Former Toruń
The history of the city reflected in the treasures of the collection of the District Museum in Toruń
The District Museum in Toruń
District Museum in Toruń
Panoramic view of Toruń (XIX w.) by Fayerabend OttoThe District Museum in Toruń
Toruń - a medieval city
The Museum of Toruń has a more recent origin, but since 1861 it has been gathering collections from the combined Coppernicus Verein für Wissenschaft und Kunst, the City Municipality, as well as the gifts and deposits from the citizens of Toruń.
Each of these objects tells a different chapter of the rich history of this great city.
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Bourgeois Toruń
For centuries, the Town Hall was the venue for the political and public life of the town. It was a place of trade, the city archive, and the seat of the city council. It was the seat of rulers: grand masters of the Teutonic Order and, above all, kings of Poland.
In the museum interiors, it is worth noting the perfectly preserved marquetry monuments, i.e. using several types of wood to achieve an interesting decoration.
The Museum displays many artefacts showing the organisation of life and work of guild craftsmen in Toruń. The craftsmanship is demonstrated in the form of furniture, metal objects, and ceramics produced from the Middle Ages to modern times.
In modern times, the patricians of Toruń emphasised their position and familiarity with the world by collecting objects of luxury and decorating their homes with, for example, stained-glass coats of arms. One of the most beautiful relics is a goblet with a lid made of coconut shell, framed with silver rims at the edges.
Portrait of Nicolaus Copernicus, the so-called grammar school portrait (1518) by Autor nieznanyThe District Museum in Toruń
Nicolaus Copernicus Thorunensis
The most widespread image of this former citizen of Toruń is the so-called “gymnasium portrait”. It occupies a special place in the Old Town Hall and in the hearts of the citizens of Toruń.
Portrait of Nicolaus Copernicus, the so-called grammar school portrait (1518) by Autor nieznanyThe District Museum in Toruń
The portrait depicts Nicolaus Copernicus at around 35 years of age, but its author remains unknown.
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Copernican Toruń
The well-preserved Gothic tenements also echo the former Hanseatic city of Toruń. The Copernicus family living room with its antique Gothic wardrobe and reconstruction of the table and bed shows how a merchant family once lived in the Nicolaus Copernicus House.
A collection of scientific instruments and old prints gathered in the Nicolaus Copernicus House tells the story of the history of science and the Copernican heritage of old Toruń.
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Toruń smells of gingerbread
Toruń's gingerbreads are closely linked to the tradition and history of Toruń. Their history dates back to the 14th century, and the name is linked to the old Polish term “pierny”, meaning “peppery”.
Toruń's gingerbread tradition is vividly illustrated by these wooden molds. They depict the craft's history and the cultural significance of gingerbread making. These artifacts are among the most beautiful monuments to this cultural heritage.
The modern era saw large-scale production of gingerbread in the factories of Toruń. The long tradition of its manufacture and sale can be seen in the product packaging of Jan Ruchniewicz and Gustaw Wesse.
Toruń - The Dovecote Tower from the Vistula River side (XX w.) by GĘSTWICKI BrunonThe District Museum in Toruń
Gothic Toruń - yesterday and today
For centuries, the city has inspired artists who have seen traces of the history of former Toruń residents in the Gothic walls of churches and tenement houses. A collection of artists inspired by Toruń is gathered at the District Museum in Toruń.
For centuries, visitors to Toruń have sent postcards to their loved ones with words of greeting, praising the beauty of the Gothic city and its monuments, which can still be admired at exhibitions in all branches of the District Museum in Toruń.
700th anniversary of Toruń (XX w.) by KARNIEJ EdwardThe District Museum in Toruń
Old Toruń in the collections of the District Museum in Toruń
The museum's collections include a great variety of artefacts representing former Toruń. They also include objects documenting the memory of the city's heritage, which are yet to become monuments.
Written by: Alicja Marika Lubowicka
Concept and design: Alicja Marika Lubowicka, Tomasz Dorawa
Texts: The District Museum in Toruń
Photographs: Krzysztof Deczyński, Andrzej Skowroński
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