Toruń
City in Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Poland / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Toruń[lower-alpha 1] is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021.[1] Previously, it was the capital of the Toruń Voivodeship (1975–1998) and the Pomeranian Voivodeship (1921–1945). Since 1999, Toruń has been a seat of the local government of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship and is one of its two capitals, together with Bydgoszcz. The cities and neighboring counties form the Bydgoszcz–Toruń twin city metropolitan area.
Toruń | |
---|---|
Nickname(s): City of Angels, Gingerbread city, Copernicus Town | |
Motto: "Durabo" (Latin: "I will endure") | |
Coordinates: 53°01′20″N 18°36′40″E | |
Country | Poland |
Voivodeship | Kuyavian-Pomeranian |
Established | 8th century |
City rights | 1233 |
Government | |
• City mayor | Paweł Gulewski (PO) |
Area | |
• City | 115.75 km2 (44.69 sq mi) |
Elevation | 65 m (213 ft) |
Population (31 December 2021) | |
• City | 196,935 (16th)[1] |
• Density | 1,716/km2 (4,440/sq mi) |
• Metro | 297,646 |
GDP | |
• Bydgoszcz–Toruń metropolitan area | €10.871 billion (2020) |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | 87-100 to 87-120 |
Area code | +48 56 |
Car plates | CT |
Highways | |
Website | http://www.torun.pl/ |
Official name | Medieval Town of Toruń |
Type | Cultural |
Criteria | ii, iv |
Designated | 1997 |
Reference no. | 835 |
UNESCO region | Europe |
Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland; it was first settled in the 8th century and in 1233 was expanded by the Teutonic Knights.[7] For centuries it was home to people of diverse backgrounds and religions. From 1264 until 1411, Toruń was part of the Hanseatic League and by the 17th century a leading trading point, which greatly affected the city's architecture, ranging from Brick Gothic to Mannerist and Baroque.
In the Early Modern period, Toruń was a royal city of Poland and one of Poland's four largest cities.[8] With the partitions of Poland in the late 18th century, it became part of Prussia, then of the short-lived Duchy of Warsaw, serving as the temporary Polish capital in 1809,[9] then again of Prussia, of the German Empire and, after World War I, of the reborn Polish Republic. During the Second World War, Toruń was spared bombing and destruction; its Old Town and iconic central marketplace have been entirely preserved.[10]
Toruń is renowned for its gingerbread – the gingerbread-baking tradition dates back nearly a millennium – as well as for its large Cathedral. Toruń is noted for its very high standard of living and quality of life.[11] In 1997 the medieval part of the city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2007 the Old Town of Toruń was added to the list of Seven Wonders of Poland.