Torun

Torun was founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1233 and the Old Town is a World Heritage Site.
We were lucky to stay at the Trzy Korony (Three Crowns) hotel in the Town sqaure. (The building labelled 'hotel' in the city view.) In its heyday it had 3 royal guests and Mike thought he would join the list. He was disppointed there was no balcony from which to wave to the crowds and is still waiting for his plaque to join those below!
Each day there were groups of school children learning about their heritage. Note the cafe umbrellas, very handy after a hard day walking!

Legend tells how a violist led a plague of frogs outside the city walls.

Ouch - offenders were forced to sit on the ridge and the number of weights added depended on how serious the crime!

Like many European cities, Torun has a number of city gates (right) and the remains of a wall around the Old Town. Buildings such as these huge 18th century granaries (below left) have been converted for modern use. Torun's most famous son, Nicolaus Copernicus (who decided that the earth revolves around the sun) was born in the house (below right) in 1473.

Kay beside the leaning tower.

The New Town (not by our standards!)

Villages as they were 17-18 centuries

A great mix of sights and street life.

We loved our time in Poland and are still amazed at how we discovered Kay's ancestral places. Even today Poles are renowned as seekers of better lives. In British cities we notice Polish shops and hear the language spoken (all since Poland became part of the EU). Now they are beginning to return home as the balance of opportunity shifts. People following such paths have shaped much of the history we are enjoying.