Medieval Town of Toruń
| Medieval Town of Toruń | |
|---|---|
| Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List | |
 |
|
| Location | Poland |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iv |
| Reference | 835 |
| UNESCO region | Europe and North America |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1997 (21st Session) |
Coordinates: 53°02′N 18°37′E / 53.03°N 18.62°E
Medieval Town of Toruń (Polish: zespół staromiejski Torunia) is the oldest historic district of the city of Toruń. It is one of World Heritage Sites in Poland (added in 1997). According to UNESCO, its value lies in its being "a small historic trading city that preserves to a remarkable extent its original street pattern and outstanding early buildings, and which provides an exceptionally complete picture of the medieval way of life". The Medieval Town has an area of 60 ha and a buffer zone of 300 ha. It is composed of the Toruń Old Town, Toruń New Town, and the Toruń Castle.
The Medieval Town was established on the site of a former Slavic trading town that had existed for around 500 years and dates to the 13th century, when the city of Toruń (Thorn) was granted a town charter by the Teutonic Knights Hermann von Salza and Hermann Balk in 1233. The town, initially composed primarily of the district now known as the Toruń Old Town and the Toruń Castle, developed as a major commercial center, and was one of the key members of the Hanseatic League. As the town quickly grew, the Toruń New Town developed from 1264 east of the Old Town and north of the castle.
The Medieval Town is one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments (Pomnik historii), as designated September 16, 1994. Its listing is maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland.
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