toruń. He studied composition with Kazimierz Sikorski and piano w ...
(1922–1981), composer
* Bodo Tümmler (born 1943), German middle-distance runner
*
Aleksander Wolszczan
Aleksander Wolszczan (born 29 April 1946) is a Polish astronomer. He is the co-discoverer of the first confirmed extrasolar planets and pulsar planets.
Early life and education
Wolszczan was born on 29 April 1946 in Szczecinek located in pre ...
Waldemar Fydrych
Waldemar Andrzej Fydrych "Major" (born April 8, 1953) is a Polish activist and founding leader of the Orange Alternative movement in Poland.
Early career
Fydrych was born in Toruń, Poland on April 8, 1953. He is a graduate of the History and Hi ...
(born 1953), Polish activist, leader of the
Orange Alternative
The Orange Alternative (Polish language, Polish: ''Pomarańczowa Alternatywa'') is a Polish far-left anti-communist underground movement, started in Wrocław, a city in south-west Poland and led by Waldemar Fydrych (sometimes misspelled as Frydr ...
movement
*
Jerzy Wenderlich
Jerzy Jan Wenderlich (pronounced ; born 22 April 1954 in Toruń) is a Polish politician. He was initially elected to Sejm in 1993, representing the Democratic Left Alliance, and was reelected in 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2007.
In the 2004 European P ...
(born 1954), politician
*
Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus
Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus (born 8 February 1972) is a Polish politician. She is a member of the Sejm
The Sejm (English: , Polish: ), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland ( Polish: ''Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''), is t ...
Piotr Głowacki
Piotr Głowacki (born 29 March 1980) is a Polish actor. He appeared in more than sixty films since 2004. Awarded with the most prestigious prize for a young actor of his generation in 2014, Głowacki has since played in major Polish and internatio ...
Michał Kwiatkowski
Michał Kwiatkowski ( , born 2 June 1990) is a Polish professional road bicycle racer, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam .
Kwiatkowski is seen as a strong all rounder, with good sprinting, time-trialling and climbing abilities allowing him ...
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, the Bulwar Filadelfijski (''Philadelphia Boulevard''), a long street running mostly between Vistula River and walls of the Old Town and the boulevard itself, bears its name.
The Ślimak Getyński is one of the lanes connecting Piłsudski Bridge / John Paul II Avenue with Philadelphia Boulevard at their downtown interchange. It honours the relationship with Göttingen, its name derived from the street's half-circular shape (Polish word ''ślimak'' meaning "snail").
Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad ( ; rus, Калининград, p=kəlʲɪnʲɪnˈɡrat, links=y), until 1946 known as Königsberg (; rus, Кёнигсберг, Kyonigsberg, ˈkʲɵnʲɪɡzbɛrk; rus, Короле́вец, Korolevets), is the largest city and ...
, Russia (since 1995 until 2022, terminated due to the
Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
)
Gallery
File:Torun ratusz corr.jpg, Old Town Hall
File:Torun apartment house under the star2.jpg, House Under the Star
File:Toruń, Kościół Św. Ducha.jpg, Holy Spirit Church
File:Artus Court in Toruń in National Day decoration.jpg, Artus Court
File:Toruń, ul. Piekary 35, 37, 39 (OLA Z.).JPG, Caesar's Arch Tenement House
File:Convent Gate in Toruń side.jpg, ''Brama Klasztorna'' (Convent Gate)
File:Kościół św. Katarzyny w Toruniu44.jpg, Saint Catherine of Alexandria church
File:Toruń, kamienice przy ul. Warszawskiej.JPG, Historic tenement houses along Warszawska Street
File:10 Wały Generała Sikorskiego in Toruń (01).JPG, Former Police Station Building
File:Węzeł przesiadkowy na Placu 18. Stycznia, Toruń.jpg, City tram line
File:Toruń - Poczta Główna 01.jpg, Main Post Office
File:Toruń Teatr Baj Pomorski.jpg, Baj Pomorski Theatre
File:Toruń, Szeroka Street (DerHexer) 2010-07-17 053.jpg, Szeroka Street
File:Pomnik Ofiar Zbrodni Pomorskiej 1939 w Toruniu.jpg, Memorial to the victims of '' Intelligenzaktion Pommern''
File:Toruń (DerHexer) 2010-07-17 024.jpg, Collegium Maius of the Nicolaus Copernicus University
File:Toruń, gdanisko i dawny młyn.JPG, Castle tower and mill
File:Torun zamek Dybow brama.jpg,
Dybów Castle
Dybów Castle ( pl, Zamek Dybów) is a castle in Toruń, Poland. It is a national Object of Cultural Heritage.
Location
The castle is located in the Piaski district of Toruń, on the western side of the Vistula river.
History
Built by Władysła ...
File:Spichrze, piekary.jpg, Old granaries in the Old Town
File:Muzeum Diecezjalne w Toruniu.jpg, Diocesan Museum
File:Torun Muzeum Podroznikow Franciszkanska.jpg, Tony Halik Travelers' Museum
File:Torun most Zawackiej (08).jpg, Gen. Elżbieta Zawacka Bridge
File:Most Piłsudskiego s3.jpg,
Józef Piłsudski
Józef Klemens Piłsudski (; 5 December 1867 – 12 May 1935) was a Polish statesman who served as the Naczelnik państwa, Chief of State (1918–1922) and Marshal of Poland, First Marshal of Second Polish Republic, Poland (from 1920). He was ...
Bridge over the
Vistula River
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
File:Torun NMP witraz prezbiterium wsch 01.jpg, St. Mary's Church
In popular culture
* Thorn (Toruń) is one of the starting towns of the
State of the Teutonic Order
The State of the Teutonic Order (german: Staat des Deutschen Ordens, ; la, Civitas Ordinis Theutonici; lt, Vokiečių ordino valstybė; pl, Państwo zakonu krzyżackiego), also called () or (), was a medieval Crusader state, located in Cent ...
in the turn-based strategy game '' Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms''.
* Toruń also makes an appearance in the alternate history RTS Command and Conquer: Red Alert; in the Soviet campaign of the game, the player is tasked on liquidating the city's inhabitants after the Soviet leadership discover resistance fighters had aided escaped test subjects.