Toruà  (; ) is a city on the Vistula River in north-central Poland and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its population was 196,935 as of December 2021. Previously, it was the capital of the Toruà  Voivodeship (1975âÂÂ1998) and the Pomeranian Voivodeship (1921âÂÂ1945). Since 1999, Toruà  has been a seat of the local government of the KuyavianâÂÂPomeranian Voivodeship and is one of its two capitals, together with Bydgoszcz. The cities and neighboring counties form the BydgoszczâÂÂToruà  twin city metropolitan area.
Toruà  is one of the oldest cities in Poland; it was first settled in the 8th century and in 1233 was expanded by the Teutonic Knights. For centuries it was home to people of diverse backgrounds and religions. From 1264 until 1411, Toruà  was part of the Hanseatic League and by the 17th century a leading trading point, which greatly affected the city's architecture, ranging from Brick Gothic to Mannerist and Baroque.
In the Early Modern period, Toruà  was a royal city of Poland and one of Poland's four largest cities. With the partitions of Poland in the late 18th century, it became part of Prussia, then of the short-lived Duchy of Warsaw, serving as the temporary Polish capital in 1809, then again of Prussia, of the German Empire and, after World War I, of the reborn Polish Republic. During the Second World War, Toruà  was spared bombing and destruction; its Old Town and iconic central marketplace have been entirely preserved.
Toruà  is renowned for its gingerbread â the gingerbread-baking tradition dates back nearly a millennium â as well as for its large Cathedral. It hosts the Camerimage International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography. Toruà  is noted for its very high standard of living and quality of life. In 1997 the medieval part of the city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2007 the Old Town of Toruà  was added to the list of Seven Wonders of Poland.
The exact origin of the city's name is unknown. According to the findings of some linguists and historians, it is derived from the Old Slavic word "tor" (meaning "a beaten path"). The name âÂÂToruà Ââ would mean a roadside settlement.
The settlement was first mentioned in 1226 under the name Thorun. In later documents, it also appeared as Turon, Turun, and Thoron. From the 15th century onward, the monosyllabic form came into use.
The city's Latin name may be given as either Thorunium or Thorunum.
The first settlement in the vicinity of Toruà  is dated by archaeologists to 1100 BC (Lusatian culture). From the 5th century BCE to the 8th century CE, there are few archaeological traces in the vicinity of Toruà Â. For the Roman period, two settlements and a cemetery have been discovered. In the later period, traces of a river crossing are visible near the village of Stary Toruà Â.
During early medieval times, in the 7th through 13th centuries, it was the location of an old Slavonic settlement, at a ford of the river Vistula, located on the site where the later Teutonic Castle was built. In the 10th century it became part of the emerging Polish state ruled by the Piast dynasty. The settlement was expanded and transformed into a fortified stronghold. This stronghold was destroyed at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries, most likely as a result of a Prussian raid.
At that time, this area formed part of the Cheà Âmno Land, a region within the Duchy of Masovia ruled by Konrad I. He organized campaigns against the Prussians, but their failures prompted him to settle the Teutonic Knights in the area. They arrived in Cheà Âmno Land at the turn of 1227 and 1228, founding a small stronghold called Vogelsang, before later moving to Nieszawa.
In spring 1231 the Teutonic Knights along with Mazovian knights crossed the river Vistula near Nieszawa and established a fortress near today's village of Stary Toruà Â. On 28 December 1233, Teutonic Knights Hermann von Salza and Hermann Balk signed the city charters for Toruà  (Thorn) and Cheà Âmno (Kulm). The original document was lost in 1244. The set of rights in general is known as Kulm law. The municipal law was modeled on Silesian precedents, and the original inhabitants of both towns likewise came predominantly from Silesia.
In 1236, due to frequent flooding, it was relocated to the present site of the Old Town. In 1239 Franciscan friars settled in the city, followed in 1263 by Dominicans. In 1264 the adjacent New Town was founded, predominantly to house Torun's growing population of craftsmen and artisans, who predominantly came from German-speaking lands. In 1280, the city (or as it was then, both cities) joined the mercantile Hanseatic League, and thus became an important medieval trade centre.
In the 14th century, papal verdicts ordered the restoration of the area to Poland; however, the Teutonic Knights did not comply and continued to occupy the region. The city was recaptured by Poland in 1410 during the PolishâÂÂLithuanianâÂÂTeutonic War. During the war, the city council maintained contact and cooperated with Polish King Wà Âadysà Âaw II Jagieà Âà Âo; however, after the First Peace of Thorn was signed in the city in February 1411, the city fell back to the Teutonic Order. In 1411, the city left the Hanseatic League. In the 1420s, Polish King Wà Âadysà Âaw II Jagieà Âà Âo built the Dybów Castle, located in present-day left-bank Toruà Â, which he visited numerous times. During the next big PolishâÂÂTeutonic War, Dybów Castle was occupied by the Teutonic Knights from 1431 to 1435. The city refused to pay taxes to the Teutonic Knights, not wanting to finance their war against Poland.
In 1440, the gentry of Toruà  co-founded the Prussian Confederation to further oppose the Knights' policies. From 1452, talks between Polish King Casimir IV Jagiellon and the burghers of the Confederation were held at Dybów Castle. The Confederation rose against the Monastic state of the Teutonic Knights in 1454 and its delegation submitted a petition to Polish King Casimir IV Jagiellon asking him to regain power over the region as its rightful ruler. An act of incorporation was signed in Kraków 6 March 1454, recognizing the region (including Toruà Â), as part of the Polish Kingdom.
These events led to the Thirteen Years' War. The citizens of the city, enraged by the Order's ruthless exploitation, conquered the Teutonic castle, and dismantled the fortifications brick by brick, except for the Gdanisko tower which was used until the 18th century to store gunpowder. The local mayor pledged allegiance to the Polish king during the incorporation in March 1454 in Kraków, and then in May 1454, an official ceremony was held in Toruà Â, in which the nobility, knights, landowners, mayors, and local officials from Cheà Âmno Land, including Toruà Â, again solemnly swore allegiance to the Polish king and the Kingdom of Poland. Since 1454, the city has been authorized by King Casimir IV to mint Polish coins. During the war, Casimir IV often stayed at the Dybów Castle and Toruà  financially supported the Polish Army. The New Town and the Old Town amalgamated in March 1454.
The Thirteen Years' War ended in 1466, with the Second Peace of Thorn, in which the Teutonic Order renounced any claims to the city and recognised it as part of Poland. The Polish king granted the town great privileges, similar to those of Gdaà Âsk. Also in 1454 at Dybów Castle, the King issued the famous Statutes of Nieszawa, covering a set of privileges for the Polish nobility; an event that is regarded as the birth of the noble democracy in Poland, which lasted until the country's demise in 1795.
In 1473, Nicolaus Copernicus was born, and in 1501 Polish king John I Albert died in Toruà Â; his heart was buried in St. John's Cathedral. In 1500, the Tuba Dei, the largest church bell in Poland at the time, was installed at Toruà  Cathedral, and a bridge across the Vistula was built, the country's longest wooden bridge at the time. In 1506, Toruà  became a royal city of Poland. In 1528, the royal mint started operating in Toruà Â. In 1568, a gymnasium was founded, which after 1594 became one of the leading schools of northern Poland for centuries to come. Also in 1594, Toruà Â's first museum (Musaeum) was established at the school, beginning the city's museal traditions. A city of great wealth and influence, it enjoyed voting rights during the royal election period. Sejms of the PolishâÂÂLithuanian Commonwealth were held in Toruà  in 1576 and 1626.
In 1557, during the Protestant Reformation, the city adopted Protestantism. Under Mayor Henryk Stroband (1586âÂÂ1609), the city became centralized. Administrative power passed into the hands of the city council. In 1595, Jesuits arrived to promote the Counter-Reformation, taking control of St John's Church. Protestant city officials tried to limit the influx of Catholics into the city, as Catholics (Jesuits and Dominican friars) already controlled most of the churches, leaving only St Mary's for Protestant citizens. In 1645, at a time when religious conflicts occurred in many other European countries and the disastrous Thirty Years' War was fought west of Poland, in Toruà Â, on the initiative of King Wà Âadysà Âaw IV Vasa, a three-month congress of European Catholics, Lutherans, and Calvinists was held, known as Colloquium Charitativum; an important event in the history of interreligious dialogue.
During the Great Northern War (1700âÂÂ21), the city was besieged by Swedish troops. The restoration of Augustus II the Strong as King of Poland was prepared in the city in the Treaty of Thorn (1709) by the Russian tsar Peter the Great. In the second half of the 17th century, tensions between Catholics and Protestants grew. In the early 18th century about 50 percent of the populace, especially the gentry and middle class, were German-speaking Protestants, while the other 50 percent were Polish-speaking Roman Catholics. Protestant influence was subsequently pushed back after the Tumult of Thorn of 1724.
After the Second Partition of Poland in 1793, the city was annexed by Prussia. It was briefly regained by Poles as part of the Duchy of Warsaw in 1807âÂÂ1815, even serving as the temporary capital in April and May 1809. During these years the city began to attract a growing Jewish community. In 1809, Toruà  was successfully defended by the Poles against the Austrians. After being re-annexed by Prussia in 1815, Toruà  was subjected to Germanisation and became a strong center of Polish resistance against such policies. The city's first synagogue was inaugurated in 1847. New Polish institutions were established, such as Towarzystwo Naukowe w Toruniu (Toruà  Scientific Society), a major Polish institution in the Prussian Partition of Poland, founded in 1875. After World War I, Poland declared independence and regained control over the city. In interwar Poland, Toruà  was the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
During World War II, Germany occupied the city from 7 September 1939 to 1 February 1945. Einsatzkommando 16 entered the city to commit various crimes against Poles. Under German occupation, local people were subjected to arrests, expulsions, slave labor, deportations to concentration camps and executions, especially the Polish elites as part of the Intelligenzaktion.
A group of Polish railwaymen and policemen from Toruà  were murdered by the German gendarmerie and Wehrmacht in Gàbin on 19âÂÂ21 September 1939. Local Poles, including activists, teachers and priests, arrested in Toruà  and Toruà  County beginning in September 1939, were initially held in the pre-war prison, and after it became overcrowded in October 1939, the Germans imprisoned Poles in Fort VII of the Toruà  Fortress. On 17âÂÂ19 October 1939 alone, the German police and the Selbstschutz arrested 1,200 Poles in Toruà  and Toruà  County. In early November 1939, the Germans carried out further mass arrests of Polish teachers, farmers and priests in Toruà  and the county, who were then imprisoned in Fort VII. Imprisoned Poles were then either deported to concentration camps or murdered onsite.
Large massacres of over 1,100 Poles from the city and region, including teachers, school principals, local officials, restaurateurs, shop owners, merchants, farmers, railwaymen, policemen, craftsmen, students, priests, workers, doctors, were carried out in the present-day district of Barbarka. Six mass graves were discovered after the war, in five of which the bodies of the victims were burned, as the Germans had tried to cover up the crime. Local teachers were also among Polish teachers murdered in the Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg, Mauthausen and Dachau concentration camps. Nonetheless, the Polish resistance movement was active in the city, and Toruà  was the seat of one of the six main commands of the Union of Armed Struggle in occupied Poland (alongside Warsaw, Kraków, Poznaà Â, Biaà Âystok and Lwów).
During the occupation, Germany established and operated Stalag XX-A prisoner-of-war camp in the city, with multiple forced labour subcamps in the region, in which Polish, British, French, Australian and Soviet POWs were held. From 1940 to 1943, in the northern part of the city the German transit camp for Poles expelled from Toruà  and the surrounding area, became infamous for inhuman sanitary conditions. Over 12,000 Poles passed through the camp, and around 1,000 died there, including about 400 children. From 1941 to 1945, a German forced labour camp was located in the city. In the spring of 1942, the Germans murdered 30 Polish scouts aged 13âÂÂ16 in Fort VII.
While the city's population suffered many atrocities, as described, there were no battles or bombings that damaged its buildings. Thus, the city avoided damage during both World Wars, and retained its historic architecture, ranging from Gothic through Renaissance and Baroque to 19th and 20th century styles.
Listed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 1997, Toruà  has many monuments of architecture dating back to the Middle Ages. The city is famous for having preserved almost intact its medieval spatial layout and many Gothic buildings, all built from brick, including monumental churches, the Town Hall and many burgher houses.
Toruà  has the largest number of preserved Gothic houses in Poland, many with Gothic wall paintings or wood-beam ceilings from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
Toruà Â, unlike many other historic cities in Poland, escaped substantial destruction in World War II. Particularly left intact was the Old Town, all of whose important architectural monuments are originals, not reconstructions.
Major renovation projects have been undertaken in recent years to improve the condition and external presentation of the Old Town. Besides the renovation of various buildings, projects such as the reconstruction of the pavement of the streets and squares (reversing them to their historical appearance), and the introduction of new plants, trees and objects of 'small architecture', are underway.
Numerous buildings and other constructions, including the city walls along the boulevard, are illuminated at night, creating an impressive effect â probably unique among Polish cities with respect to the size of Toruà Â's Old Town and the scale of the illumination project itself.
Toruà  is also home to the Zoo and Botanical Garden opened in 1965 and 1797 respectively and is one of the city's popular tourist attractions.
Toruà  is divided into 24 administrative districts (dzielnica) or boroughs, each with a degree of autonomy within its own municipal government. The Districts include: Barbarka, Bielany, Bielawy, Bydgoskie Przedmieà Âcie, Cheà Âmià Âskie Przedmieà Âcie, Czerniewice, Glinki, GrÃÂbocin nad Strugà, Jakubskie Przedmieà Âcie, Kaszczorek, Katarzynka, Koniuchy, Mokre, Na Skarpie, Piaski, Podgórz, Rubinkowo, Rudak, Rybaki, Stare Miasto (Old Town), Starotoruà Âskie Przedmieà Âcie, Stawki, Winnica, Wrzosy.
The colors of Toruà  are white and blue in the horizontal arrangement, white top, blue bottom, equal in size. The flag of the city of Toruà  is a bipartite sheet. The upper field is white, the lower field is blue. If the flag is hung vertically, the upper edge of the flag must be on the left.
The flag with the coat of arms is also in use. The ratio of the height of the coat of arms to the width of the flag is 1:2.
The climate can be described as humid continental (Köppen: Dfb) if the isotherm of is used or an oceanic climate (Cfb) if the isotherm is adopted. Back in 1930s, the city passed close to the original boundary and dividing line of climates C and D groups in the northâÂÂsouth direction proposed by climatologist Wladimir Köppen. Toruà  is in the transition between the milder climates of the west and north of the Poland and the more extreme ones like the south (warmer summer) and the east (colder winter). It is not much different from the climates of more southerly Kraków and easterly Warsaw, though it has slightly milder winters and more moderate summers.
Being close to definitely continental climates, it has a high variability caused by the contact of eastern continental air masses and western oceanic ones. This is influenced by the geographical location of the city â the Toruà  Basin to the south, and the Vistula Valley to the north.
The most recent statistics show a decrease in the population of the city, from 211,169 in 2001 (highest) to 202,562 in 2018. Among the demographic trends influencing this decline, are: suburbanisation, migration to larger urban centres, and wider trends observed in the whole of Poland such as general population decline, slowed down by immigration in 2017. The birth rate in the city in 2017 was 0.75. Low birth rates have been consistent in the city for the first two decades of the 21st century.
The official forecasts from Statistics Poland state that by 2050 the city population will have declined to 157,949.
Inside the city itself, most of the population is concentrated on the right (northern) bank of the Vistula river. Two of the most densely populated areas are Rubinkowo and Na Skarpie, housing projects built mostly in the 1970s and 1980s, located between the central and easternmost districts; their total population is about 70,000.
The BydgoszczâÂÂToruà  metro area of Toruà  and Bydgoszcz, their counties, and a number of smaller towns, may in total have a population of as much as 800,000. Thus the area contains about one third of the population of the Kuyavia-Pomerania region (which has about 2.1 million inhabitants).
The transport network in the city has undergone major development in recent years. The partial completion of ring road (East and South), the completion of the second bridge (2013) and various road, and cycling lane improvements, including construction of Trasa à Ârednicowa, have decidedly improved the traffic in the city. However, noise barriers that have been erected along the new or refurbished roads have been criticised as not conducive to a beautiful urban landscape. The extensive roadworks have also drawn attention to the declining population numbers, casting doubt that the city might over-deliver for the future number of road users, as the demographic trends forecast from Statistics Poland predicts a reduction of population by almost 1/4 by year 2050.
The city's public transport system consists of an extensive tram network with seven lines. The Tram network operates exclusively on the northern bank of the Vistula river.
In addition to the tram network, the city runs 40 day time bus routes and six night time bus routes, covering the city and some of the neighboring communities including the southern side of the city.
Toruà  is situated at a major road junction, one of the most important in Poland. The A1 highway reaches Toruà Â, and a southern beltway surrounds the city. Besides these, the European route E75 and a number of domestic roads (numbered 10, 15, and 80) run through the city.
With three main railway stations (Toruà  Gà Âówny, Toruà  Miasto and Toruà  Wschodni), the city is a major rail junction, with two important lines crossing there (WarsawâÂÂBydgoszcz and Wrocà ÂawâÂÂOlsztyn). Two other lines stem from Toruà Â, toward Malbork and Sierpc.
The rail connection with Bydgoszcz is run under a name "BiT City" as a "metropolitan rail". Its main purpose is to allow traveling between and within these cities using one ticket. A joint venture of Toruà Â, Bydgoszcz, Solec Kujawski and the voivodeship, it is considered as important in integrating Bydgoszcz-Toruà  metropolitan area. A major modernization of BiT City railroute, as well as a purchase of completely new vehicles to serve the line, is planned for 2008 and 2009. Technically, it will allow to travel between Toruà Â-East and Bydgoszcz-Airport stations at a speed of in a time of approximately half an hour. In a few years' time "BiT City" will be integrated with local transportation systems of Toruà  and Bydgoszcz, thus creating a uniform metropolitan transportation network â with all necessary funds having been secured in 2008.
Since September 2008, the "one-ticket" solution has been introduced also as regards a rail connection with Wà Âocà Âawek, as a "regional ticket". The same is planned for connection with Grudziàdz.
Two bus depots serve to connect the city with other towns and cities in Poland.
, a small sport airfield exists in Toruà Â; however, a modernization of the airport is seriously considered with a number of investors interested in it. Independently of this, Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport, located about from Toruà  city centre, serves the whole Bydgoszcz-Toruà  metropolitan area, with a number of regular flights to European cities.
Although a medium-sized city, Toruà  is the site of the headquarters of some of the largest companies in Poland, or at least of their subsidiaries. The official unemployment rate, , is 5.4%.
In 2006, construction of new plants owned by Sharp Corporation and other companies of mainly Japanese origin has started in the neighboring community of à Âysomice â about from city centre. The facilities under construction are located in a newly created special economic zone. As a result of cooperation of the companies mentioned above, a vast high-tech complex is to be constructed in the next few years, providing as many as 10,000 jobs (a prediction for ) at the cost of about 450 million euros. , the creation of another special economic zone is being considered, this time inside city limits.
Thanks to its architectural heritage Toruà  is visited by more than 1.5 million tourists a year (1.6 million in 2007). This makes tourism an important branch of the local economy, although time spent in the city by individual tourists or the number of hotels, which can serve them, are still not considered satisfactory. Major investments in renovation of the city's monuments, building new hotels (including high-standard ones), improvement in promotion, as well as launching new cultural and scientific events and facilities, give very good prospects for Toruà Â's tourism.
In recent years Toruà  has been a site of intense building construction investments, mainly residential and in its transportation network. The latter has been possible partly due to the use of European Union funds assigned for new member states. Toruà  city county generates by far the highest number of new dwellings built each year among all Kuyavian-Pomeranian counties, both relative to its population as well as in absolute values. It has led to almost complete rebuilding of some districts. , many major constructions are either under development or are to be launched soon â the value of some of them exceeding 100 million euros. They include a new speedway stadium, major shopping and entertainment centres, a commercial complex popularly called a "New Centre of Toruà Â", a music theater, a centre of contemporary art, hotels, office buildings, facilities for the Nicolaus Copernicus University, roads and tram routes, sewage and fresh water delivery systems, residential projects, the possibility of a new bridge over the Vistula, and more. Construction of the A1 motorway and the BiT City fast metropolitan railway also directly affects the city. About 25,000 local firms are registered in Toruà Â.
The internationally renowned film festival Camerimage was founded in Toruà  in 1993, and has been held annually in the city since 2019. In 2024, with Australian actress Cate Blanchett as jury president, the 32nd International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage screened Steve McQueen's historical war drama Blitz, the first half of Jon M. Chu's two-part musical fantasy film Wicked, and the world premiere of Joel Souza's western film Rust.
Toruà  has two drama theatres (Teatr im. Wilama Horzycy with three stages and Teatr Wiczy), two children's theatres (Baj Pomorski and Zaczarowany à Âwiat), two music theatres (Maà Âa Rewia, Studencki Teatr Taà Âca), and numerous other theatre groups. The city hosts, among others events, the international theatre festival, "Kontakt", annually in May.
A building called Baj Pomorski has recently been completely reconstructed. It is now one of the most modern cultural facilities in the city, with its front elevation in the shape of a gigantic chest of drawers. It is located at the south-east edge of the Old Town. Toruà  has two cinemas including a Cinema City, which has over 2,000 seats.
Over ten major museums document the history of Toruà  and the region. Among others, the "House of Kopernik" and the accompanying museum commemorate Nicolaus Copernicus and his revolutionary work, the university museum reveals the history of the city's academic past.
The Tony Halik Travelers' Museum (Muzeum PodrÃ³à ¼ników im. Tony Halika) was established in 2003 after Elà ¼bieta Dzikowska donated to citizens of Toruà  a collection of objects from various countries and cultures following the death of her husband, famous explorer and writer, Toruà  native, Tony Halik. It is managed by the District Museum in Toruà Â.
The Centre of Contemporary Art (Centrum Sztuki Wspóà Âczesnej â CSW) opened in June 2008 and is one of the most important cultural facilities of this kind in Poland. The modern building is located in the very centre of the city, adjacent to the Old Town. The Toruà  Symphonic Orchestra (formerly the Toruà  Chamber Orchestra) is well-rooted in the Toruà  cultural landscape.
Toruà  is home to a planetarium (located downtown) and an astronomical observatory (located in nearby village of Piwnice). The latter boasts the largest radio telescope in Central Europe with a diameter of , second only to the Effelsberg radio telescope.
Toruà  is well known for gingerbread, a type of piernik often made in elaborate molds. Museum of Toruà  Gingerbread is a large museum dedicated to it. There are also several gingerbread workshops in the town that offer hands-on experiences for tourists, including the popular Living Museum of Gingerbread. The 15-year-old composer Fryderyk Chopin was smitten with Toruà  gingerbread when he visited his godfather, Fryderyk Skarbek, there in the summer of 1825.
Toruà  is a center of conservative Roman Catholic culture. Redemptorist Tadeusz Rydzyk has organized here Radio Maryja, Telewizja Trwam, a college whose students contribute to the mentioned media. Now a museum is being constructed.
The 12999 Toruà  asteroid is named after the city.
Over 30 elementary and primary schools and over ten high schools make up the educational base of Toruà Â. Besides these, students can also attend a handful of private schools.
The largest institution of higher education in Toruà Â, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruà Â, serves over 20,000 students and was founded in 1945, based on the Toruà  Scientific Society, Stefan Batory University in Wilno, and Jan Kazimierz University in Lwów. The existence of a high-ranked and high-profiled university with so many students plays a great role the city's position and importance in general, as well as in creating an image of Toruà Â's streets and clubs filled with crowds of young people. It also has a serious influence on local economy.
Other public institutions of higher education:
There are also a number of private higher education facilities:
Also located in Toruà  is one of the oldest high schools in Poland, , which dates back to a gymnasium founded in 1568.
Six hospitals of various specializations provide medical service for Toruà  itself, its surrounding area, and to the region in general. The largest hospital in Toruà  is the Ludwik Rydygier hospital, which consists of multiple units located across the city. In addition, there are a number of other healthcare facilities in the city.
Other clubs:
Notable residents of Toruà  include:
Honouring Toruà Â's sister relationship with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Bulwar Filadelfijski (Philadelphia Boulevard), a long street running mostly between Vistula River and walls of the Old Town and the boulevard itself, bears its name. The à Âlimak Getyà Âski is one of the lanes connecting Pià Âsudski Bridge / John Paul II Avenue with Philadelphia Boulevard at their downtown interchange. It honours the relationship with Göttingen, its name derived from the street's half-circular shape (Polish word à Âlimak meaning "snail").
Toruà  is twinned with:
Former twin towns: