Sightseeing and attractions in Toruń

a woman and two children are standing next to the gold donkey statue, there is a town hall with high tower behind them — In the background the Old Town Hall in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

The city of Nicolaus Copernicus with one of the best universities in Poland (Nicholas Copernicus University), the city whose Old Town is inscribed on the UNESCO list, the city which is the nationwide seat of the League of Polish Cities and UNESCO Sites, the city that smells of gingerbread, through which flows the largest river in Poland, the Vistula, the city that was founded by the Teutonic Order - this is Toruń.

a red brick castle model surrounded by brick wall with the brick tower — This replica shows how great the Teutonic Castle was. Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

What enchanted me the most in this city was the combination of old and new. When we were walking the streets and in the ruins of the Teutonic Castle, we could feel the spirit of old times. Being at the house of Nicolaus Copernicus, I had the impression that we had moved to his times and together with the famous astronomer, we were creating a new history. Participating in gingerbread baking workshops, for a moment we felt like old confectioners. Toruń is a beautiful city that has a lot to offer and show. Visit Toruń with me.

More information about Toruń you can find on Wikipedia

How far is it from Warsaw to Toruń?

The distance from Warsaw to Toruń is 259 km.

What to see in Toruń

Toruń is an amazing and beautiful city. I recommend visiting the Old Town in Toruń, all these wonderful tenement houses, including the house of Nicolaus Copernicus. I highly recommend taking part in gingerbread baking workshops (it's great fun not only for children, but also for adults). Toruń has a pleasant promenade on the Vistula River. It is also impossible to miss the Leaning Tower, the Teutonic Castle and the entrance to the Town Hall tower from where there is a beautiful panorama of the city.

The Old Town Hall and the Town Hall Tower opening hours

The Old Town Hall is closed on Mondays
From May 1 to September 30
Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 - 18:00
From October 1 to April 30
Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 - 16:00

The Town Hall Tower is open every day
From 1 January to 31 March and from 1 November to 31 December
10:00 - 16:00
From 1 to 30 April and from 1 to 31 October
10:00 - 18:00
From May 1 to September 30
10:00 - 20:00

I invite to see this wonderful city in my photos :)

The castle in Toruń was one of the oldest buildings of this type erected by the Teutonic Knights. It began to be built around the middle of the 13th century. In the photo you can see Gdanisko. Gdanisko was a kind of tower located outside the line of defensive walls and connected to a covered castle. Gdanisko served as a latrine. Equipped with shooting ranges, it also had defensive functions. Gdaniska was built in such a way that all the impurities from the toilets fell into the moat, and the water flowing below ensured their removal.

a red brick tower with a red brick gate, a stone wall on the right — A very well preserved fragment of the castle in Toruń, which was built by the Teutonic Knights. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

The castle wasn't captured by foreign invaders. However, it was destroyed by its closest neighbors - the townspeople of the Old Town of Toruń, who besieged the stronghold at the beginning of February 1454. The inhabitants of Toruń captured the castle and immediately proceeded to its planned and almost complete demolition. In the castle courtyard, a municipal garbage dump was arranged, which functioned here for the next centuries.

ruins of a former red brick castle, a wild rose grows around them, a church can be seen in the background — Spectacular ruins of the castle in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a man and two children are standing by the ruins of a former red brick castle — Under the gate. Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a woman is standing in the entrance to the ruins of a former red brick castle — It's nice to feel the spirit of old times. Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

two children are standing in the entrance to the ruins of a former red brick castle — It's nice to feel the spirit of old times. Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

Behind the high wall of the main castle there was a multi-storey building with a chapel, a refectory and a dormitory where Teutonic knights lived. The basement of this building was used as food storage, necessary in case of a siege. In the middle of the courtyard stood a tall, free-standing tower used as a place of last defense, but also as a viewing point from which fire or smoke could be used to give a signal of approaching danger. Water was supplied by the castle well.

blue sky with a few white clouds, the ruins of a former castle, between the ruins standing a man and two children — A mysterious guest is behind my boys :) The ruins of the Teutonic Castle in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

two children are climbing on the stairs to the ruins of a former red brick castle — The ruins of the Teutonic Castle aren't as small as I thought. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a boy is receiving a certificate from older man saying that he became a knight — The ruins of the Teutonic Castle aren't as small as I thought. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a woman and two children are sitting by the ruins of a castle on tree stumps — A moment of rest in the ruins of the Teutonic Castle in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

two children are standing in the corridor in the former castle — Inside the Teutonic Castle in Toruń. Photo A. Rybczyńska

There is also an exhibition of instruments of torture in the castle. Among them are stocks, numerous copies of masks that were put on convicts, such as a mask of shame, liars, a mask of sadness, a mask for suffering "Judas's kiss" and a witch's cross, male and female chastity belts and chairs with nails.

a man standing in a room in a former castle, the room is filled with old instruments of torture — It is a really scary room. The Teutonic Castle in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

an old instrument of torture (some kind of a mask) hangs on the wall — It is a really scary room. The Teutonic Castle in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a woman and a boy are in a room which is filled with old instruments of torture, one of them is a chair with spikes — It was hard for me to imagine that these torture devices were actually used. What a cruelty! The Teutonic Castle in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

two children are standing in a room in a former castle, behind them a skeleton hangs on a wall, the light is purple — The music and lights caused a slight stress in my children. The Teutonic Castle in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

The ceramic dragon refers to the events of 1746, when the dragon was supposed to appear in the Przedzamcze twice! The story of the dragon in Toruń was written down in the city office in August 1746 according to the testimonies of two witnesses. The monster was supposed to be about 2 meters long, with four legs like a lizard, but fused with membranes like a bat. The dragon was supposed to be black or dark grey. According to both relations, the dragon appeared near the Przedzamcze and there is now a statue of him.

a statue of a small green dragon is lying on the ground — A dragon surrounded by many Polish pennies. Near the Old Town in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

On the "Nowomiejski" Market Square there is a figure of a tradewoman. The figure "crouched" on one of the benches by the Evangelical church, holds a goose under her arm, she also has a basket from which eggs spill out, and a scale at her feet. The sculpture refers to the market function assigned to the "Nowomiejski" Market Square.

a bronze statue of a peasant woman holding a goose and a basket of eggs in the other hand, the statue of the woman is on a bench, next to her is a woman and two boys, one of them is touching a golden egg, which according to legend is supposed to bring good luck — Each of us touched the golden egg for good luck. The "Nowomiejski" Market Square in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

A graceful sculpture of the Gingerbread Woman Maker. She has a basket full of Toruń gingerbread - "Katarzynki". The figure commemorates Toruń's gingerbread traditions dating back to the 14th century.

a woman and two children are standing next to a green woman statue — Piotrek wants to touch a small dog holding her dress. Near the Old Town in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

a man with two children are next to the wheelbarrow statue, there is a commemorative plaque from the movie The Law and the Fist, which was shot in this place — A sculpture and a board commemorate the place where the movie "The Law and the Fist" was shot. Near the Old Town in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

The figure of the donkey refers to the punishments used in the old Toruń for minor and more serious crimes, performed here - near the guardhouse. From the 15th to the 19th century, in the place of the current statue of Nicolaus Copernicus, there was a traditional pillory in the form of a pole, at which punishments were carried out for convicts: they were whipped and their limbs cut off. In the 17th and 18th centuries, a wooden donkey with a sharp back covered with sheet metal stood in front of the guardhouse. Disobedient soldiers were seated on it, and to their legs lead weights were tied, increasing the severity of the punishment.
The original donkey stood here until 1797.

a woman is standing next to the gold, donkey statue — The donkey looks so peaceful. The Old Town in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

A small sculpture of Filuś, a dog known from comics, with an umbrella from his master, Professor Filutek.

a woman is kneeling next to the dog statue, there is also un umbrella leaning on a street lamp — These characters are known from “Przekrój”. Their author was Zbigniew Lengren and this sculpture is dedicated to him. Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

a woman and two children are standing near the statue of a violinist who has a red anti-covid mask and a violin in his hand, the figurine is in front of the Gingerbread Gallery — In front of the “Gingerbread Gallery” in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

It was like a journey to the old times!!! Toruń's Living Museum of Gingerbread is the first interactive facility of this type in Europe. Crossing the gates of the museum guarantees a journey back in time. It magically transports you to the Middle Ages, where - under the guidance of a Gingerbread Master and a learned Spice Witch, you will learn about all the rituals related to baking gingerbread. You will prepare the dough yourself, and later, using wooden molds, you will bake Toruń specialties from it.

there are many tourists in the room who participate in gingerbread baking, the woman conducting the classes is wearing a flower wreath and a long burgundy dress — Our great Spice Witch :) in the Toruń's Living Museum of Gingerbread. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

there are many tourists in the room who participate in gingerbread baking, the man conducting the classes is explaining to the boy how to make a gingerbread — Maciej in the lead role :) He is sifting the flour in the Toruń's Living Museum of Gingerbread. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a woman and two children are in a room where they participate in gingerbread baking, they have gingerbread dough, rolling pins and various molds on the table — I was happy as a child. We had a lot of pleasure from these baking workshops. In the Toruń's Living Museum of Gingerbread. Photo by A. Rybczyński

a boy is standing next to the gingerbread exhibition mostly gingerbread houses — In the Toruń's Living Museum of Gingerbread, there was also an exhibition of gingerbread. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

the boy is standing behind a gingerbread man made of cardboard and sticking his head out for a photo — One big gingerbread haha :) The Toruń's Living Museum of Gingerbread. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

The Leaning Tower was built at the turn of the 13th and 14th century. Originally there was no wall on the town side, which made it easier for defenders to drag ammunition up to the higher storeys. In the 15th century the missing wall was added and a prison cell for woman was established changed in the 19th century into a forge and dwelling place.

a woman is taking a photo of the leaning tower — Because of the movement in the underlying clay in medieval times, the tower leans from the vertical at an angle of about 1,4 meters. The Leaning Tower in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

a man and two children are on a balcony that leads to a brick tower — On the Leaning Tower in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a woman is touching her back to a brick tower — It was really hard to stand here. I recommend to try it! The Leaning Tower in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

a woman and two children are standing on the main square behind them a historical building — Holy Trinity Church in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

a boy is standing on the main square behind him a historical building — The Old Town Hall in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

two boys and a man are standing in the market square, umbrellas from the outdoor restaurant next to them, historical buildings behind them — Toruń's Old Town is teeming with life. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a town hall in the background, in the foreground a monument of Copernicus, a lot of tourists near the monument — Our great astronomer Copernicus in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

a monument of Copernicus close up — The mask on the face of Copernicus as a symbol of the pandemic time :( Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

We came to Copernicus' house.

a woman is in front of the tenement house where Copernicus lived — Copernicus' house in Toruń. It is a very large tenement house. Photo by A. Rybczyński

the boy is climbing the stairs to the first floor in the house where Copernicus lived — We are visiting the house of Nicolaus Copernicus in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

an exhibition of food in Copernicuss house — Copernicus' house in Toruń. An exhibition of food. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

two boys are standing at the exhibition of medieval costumes — The sword and the helmet are our souvenirs from Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a boy is in a hall where is an exhibition about Copernicus — The exhibitions are very well prepared. Copernicus' house in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a man is in the foreground, behind him there are colorful tenement houses — The tenement houses in Toruń delight with their appearance. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a woman is in the foreground, behind her there is a tenement house — Before World War I, the German Bank was located here. Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

The Town Hall Tower in Toruń is one of the oldest monuments in Poland, it is also the oldest market tower in Central and Eastern Europe. Its form refers directly to the Flanders' Beffroi towers in cities with which Toruń has maintained close contacts since the 13th century.

a man and two children are on top of the city hall watching the city skyline — On the Town Hall Tower in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

a panoramic photo of the city skyline — Panorama of Toruń. The Vistula River in the background. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

different city skyline view, a church and Vistula river in the background — A view of the cathedral basilica of st. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

Behind us is a dolls theater that has been operating since 1946.

a woman and two children are standing in front of fairy-tale theatrical figurines made of metal — An interesting fairy tale characters statue. Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyński

a man and two kids in front of a wooden building of the theatre — In front of the "Baj Pomorski Theatre" in Toruń. Photo by A. Rybczyńska

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