Country Poland Population 205,640 (2010) University Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun Area 115.72 km2 | Founded 13th century Mayor Michal Zaleski | |
Points of interest District Museum in Torun | ||
Torun [?torun is a city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population was 205,934 as of June 2009. Torun is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Torun is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.
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Map of Torun
In 1997 the medieval part of the city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2007 the Old Town in Torun was added to the list of Seven Wonders of Poland. National Geographic Polska rated the old town market and the Gothic town hall as one of the "30 Most Beautiful Places in the World."
Previously it was the capital of the Torun Voivodeship (1975–98) and the Pomeranian Voivodeship (1921–45). Since 1999, Torun has been a seat of the self-government of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and, as such, is one of its two capitals (together with Bydgoszcz). The cities and neighboring counties form the Bydgoszcz-Torun twin city metropolitan area.
History
Sights
Listed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 1997, Torun has many monuments of architecture dating back to the Middle Ages. 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. The most interesting monuments are:
Torun, 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 Toruns Old Town and the scale of the illumination project itself.
Economy
Although a medium-sized city, Torun is the site of headquarters of some of the largest and most influential companies in Poland, or at least of their subsidiaries. The official unemployment rate, as of September 2008, is 5.4%.
Culture
Torun has two drama theatres (Teatr im. Wilama Horzycy with three stages and Teatr Wiczy), two childrens theatres (Baj Pomorski and Zaczarowany Swiat), two music theatres (Mala Rewia, Studencki Teatr Tanca), 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.
Torun has a number (2) of cinemas including a Cinema City, which has over 2,000 seats.
Over ten major museums document the history of Torun and the region. Among others, the "House of Kopernik" and the accompanying museum commemorate Nicolaus Copernicus and his revolutionary work, the university museum reveals the history of the citys academic past.
The Centre of Contemporary Art (Centrum Sztuki Wspolczesnej - 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 Torun Symphonic Orchestra (formerly the Torun Chamber Orchestra) is well-rooted in the Torun cultural landscape.
Torun is equipped with a planetarium (located downtown) and an astronomical observatory (located in nearby community of Piwnice). The latter boasts the largest radio telescope in the Eastern part of Central Europe with a diameter of 32 m (104.99 ft), second only to the Effelsberg 100 m (328.08 ft) radio telescope.
Torun is well known for Torun gingerbread, a type of pierniki often made in elaborate moulds. Muzeum Piernika in Torun is the only museum dedicated to gingerbread in Europe.