Each tourist, setting off on a trip, asks himself the question: โWhat to see in Poland if you are in this country for the first time?โ. Which cities should I visit except Warsaw? What amazing monuments of architecture and nature exist here? What is a must see? All necessary information is presented in the article.
Torun (Poland)
One of the most popular cities among tourists in Poland, in addition to Warsaw, Krakow and Lublin, is Torun, which is located in the north of the country, on the Vistula River.
The city has a long history and was formed in 1233, although the first mention of a settlement in this territory dates back to 1100 BC.
200 thousand people live in Torun, the city is divided into two parts: historical and modern. The historical part was included in the UNESCO heritage list, therefore, millions of tourists come here every year. It is also noteworthy that this city is the birthplace of the astronomer, mathematician and mechanic Nikolai Copernicus.
There are many attractions in Torun, everyone can find an interesting occupation here, starting with a walk around the city and ending with visits to various museums. But in order to properly draw up your route, it is worth exploring various places in advance and going on a trip.
Torun Attractions
As mentioned above, the city is divided into two parts, and one of them is historical, where you can see many interesting buildings that are associated with different periods. But getting around all in one visit will be very difficult, and as a rule, everyone prefers to visit several important historical places, which will be discussed below: a house museum, monuments, art galleries, bridges and parks, as well as churches and cathedrals.
Meshchansky Yard
In the historical part of Torun, there is a building that has been preserved since the Middle Ages and has been included in the heritage list. It is called the Meshchansky Yard. It was built in 1489, for a long time it served as a summer residence for the brotherhood of St. George.
The building was built of brick, has gabled roofs, which testifies to the Gothic style, and was first used as a meeting place, where artisans, ordinary townspeople and merchants came.
Historical Buildings
The most attractions in Torun are, of course, historical buildings built many centuries ago, which include the Meshchansky Dvor.
These sights also include various cathedrals and churches:
- Church of St. Jakub, located at Rynek Nowomiejski 6, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Poland. Its construction began in 1309, and ended after 40 years.
- The Cathedral of St. John and Torun, built in the 13th century, is one of the oldest monuments of the city. Known for its bell, which weighs more than 7 tons, and a diameter of 2.17 meters. It is considered one of the largest bells in Poland.
- The Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God, built in the XIII century, and after almost a hundred years was completely rebuilt. Here once was the mausoleum of Princess Anne, then the church belonged to the Lutherans, and in the XVIII century it was transferred to the Bernardines.
One of the interesting sights in Torun (in Poland) is the Curve Tower, which was built in the 14th century. She bent over because it was built in the sand and squinted right after the construction was completed. This tower has a legend, from which it squinted. When the Teutonic knight, in spite of his promises and a monastic charter, visited one of the townspeople and sinned, the tower squinted from this.
The most famous souvenir brought from Torun is gingerbread cookies and all kinds of figures in the form of this treat. In honor of this, the Gingerbread Museum was opened. Branded pastries appeared in ancient times, and the first mention dates back to the XIV century, when trade routes crossed here and the chefs had plenty of all kinds of spices. In the museum you can get acquainted with the history of the Torun gingerbread, learn how it was produced and according to what recipes, and you can also get various gingerbread figures.
Interesting monuments
Be sure to look at the monument to Nikolai Copernicus, which is located on Old Market Square in the very center of the city. This statue is more than 2 meters high, majestically rises in the square. Copernicus holds an astrolabe in one hand, and the other hand, more precisely the index finger, points to the sky. For a long time they did not want to install it, and the author of the project, Christian Friedrich Thicke, could not live to see it installed for only two years.
It is worth mentioning that in addition to the monument, there is also the house of Copernicus, located on the street of the same name. It is interesting that until now it has not been precisely established in which house the scientist was born - in No. 15 or 17. Therefore, a house-museum is located in both buildings. The house number 15, consisting of three floors, has many interesting items that have been collected since the 16th century, where you can see dishes, a collection of porcelain, paintings, antique furniture and much more. The house number 17 presents objects that were associated with the life of Copernicus.
Another interesting attraction is the monument to the rafter master. In another way it is called the "Fountain of Frogs". This monument has long been overgrown with legends, and one of them says that once a guy, playing the violin, was able to scare away all the frogs that flooded the city after the flood of the river.
City parks
The sights of Torun include natural monuments, including the island on the Vistula, which is called Kepa Bazarova. This is a historical and natural reserve where kings once rested. It was here that the Peace of Toruล was signed in 1411.
To get to the island, you need to go over the bridge of Jozef Pilsudski, from where a beautiful city landscape will open.
In the center of the city there is a city park where citizens and tourists like to spend time, it is very quiet and beautiful, and local waterfowl live in the stream. Trees and flowers grow everywhere, there are benches where you can take a break and go again to explore the city.
Having explored the city of Torun, you can visit other settlements. There are many sights in our neighboring country. So again asking the question: what to see in Poland, with a high probability, a new route for exploring the country will be quickly built, because so many wonderful historical places await an inquisitive tourist.