The Medieval Town of Toruń

The Medieval Town of Toruń is the city's oldest historic district. It is a World Heritage Site in Poland. According to UNESCO, its value stems from the fact that it is a small historic trading city that has preserved to a surprising extent its original street arrangement and superb early buildings, and which presents an extremely full picture of medieval life. The Medieval Town is 60 ha in size, with a buffer zone of 300 ha. Toruń Old Town, Toruń New Town, and Toruń Castle make up the city.

The Medieval Town of Toruń was built on the site of an ancient Slavic trading town that had existed for roughly 500 years and dates back to the 13th century when the Teutonic Knights Hermann von Salza and Hermann Balk granted the city of Toruń a town charter in 1233. The town, which was originally formed mostly of the section now known as Toruń Old Town and the Toruń Castle, grew into a significant commercial hub and was a prominent member of the Hanseatic League. Toruń New Town grew east of the Old Town and north of the castle as the town expanded rapidly.

The Medieval Town of Toruń is divided into three sections: Toruń Old Town in the west, Toruń New Town in the east, and Toruń Castle in the south-east. The Old Town is centered on the Old Town Market Place. The Medieval Town Hall, Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the remains of the old town wall are among the major structures and monuments there.

The Medieval Town of Toruń was classified as one of Poland's official national historic monuments on September 16, 1994. The National Heritage Board of Poland maintains its listing.

Location: Toruń, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland