Narrow winding streets and stone-paved quarters, medieval architecture landmarks, and shady alleys of lovely garden squares – it seems that time has frozen here. Even the years of war did not affect the beauty and grandeur of the Polish city of Torun. Founded in the 13th century by the Teutonic Knights, Torun managed to preserve for its descendants a rich legacy that is now the crown jewel of Torun, delighting all citizens and guests of the city.

Worth your special attention is the Old Town historic center, crowned by the oldest and largest church, Church of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, or St. Johns’ Cathedral, as the locals call it. The construction of this magnificent 13th-century landmark of Gothic architecture continued for three years. Still, it was not enough to amaze the next generations of parishioners. And in the 14th and 15th centuries, new buildings were added to the cathedral; the walls were decorated with splendid paintings on the biblical plots: “The Crucifixion on the Tree of Life” and “The Last Judgment,” which you can see today. The centerpiece of the St. Johns’ Cathedral is a giant bell called “God’s Trumpet,” the third largest bell in Poland. Weighing 7 tons and more than 2 meters in diameter, the main gem of the temple was cast in 1500. Since then, it has been calling parishioners for daily and festive masses. No rope could cope with such a giant, so a unique mechanism was invented to manipulate it.

Remember that everything in Torun is somehow connected with the great astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. The main shrine of the city is no exception. There is the famous medieval baptismal font basin, in which, in 1473, the future guru of science and renowned genius was baptized. Today, the masterpiece of Polish medieval architecture and the historical center of Torun are listed as the UNESCO World Heritage.