Toruń, Poland

Torun is a city in northern central Poland with a population of nearly 200,000. It was founded by the Teutonic Knights (German Knights) in 1233. The Old Town of Toruń was built along the Vistula River. It is one of the few old towns that was not destroyed during World War II. It is famous for its rich historical relics and numerous Gothic buildings, and has been listed as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Toruń is the hometown of astronomer Copernicus and the birthplace of Toruń gingerbread, and receives 2 million tourists every year. In the city, there are Copernicus’ former residence (where he lived until he was 7 years old), the old town hall, the Copernicus statue, St. John’s Cathedral (where Copernicus was baptized), the leaning tower of the ancient city, etc. The hotel we stayed in was right next to the cathedral. According to the front desk, it was the house of Nicholas Copernicus' grandfather and had a huge basement. Nicolaus Copernicus was a famous Polish astronomer, mathematician and physician in the 16th century. He proposed the heliocentric theory, which states that the sun is the center of the universe and the earth and other planets revolve around it. This statue is located in Copernicus Square in the center of the old town of Torun and was built to commemorate Copernicus. The base of the statue is engraved with Copernicus' famous quote: "The Earth is not the center of the universe, the Sun is." Listen to advice and eat your fill. When ordering food in Poland, I always ask the waiter for recommendations. As a result, I have had many experiences: food that looks good doesn’t taste good, and food that tastes good doesn’t look good. The classic Polish delicacy "Żurek" is a large piece of bread filled with soup. The soup contains meat and eggs and is very salty. It needs beer or coffee to neutralize it, but the one in Toruń tastes pretty good. The brunch at the Faculty of Humanities of Nicolaus Copernicus University was also recommended by the bar: pumpkin porridge + latte + chocolate wafers. I felt that it was not perfect, so I added a piece of Toruń gingerbread. ​TIPS: Traditional Polish "Jur soup" is made with fresh vegetable juice, mushrooms, minced garlic, and some broth made by fermenting barley flour with water, then added with white sausage, smoked bacon, diced ham and chopped pepper. Finally, use toasted bread to make a hollow bowl and cover the soup plate, making the soup both beautiful and nutritious.