Brief history
Toruń was founded in medieval times. Throughout the dramatic history of Poland, the city was fortunately saved from major destruction. For that reason the city has an abundance of historic buildings and monuments, many of which date back to the medieval period. Additionally, a significant number of buildings are built in the Gothic architectural style.
Toruń is the Polish city with the second highest number of retained, authentic historic monuments. The authenticity of the medieval and Gothic skyline of Toruń was one of the main arguments supporting the decision to add Toruń to the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites in 1997. A national poll in 2007 chose Toruń’s Old Town as one of the Seven Wonders of Poland.
Poland’s Gingerbread Capital
The most famous product of Toruń is gingerbread. The tradition of baking these aromatic cookies in the town of Copernicus is almost as old as the history of Toruń. No visitor leaves Toruń without sampling this delicacy.
The Gingerbread Museum
For some visitors seeing and tasting is not enough – they choose to make the aromatic dough themselves.
Torun – as all cities with a rich history – has its own magical places:
- the most beautiful Polish panorama – of the illuminated medieval part of the city seen from the Vistula River side,
- The Old Town, known as the Gothic pearl,
- Castle of the Teutonic Knights,
- The Philadelphia Boulevard – a long street (about 1.5 km) running between the Vistula River and walls of the Old Town, and the 2 km long boulevard itself, named in honour of Toruń’s sister relationship with the US town of Philadelphia,
- The Town Hall Tower is open to tourists. It provides a spectacular view of the Old Town and the surrounding area,
- Gallery of gothic art, Exhibition of old Toruń 1233-1793, Exhibition of Toruń coins, Court hall, Hall of Polish kings and more,
- The Leaning Tower.