Torun Attractions : Torun Cathedral

January 12, 2021 admin

TORUN CATHEDRAL

Address: ul. Żeglarska 16, 87-100

Phone: +48 56 657 14 80

Work started on this church (Bazylika katedralna św. Jana Chrzciciela i św. Jana Ewangelisty w Toruńiu), originally known as St. John’s Church, in the thirteenth century, but it was extended and repaired numerous times over the following two centuries. The church had to be slotted into the existing grid of streets, which means that the church is actually orientated to the north-east. The church is also where in 1473, Nicolaus Copernicus was christened.

Initially, the church was run by the Cistercians and then by the Benedictine monks until 1557. After the monks left, the church became Lutheran, although later on Catholic services were also held here. From the late sixteenth century, the church was used by the Jesuits until they left in the eighteenth century, with the Benedictine monks returning until the nineteenth century.

Internally, there are Gothic wall paintings in the southern nave which date from the fourteenth century, along with Gothic paintings on the tower pillars which date from the early sixteenth century. The sculpture of Mary and the Child is from around 1500, as is the intriguing Black Crucifix.

St. John’s Church was upgraded to the status of a minor basilica in 1935 and more recently, in 1992, it became a cathedral. The clock is of note and it also has a hole in its front (near to the VIII on the clock face) from when a cannonball hit it in 1703 during the Great Northern War with Sweden.

It’s possible to climb the tower and there are extensive views over the surrounding area. Inside the tower is the Tuba Dei bell, one of the largest in central Europe and originally cast in 1500. The bell has never been plundered or stolen, but as it weighs around 7,300kgs it wouldn’t be an easy thing to cart off. Less fortunately for the church, a bell which is known now as the Thornan, named after Toruń, was taken by the Swedish troops and it is today in Uppsala Cathedral, being the largest bell in Sweden.

There is no admission charge to enter the cathedral, although donations are always appreciated. There is a charge of 10zl to climb the tower.