Traveling to a new country or city is always fun and it is always good to gather some information about the place before arrival. If you are planning to visit Torun in Poland, we would definitely recommend doing a city tour as this is the best way to acclimatise yourself to the city. Then get there and explore, Torun has so much to offer.
Here are some interesting facts about Torun
1. Where is Torun? Torun is located in the middle of Poland. It is one of the oldest cities in the country and has a population of around 200,000.
2. Have you heard of Nicolaus Copernicus? He was born in Torun and the chemical element Copernicium (Cn) with the atomic number 112 is named after him. This man was a great astronomer and the main person leading the charge for change in thinking that the earth was in the centre of the universe.
3. Torun’s Old Town is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and is so seen as part of the seven wonders of Poland.
4. Torun is famous for it’s tradition of gingerbread making “Torunskie Pierniki” so make sure you don’t leave without trying some and for something really special, head to a local café for gingerbread ice cream.
5. Torun has its own castle – Thorn Castle, built by the Teutonic knights in the 13th or 14th century, so this was before the great Medieval Malbork Castle. It had only two wings, laid out in a pattern similar to that of a horseshoe not the usual four. The castle is in ruin today, long since after being destroyed in a town rebellion back in the 15th century.
6. Torun is so much like Krakow but smaller, so it’s often called little Krakow. Like Krakow it is a Gothic city and much like Krakow, there are a large number of unique and original large medieval architectural complexes.
7. In 1500 the Tuba Dei Bell (God’s Trumpet) in St. Johns’ Cathedral tower used to be the biggest bell in Poland, before the finishing of the Sigismund Bell in Krakow in 1521. 500 years on it still draws a crowd and still packs quite a punch when it sounds.
8. Torun University is the biggest and oldest academic institution in the north of Poland. The law, physics, astronomy and Administration departments have received high appraisals. It also hosted the late Pope John Paul II.
9. Because the architecture in Torun is so old, even a night out can seem like stepping back in history, it’s kinda magical.
10. Torun is one of the biggest Bat hubs in Poland, it is said there is a population of between 400-600 Bats. There are all protected and appreciated for the mosquito eating habit.
For more information about traveling to Torun in Poland or any of our other destinations, please contact the main office.