Leaning Tower of Thorn

Leaning Tower in Thorn

Leaning Tower in Thorn, 1961

General

The Leaning Tower of Thorn is an element of the medieval fortifications of Thorn . It is inclined by 5 ° 13'15 '' or 1.46 m from the perpendicular.

The tower was built in the second half of the 13th century as a square, 15 m high bastion . As a result of a ground break , the tower began to lean towards the city.

In the 18th century the tower was converted into a women's prison. In the 19th century a forge and an apartment for the armorer were set up in the tower . The Gothic tent roof was replaced by a monopitch roof. The tower currently houses a coffee shop and souvenir shop. The address is: ul.Pod Krzywą Wieżą 1.

Legends about the Leaning Tower of Thorn

Legend about the origin of the city name Toruń

According to tradition, a tower from the city wall made friends with the Vistula River shortly after it was built in the Middle Ages. The river flowing past told the tower many interesting stories from its course. After a while, however, the tower became jealous of all the beautiful and colorful stories and asked the river not to tell any more so as not to be even more depressed by its fate as an immovable tower. The Vistula, however, kept telling new stories and getting closer and closer to the tower, which had already covered its ears. One day the river got so close that it began to wash around the walls of the tower. The tower screamed to the river: "Vistula, Vistula, don't come too close to me, otherwise I'll fall over!" (Polish: "Wisło, Wisło, nie podpływaj tak blisko, bo ja runę!") “Then fall!” (Polish: “To ruń!”). The voice of the river, carried by the echo, was heard by some hikers, who were just taking a rest in the nearby woods and were puzzled as to what this beautiful walled city on the horizon might be called. Then they wrote the name “Toruń” on their cards.

Legend of the sins of a crusader

In the early Middle Ages 12 high crusaders from the Teutonic Order once lived in Thorner Castle. One day a knight fell in love with a very beautiful young city daughter, and soon the two of them met illegally and unnoticed in the alleys of the city center. However, their happiness in love did not last long, because the residents noticed their relationship and immediately notified the knight master and the city fathers. Both were punished for their forbidden love affair, they got 25 lashes in the pillory in front of the town hall and the knight was punished for building a tower. However, the tower should be as lopsided as its behavior. The tower became the concept of turning away from (order) rules and from then on stood as a memorial to remind people that one should not get on the wrong track (i.e. follow all rules and laws). To this day, the front of the tower is the place where everyone can check their "innocence". The “sinner test” at the tower has become a tradition with every good city tour. The tourists are asked to stand in front of the tower with their backs to the wall, their feet must be together and the whole body from the heels to the back of the head must touch the wall, arms stretched forward. According to legend, only those who can keep their balance and do not fall forward for at least a few moments are considered good brothers or are not sinners. This legend became an integral part of the interactive presentation of Thorner stories and legends in the Thorner Legendenhaus.