Torun

Torun (German Thorn, Latin Thorunensis), city and one of two capitals (with Bydgoszcz?) of Kujawsko-Pomorskie? region in north-central Poland, on the Vistula River. Torun is the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus (1473) and his uncle, bishop of Warmia Lucas Watzenrode?. A university in Torun was founded in 1945.

Industry, important sights, etc ... to be written

History

Torun was an important medieval trade centre. The Teutonic Knights built a castle there (1230-31), and the settlement acquired town rights in 1233.

During the 14th century, Torun joined the Hanseatic League.

1454 the Teutonic rule is overthrown

1466 Torun is declared a free city under Polish administration

1793 seized by Prussia

1919 returned to Poland

Population

 (1990 est.): 200800.
 (1995 est.): 203800.

Name of city

Name comes from Polish Tarnów (there are many such cities in Poland, tarnina = kind of river plants), which was later Germanized into Thorn, and re-Polonized into Torun. Name Torun itself doesn't have any etymological meaning. (reference: Professor [Jan Miodek]? said so)

External link:

• a 1570 map of Prussia: http://www.uni-mannheim.de/mateo/desbillons/atlas/seite70.html

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Someone should write a bit about Culmer Land

/Talk?