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Toruń (; ; , see also other names) is a city in northern Poland, on the Vistula river. It had 208,386 inhabitants in 2004. The mediaeval town, birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus, is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Previously the capital of the Toruń Voivodship (1975-98) and the Pomeranian Voivodship (1921-39), Toruń is one of the capitals of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship since 1999 as the city created the bipolar agglomeration Bydgoszcz-Toruń with Bydgoszcz, located 45 km away. In September 2004, the Medical Academy in Bydgoszcz joined the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń as the Collegium Medicum.

History

The first settlement in the vicinity is dated by archeologists to 1100 BC. During medieval times there was a small settlement here guarding the crossing of the river (7th-13th centuries), but it was probably already abandoned by 1230.

When the Teutonic Knights arrived in Kulmer Land/Chełmno Land, they built a castle (1230-31) here. The settlement, named Thorn (after a castle owned earlier by the order in the Holy Land), acquired city rights in 1233 and was relocated in 1236 from its original site to Altstadt ("Old Town"), now called Stare Miasto. The town soon became an mostly German speaking medieval trade center. In 1263 Franciscan monks settled in Thorn/Toruń, and they were followed in 1239 by Dominicans. In 1264 the neighboring Thorner Neustadt (New Town) or Nowe Miasto was founded. It was a separate town until 1454, when the old and new cities were amalgamated.

During the 14th century, the city joined the mercantile Hanseatic League. The First Peace of Toruń (1. Thorner Frieden) ending the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War (1409-1411) was signed in the city in 1411. When the Prussian nobility formed the Prussian Confederation in 1440, the city rose with the Confederation against the Teutonic Knights in 1454, and in return for support and recognition of its city privileges, Toruń accepted the sovereignty of the Polish crown. The resulting Thirteen Years' War ended in 1466 with the Second Peace of Toruń, in which the Teutonic Order ceded sovereignty over western Prussia (Royal Prussia) to the Kingdom of Poland, an act not recognized by Emperor Frederick III or Pope Paul II.

The mostly German populated city adopted Protestantism in 1557 during the Protestant Reformation, while the majority of Poland remained Roman Catholic. During the time of burgomaster Henry Stroband (1586-1609) Thorn became centralised and power went into the hands of its city council. In 1595, Jesuits arrived in order to promote Counter-Reformation, taking control of the Church of St. John. Protestant city officials tried to limit the influx of the Catholic population into the city, as Catholics (Jesuits and Dominican Order monks) already controlled most churches, leaving only St. Mary to the Protestant citizens. In 1677, the Prussian historian and educator Christoph Hartknoch was invited to be director of the Thorner Gymnasium, a post which he held until his death in 1687. Hartknoch wrote books on the history of Prussia, which included the West Prussian cities.

In the second half of the 17th century tensions between Catholics and Protestant grew. Just as the religious tensions in the rest of Europe settled down, after the bloody Thirty Years' War and Peace of Westphalia, in the once very tolerant Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth the situtation was worsening. Since 1682, the St. Mary's Church had to be guarded by a Lutheran Bürgerwehr (militia) during the Feast of Corpus Christi processions, as the assembled Catholics might have occupied this church as well. On 16 July 1724, when the Jesuits held another procession, a fight with pupils of the Lutheran Gymnasium led to the devastation of the Jesuit collegium. After this event, both Jesuits and Dominicans tried to persuade burgomaster Johann Gottfried Rößner and ten other leading citizens, all of them Prussian German protestants, to convert to the Church of Rome. They declined and did not leave the city despite the pressure. The Jesuits then appealed to the Royal supreme court in Warsaw. The court, held during the monarchy of August II the Strong of Saxony, sentenced Rößner and nine other Lutherans to death sparing only Rößner's predecessor Zerneke. The remaining Protestant church, St. Mary's, was also made Catholic again and given to Franciscan monks who celebrated a Mass there on the day of the execution, 7 December 1724, which is remembered for these Protestant martyrs de:Thorner Blutgericht), reminiscient of witch hunts, damaged Poland's reputation of tolerance. Over 165 publications and countless newspapers reported about it. Decades later, during the Partitions of Poland, Voltaire recalled the events as an example "of religious intolerance of Poles". [http://www.sehepunkte.de/2003/07/3137.html" target="_blank" >*

In 1793 the city was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia following the Second Partition of Poland. In 1807, the city became part of the Duchy of Warsaw created by Napoleon and ruled by King Frederick Augustus I of Saxony, although Prussia took it over again upon Napoleon's defeat in 1814. In 1870, French prisoners of war taken during the Franco-Prussian War built a chain of forts surrounding the town. In the following year the city, along with the rest of Prussia, became part of the new German Empire.

In the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 after World War I, Toruń became part of the Poland as the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodship, even though it was not situated in Pomerania. The Baltic Institute was established in the city in 1925 with the task of documenting Polish heritage in Pomerania. Toruń was annexed by Nazi Germany after the Polish September Campaign in 1939 and administered as part of Danzig-West Prussia. During World War II, the chain of forts were used by the Germans as POW camps collectively known as Stalag XX-A. Toruń was liberated from the Nazis in 1945 by the Soviet Red Army and returned to Polish administration by the Potsdam Conference. According to the decision of the victorious Allied powers, the remaining Germans population of Toruń was expelled to West Germany during 1945-1947.

Etymology

Early documents record the city name as Thorun (1226, 1466), Turon, Turun, Toron, Thoron, and Thorn.

When Toruń became a royal city, subject to the kings of Poland, Latin documents and coins usually spelled it Thorun, Thorunium, civitas Thorunensis, or civitas Torunensis, and after the 15th century, the current Polish name Toruń.

There are several different etymological explanations for the names, and whether an original name was Germanized or Polonized.

German:

Polish:

  • It may come from the Polish word tor, which means "track (of the Vistula river)". Toruń would therefore mean "town on the track"
  • It may have been originally Tarnów, based on the Polish word tarnina, a kind of river plant. There are many cities in Poland with a similar derivation
  • It may have come from the Polish word "Ruń", to lean, named because of the leaning tower along the wall surrounding the old city

Other:

  • Some people, such as Jan Miodek, claim that "Toruń" does not have any etymological meaning
  • It may come from the personal name Toron and mean "Toron's town"

Landmarks and monuments

Toruń has been listed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 1997. The town contains many monuments from the Middle Ages, and also from the 20th century (200 military objects). The city is famous for having preserved its almost intact medieval spatial layout and many Gothic buildings, all build from brick, including monumental churches, the Town Hall and many burgher houses. The most interesting monuments are:

  • gothic churches:
    • Cathedral of Ss. John the Evangelist and John the Baptist, aisled hall church built in 14th century and extended in 15th century; outstandings Gothic sculptures and paintings inside (Moses, St. Mary Magdalene, gravestone of Johann von Soest), Renaissance and Baroque epitaphs and altars (amongst them epitaph of Copernicus from 1580)
    • St. Mary's church, former Franciscan, aisled hall built in 14th century
    • St. Jacob church, basilica from the 14th century, with monumental wall paintings and Gothic stalls
  • Old Town Hall, building begun in 1274, extended and rebuilt between 1391 - 1399, and extended in the end of 16th century one of the most monumental Town Halls in Central Europe
  • City fortifications, begun in the 13th century, extended between the 14th and 15th centuries, mostly demolished in 19th century, but partially preserved with a few city gates and watch towers (among them the so-called Leaning Tower) from the Vistula side
  • Gothic house from 15th century, where Copernicus was allegedly born (now a museum)
  • Ruins of the Teutonic Knights' castle from the 13th century
  • House Under the Star (Dom Pod Gwiazdą), previously gothic, shortly owned by Filip Callimachus, then rebuild in 16th and in 1697, with richly decorated stucco facade and wooden spiral stairs
  • Toruń has the largest number of preserved gothic houses in Poland, many with gothic wall painitngs or wooden beam ceilings from 16th-18th century

Population

Most recent statistics show a decrease in population of the city - to c. 198,000 at the end of 2005. It's mainly because quite a big number of citizens have been moving to nearby communities, adherent to Toruń's formal administrative area, but still outside of it. As a result Toruń is surrounded by a belt of densly populated settlements, whose inhabitants work and shop in the city proper, but do not officially live there.

Actually, there's been a dicussion taking place last years whether or not those surrounding communities should be incorporated into the city's administrative area. It seems rather unavoidable in longer term, while many say Toruń has almost reached its limits of development inside the city's boundary.

Inside the city itself, most population is concentrated on the right (northern) bank of Vistula river. One of the most densly populated areas are Rubinkowo and Skarpa - housing projects built mostly in 1970. and 1980., recently located between downtown and easternmost districts; their total population is about 60,000.

Toruń together with Bydgoszcz compose a bipolar metroplex which, including those cities' counties and a number of smaller towns, may have a population of as much as 800,000. Thus the area concentrates about one third of the population of Kuyavia-Pomerania region (which has about 2.1 million inhabitants).

Transportation

Transportation network in the city itself has been a subject of much criticism for years. Although the city isn't very large, underdeveloped street and road network is a source of trouble. Even building of new wide avenues, both by reconstructing existing streets and by construction of others from scratch, hasn't been enough to fight an opinion of Toruń as rather little "driver-friendly" place. The most searing problem however, is only one car traffic bridge crossing Vistula river inside the city's boundaries. Construction of beltways and thus reduction of inflow of veheicles into the city helped a bit, but still exsitence of only one downtown bridge remains a reason of serious transportation difficulties (namely traffic jams). Another bridge is projected in an athmosphere of fierce discussions, but it's unclear when and where it will be built.

Mass transit system is composed of 30 bus and a few tramway lines, covering the city and some of neighboring communities.

Toruń is a major road junction, one of the most important in Poland. The A1 highway reaches Toruń, and a southern beltway surrounds the city. Besides these, European route E75 and a number of domestic roads (numbered 10, 15, and 80) run through the city.

Three main railway stations and four railway routes connect Toruń with Bydgoszcz and smaller towns of the surrounding region, as well as with distant major cities. Two bus depots serve connections of the city with other towns and cities in Poland.

As of 2005, only a small tourist airport exists in Toruń, however a passenger airport is under construction. The nearest larger airports are located in Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk and Warsaw.

Economy

Although being a medium-sized city, Toruń is a seat of headquarters of some companies considered as belonging to largest and most influential in Poland, or at least of their subsidiaries. The official unemployment as of 2006 is quite moderate comparing to Polish reality - about 12%, what is considerably below the country's average. Actually, in day-to-day living, unemployment doesn't seem to be a very serious problem in Toruń.

In 2006 a construction of a new plant owned by Sharp corporation is to be started in neighboring community of Łysomice (about 10km from city center). It will be located in a newly-created special economical area. In cooperation with another international companies, a vast high-tech complex is to be constructed in next few years' time, providing even 10,000 jobs (as for 2010) at the cost of about 450,000,000 euros. There are no doubts it will seriously help both city's and whole region's economy.

Thanks to numerous monuments of architecture Toruń is visited by about 1.5 million tourists a year. This number may vary depending on source and means of calculation, nevertheless tourism is a quite important branch of local economy. Although such things like time spent in the city by individual tourists or number of hotels which can serve them are still considered as not satisfying.

About 20,000 to 25,000 local firms are registered in Toruń.

Culture and science

Toruń has two drama theatres (Teatr im. Wilama Horzycy with three stages and Teatr Wiczy), two children's theatres (Baj Pomorski and Zaczarowany Świat), two music theatres (Mała Rewia, Studencki Teatr Tańca), and numurous other theatre groups. The city hosts, among others, the international theatre festival, "Kontakt", annually in May.

The building of Baj Pomorski is recently under complete reconstruction. While finished, it's going to be one of the most modern cultural facilities of the city. It's located at south-eastern edge of the Old Town.

Movies in Toruń can be enjoyed in the city's Cinema City, which has over 2000 seats, and in another five or more public cinemas.

Over ten major museums document the history of Toruń and the region. Among others, the "House of Kopernik" and the accompanying museum commerorate Nicolaus Copernicus and his revolutionary work, the university museum reveals the history of the city's academic past.

A construction of Center of Contemporary Art (Centrum Sztuki Współczesnej - CSW) is to be started in summer of 2006. It will probably be opened in 2007 and will be one of the most significant cultural facilities of this kind in Poland. Its modern building is to be locataed in strict city center, adherent to the Old Town.

Torun Symphony Orchestra (former Torun Chamber Orchestra) should be mentioned as well rooted in Toruń cultural landscape.

Toruń is equipped with a planetarium and astronomical observatory which boasts the largest radiotelescope in the Eastern part of Central Europe with 32 m in diameter, second only to the Effelsberg 100 m radio telescope.

Education

Over 30 elementary and primary schools, and over ten high schools make up the educational base of Toruń, and besides these students can also attend a handfull of private schools.

The largest institution of higher education in Toruń, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, serves over 40 thousand students and was founded in 1945, based on the Toruń Scientific Society, Stefan Batory University in Wilno, and Jan Kazimierz University in Lvov. Undoubtedly, the existence of a high-ranked and wide-profiled university with many students plays a great role both in keeping the city's position and importance in general, as well as in creating the image of Toruń's streets and clubs filled with crowds of young people. It also has a serious influence on local economy.

Other public institutions of higher education:

  • Wyższe Seminarium Duchowne (section of the Theological Faculty of the Nicolaus Copernicus University)
  • College fo English - Nauczycielskie Kolegium Języków Obcych (affiliated by the Nicolaus Copernicus University)
  • College of Fashion (Kolegium Mody)

There are also a number of private higher education facilities:

Healthcare

Five hospitals of various specialization provide medical service for Toruń itself, its surrounding area and, to some extent, to the region in general. Besides them, there is a number of other healthcare facilities in the city.

Media

Professional sport clubs

  • Apator Toruń (former KS Apator Toruń) - speedway
  • Toruński Klub Piłkarski (former ZKS Elana Toruń) - football
  • TKH Toruń - ice hockey
  • Pomorzanin Toruń - hockey (premier league in Poland)
  • AZS UMK VIII LO - basketball
  • Nova Trading - basketball
  • Nestle-Pacyfic - bicycles

Famous people from Toruń

Sister cities

Trivia

Depending on the calculation method, the Geographic Center of Europe may be located here.

Although being near neighbors, Toruń and Bydgoszcz are quite widely known for having been in deep conflicts for not even decades, but centuries. Whatever complex source, background and real significance of the situation, it's undoubtedly harmful to both cities. Anyway, while they compose one of the relatively important Polish agglomerations, they're probably the best known pair of conflicted cities in the country.

Members of Parliament from Toruń (2000-2005)

Members of Parliament (Sejm) elected from Toruń constituency
  • Ryszard Chodynicki, SLD-UP
  • Bogdan Derwich, SLD-UP
  • Lech Kuropatwiński, Samoobrona
  • Bogdan Lewandowski, SLD-UP
  • Krystian Łuczak, SLD-UP
  • Antoni Mężydło, PiS
  • Marek Olewiński, SLD-UP
  • Sławomir Rybicki, PO
  • Anna Sobecka, LPR
  • Zbigniew Sosnowski, PSL
  • Leszek Sułek, Samoobrona
  • Elżbieta Szparaga, SLD-UP
  • Jerzy Wenderlich, SLD-UP

Members of Parliament from Toruń (2005-?)

  • Jan Wyrowiński, PO
  • Tomasz Lenz, PO
  • Zbigniew Girzyński, PiS
  • Anna Sobecka, LPR
  • Jerzy Wenderlich, SLD-UP

External links

Toruń | World Heritage Sites in Poland

Торун | Toruň | Toruń | Thorn | Toruń | Torun | Toruń | Toruń | Toruņa | Torūnė | Toruń | Toruń | Toruń | トルン | Thorn | Toruń | Toruń | Toruń | Toruň | Torun | Toruń | Toruń | 托伦

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Toruń".

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