We will visit today yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Poland - the medieval Old Town of Toruń.
The city plan still looks like it did centuries ago.
The heart of the Old Town is of course around the Town Hall. Next to it you will quickly notice a monument devoted to the most famous inhabitant of the city - the astronomer Mikołaj Kopernik (Nicolaus Copernicus).
It is not the only monument on the square. This fiddler seems to be entertaining frogs. Actually this is a personification of a legend. Centuries ago, frogs have literally invaded Toruń. There was no way to get rid of them. Until a poor lighterman came to the city, playing his woodel violin to make some money. The frogs were enchanted by his music and followed him out of the city walls into a large pond, never to return.
It is possible to climb up the clock tower of the Town Hall. Shall we? The buildings around the Market Square were the pride of the medieval merchants.
One of the sides is populated by churches. The tall tower belongs to the church of the Holy Spirit.
Toruń lies by the Vistula river.The church by the river is the basilica of Saint John the Evangelist and Saint John the Baptist (it seems to me as if there was an agreement that the church should be devoted to a Saint John but they could not reach an agreement which, so they went for both).
There is also one devoted to Saint Jacob and Saint Philip (again two!).
It is of course part of the Way to Santiago de Compostela.
In the Middle Ages the balance of powers was truck between church and the secular rulers, kings or princes. But Toruń belonged, like Malbork, to the Teutonic Knights so to some extent both the church and the secular power.
Unfortunately today the castle is in ruins.
Though one dungeon was renovated.
Next to the ruins runs a little brook where the castle mill used to produce flour.
All medieval cities were surrounded by high walls. Toruń is not an exception.
To enter the city, visitors had to use one of the city gates.
The walls are encrusted with towers. The most famous is the leaning one. Just like in Pisa.
The day is lovely. Let's sit by the river and enjoy the sunlight before moving back to exploring Toruń.
The city plan still looks like it did centuries ago.
The heart of the Old Town is of course around the Town Hall. Next to it you will quickly notice a monument devoted to the most famous inhabitant of the city - the astronomer Mikołaj Kopernik (Nicolaus Copernicus).
It is not the only monument on the square. This fiddler seems to be entertaining frogs. Actually this is a personification of a legend. Centuries ago, frogs have literally invaded Toruń. There was no way to get rid of them. Until a poor lighterman came to the city, playing his woodel violin to make some money. The frogs were enchanted by his music and followed him out of the city walls into a large pond, never to return.
It is possible to climb up the clock tower of the Town Hall. Shall we? The buildings around the Market Square were the pride of the medieval merchants.
One of the sides is populated by churches. The tall tower belongs to the church of the Holy Spirit.
Toruń lies by the Vistula river.The church by the river is the basilica of Saint John the Evangelist and Saint John the Baptist (it seems to me as if there was an agreement that the church should be devoted to a Saint John but they could not reach an agreement which, so they went for both).
There is also one devoted to Saint Jacob and Saint Philip (again two!).
It is of course part of the Way to Santiago de Compostela.
In the Middle Ages the balance of powers was truck between church and the secular rulers, kings or princes. But Toruń belonged, like Malbork, to the Teutonic Knights so to some extent both the church and the secular power.
Unfortunately today the castle is in ruins.
Though one dungeon was renovated.
Next to the ruins runs a little brook where the castle mill used to produce flour.
All medieval cities were surrounded by high walls. Toruń is not an exception.
To enter the city, visitors had to use one of the city gates.
The walls are encrusted with towers. The most famous is the leaning one. Just like in Pisa.
The day is lovely. Let's sit by the river and enjoy the sunlight before moving back to exploring Toruń.
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