Toruń, with a current population of around 200,000, owes its origins to the Teutonic Order, which in the mid-13th century built a castle there as a base for the conquest and evangelization of Prussia. The castle was not only the first major development in the formation of the historic 'Teutonic State', but it also gave the locality, known in German as 'Thorn', the opportunity to become a major trading centre in Central Europe. From 1264 until 1411, Toruń was part of the Hanseatic League, which greatly affected its development and the style of its architecture. After numerous wars with the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania, the Teutonic state began to decline, and during the 1454 town rebellion, its Toruń castle complex was largely destroyed.
In the Early Modern period, Toruń was one of Poland's four largest cities. With the partitions of Poland in the late 18th century, it became part of Prussia, then during the Napoleonic Wars, part of the short-lived Duchy of Warsaw, serving as the temporary Polish capital in 1809. It was reclaimed by Prussia after the unification of Germany, becoming part of the German Empire before finally, after the First World War, returning under the jurisdiction of re-established Republic of Poland.
During the Second World War, Toruń fell under German occupation. The local population, especially the Polish elites, were subjected to arrests, expulsions, slave labour, deportations to concentration camps and executions. After the war, numbers of mass graves were discovered in the vicinity of the city. Despite such circumstances, the Polish resistance movement was active there and Toruń was the seat of one of the six main commands of its underground army.
While the city's inhabitants suffered many atrocities, there were no battles or bombings to destroy its buildings. Thus, Toruń fortunately avoided damage and, unlike other major Polish cities, retained its historic architecture ranging from Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque eras to the styles of 19th and 20th century.
Thanks to its unique authenticity, the Medieval Town of Toruń has been designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is comprised of three elements: the ruins of the Teutonic Castle, the Old Town and the New Town. The combination of the castle with the two towns, surrounded by a circuit of defensive walls, represents a rare form of medieval settlement agglomeration. Its original street pattern and early buildings reflect the medieval way of life. The monumental Old Town Hall, inaugurated in 1274, then extended and rebuilt between 1391 and 1399 and again at the end of the 16th century, is considered one of the finest town halls in Central Europe. Both the Old Town and the New Town have Gothic parish churches and numerous fine medieval brick townhouses, many of which have retained their original Gothic façades, partition walls, stucco-decorated ceilings, vaulted cellars, and painted decoration. Many townhouses in Toruń were used for both residential and commercial purposes. A fine example is the house in which Nicolaus Copernicus was born in 1473 it has been preserved as a museum devoted to the famous astronomer’s life and achievements.
One of Toruń’s most notable landmarks is the Cathedral of SS. John the Evangelist and John the Baptist, an aisled hall church built in the 14th century and extended in the 15th century, with outstanding Gothic sculptures and paintings inside, Renaissance and Baroque epitaphs and altars, as well as the largest medieval church bell in Poland – the Tuba Dei.
Another breath-taking monument is the St James Greater Church. This unique brick gothic architectural masterpiece, complete with serrated-spire towers and stained-glass windows, vivid red bricks and tiling, was erected in the first half of the 14th century. Its white-washed gothic interior is filled with numerous magnificent works of art, including a unique interpretation of Jesus crucified on the 'tree of life' whose branches feature the carved figures of the 12 prophets of the Old Testament. There are also murals dated from 14th-15th century and a 22-scene painting of the passion of Christ in the presbytery, the characters of which are allegedly based on the likeness of Toruń's medieval burghers. The church’s impressive Baroque high altar features the oldest, yet still in operation to this day, Renaissance organ in Poland, lavishly decorated with intricate carvings and coats of arms of the Old Town and the New Town of Toruń and of the Royal Prussia.
Toruń is also well-known for its sublime gingerbread, which forms an important part of the city’s heritage. In the interactive Museum of Gingerbread, under the watchful eyes of master gingerbread bakers, visitors to the city can obtain knowledge once kept secret.