Toruń

From Free net encyclopedia

(Difference between revisions)
Revision as of 23:28, 12 April 2006
Matthead (Talk | contribs)
/* History */
Next diff →

Current revision

Template:Infobox Poland Toruń (Polish pronunciation: Template:IPAudio, Template:Lang-de (Template:Audio), Kashubian: Torń, see also other names) is a city in northern Poland, on the Vistula river. It had 208,386 inhabitants in 2004. The medieval 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.

Contents

[edit]

Etymology

Image:Poland Torun Leaning tower.jpg 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 Toruń's name:

  • It may be derived from the castle of Toron in the Kingdom of Jerusalem in which the Teutonic Knights served during the Crusades.
  • 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 come from the personal name Toron and mean "Toron's town".
  • It may have been originally Tarnów, based on the Polish word tarnina, a kind of river plant. This name would have later been Germanized into Thorn, and re-Polonized into Toruń. There are many cities in Poland with a similar derivation.
  • It may come from the Germanic god Thor.
  • Some people, such as Jan Miodek, claim that "Toruń" does not have any etymological meaning.
  • It may come from the German word Tor (former spelling Thor), which means "gate" - as featured on the coat of arms.
[edit]

History

Toruń was built in Chełmno Land. 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.

The Teutonic Order built a castle (1230-31) here and the settlement acquired town rights in 1233, relocating in 1236 from its original site to Altstadt, now called Stare Miasto ("Old Town"). The town soon became an important 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 or Nowe Miasto (Toruń New Town) was founded. It was a separate town until 1454, when the old and new cities were amalgamated. Image:Torun-Rynek-ratusz-2.jpg

During the 14th century, the city joined the mercantile Hanseatic League. The First Peace of Toruń 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 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) the city 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 Prussian cities. Image:Torun-palac-dambskich.jpg

Since 1682, the St. Mary's Church had to be guarded by a 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 Dominicians tried to persuade burgomaster Johann Gottfried Rößner and ten other leading citizens to convert. They declined and did not leave the city despite the pressure. The Jesuits then called upon the supreme court in Warsaw, which sentenced Rößner and nine other Lutherans to death [1], sparing only Rößner's predecessor Zerneke. The remaining Protestant church, St. Mary's, was also made Catholic 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 [2]. Also, the majority of the town council had to be Catholics from then on. In large parts of Europe, this Thorn Blood tribunal, reminiscient of witch hunts, damaged Poland's reputation, and even Voltaire later recalled the events.

In 1793 the city was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia following the Second Partition of Poland. In 1807, Toruń 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. After 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 occupied 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.

[edit]

Landmarks and monuments

Image:Torun panorama.jpg

Image:Torun Hartknoch.jpg

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 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
    • St. Mary's church, former Franciscan, aisled hall built in 14th century
    • St. Jacob church, basilica from the 14th century
  • Old Town Hall, building begun in 1274, extended and rebuilt between 1391 - 1399, 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, then restored in part with a few city gates and watch towers (among them the so-called Leaning Tower) from the Vistula side
  • Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque houses, including the 15th century house where Copernicus was allegedly born (now a museum)
  • Ruins of the Teutonic Knights' castle from the 13th century
[edit]

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", annualy in May.

Films 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.

Toruń is equipped with a planetarium and astronomical observatory which boasts the largest radiotelescope in the Eastern part of Central Europe with 30m in diameter, second only to the Effelsberg 100-m radio telescope.

[edit]

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 50 thousand student and was founded in 1945, based on the Toruń Scientific Society, Stefan Batory University in Wilno, and Jan Kazimierz University in Lvov.

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 universities:

[edit]

Media

[edit]

Transport

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. Over eight railway stations and five railway routes connect Toruń to Bydgoszcz, Chełmża, Jabłonowo Pomorskie, Inowrocław, and Kutno. Over 30 bus lines and 3 tram lines make up the public transport system in Toruń. Two additional bus depots connect 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 and Warsaw.

[edit]

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
[edit]

Famous people from Toruń

[edit]

Sister cities

[edit]

Trivia

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

[edit]

Members of Parliament from Toruń

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
[edit]

External links

Template:Commons

Image:Flag of Poland.svg Republic of Poland Image:Flag of Poland.svg
Voivodships: Greater Poland | Kuyavia-Pomerania | Lesser Poland | Lower Silesia | Lublin | Lubusz | Łódź | Masovia | Opole | Podlachia | Pomerania | Silesia | Subcarpathia | Świętokrzyskie | Warmia and Masuria | West Pomerania

Principal cities: Warsaw | Łódź | Kraków | Wrocław | Poznań | Gdańsk | Szczecin | Bydgoszcz | Lublin | Katowice | Białystok | Częstochowa | Gdynia | Gorzów Wielkopolski | Toruń | Radom | Kielce | Rzeszów | Olsztyn

bg:Торун

cs:Toruň da:Toruń de:Thorn fi:Toruń fr:Toruń hu:Toruń it:Toruń ja:トルン lv:Toruņa na:Toruń nds:Toruń nl:Toruń no:Thorn pl:Toruń ro:Toruń sk:Toruň sl:Torun sv:Toruń zh:托伦

Retrieved from "http://www.netipedia.com/index.php/Toru%C3%85%E2%80%9E"