EUROPEAN VACATION DAY 4 :: TORUN, POLAND :: Today, I visited Toruń, a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 200 kilometers south of Gdynia. I hired one of the hotel's taxis to drive me. It wasn't cheap, but it was much faster than taking the train. The friendly driver also spoke enough English for us to have an interesting conversation there and back.

Toruń is famous for its medieval architecture and for being the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus. The city was first settled by Polish tribes in the eighth century and later claimed by the Teutonic Knights in 1233. The Knights named the city Thorn and built one of their first castles there. After 200 years of power, the Teutonic Knights were driven out of the city by the local population, which then destroyed most of the castle. Only the toilet tower, a few walls, and some inner chambers remain intact. These were fun to explore, and would have been inaccessable if the entry guard hadn't let me to tag-along for a while with a group of Polish kids on a field trip.

Unlike the Teutonic Castle, many of Toruń's original buildings and fortifications remain standing and well-preserved. The city was spared during World War II and I was glad to see original stained glass windows in St. John's Cathedral (where Copernicus was baptized). I climbed the tight spiral stairs to the top of the tower, passing Poland's third-largest bell and on to a platform with views around the city. I met a rare American couple up there from Chicago, arguing and later smooching in one of the windows.

It was fun exploring the old streets and walls of Toruń. I only had three hours before I had to meet up again with my driver, but I think I made pretty good use of the time. I even made it across the bridge over the Vistula to get a view of the entire city. After all that walking, I treated myself to another lody (ice cream) before my return.

Next post: Hel!