CULTURAL TORUŃ

Thursday November 2nd, 2023

Toruń is an exceptional city – it is full of extraordinary monuments, breathtaking architecture and monumental discoveries. It is a city that is fortunate to possess distinctive and exceptional characteristics. The remarkable heritage, including its UNESCO-listed Gothic architecture, and the legacy of the renowned astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus whose 550th birthday we are celebrating this year, define the city’s character and its genius loci. Terms like the “Pearl of Gothic” or the “Cracow of the North” are just a couple of the many unique epithets attributed to our city.

© City of Toruń

Currently, Toruń houses several public cultural institutions, each with a distinct profile encompassing various spheres of activity. We have three professional theatres, including the “Wilam Horzyca Theatre” – a drama theatre, the “Baj Pomorski Theatre” – dedicated to children, and the “Kujawsko-Pomorski Music Theatre.” The Academic Centre of Culture and Art “Od Nowa” shapes the preferences of students from the cooperating Nicolaus Copernicus University, while the Innovation Centre Mill of Knowledge presents extraordinary exhibitions that bridge culture and science. The District Museum safeguards the city’s museal heritage. The Toruń Planetarium, a Space Science Popularization Center, stages incredible astronomical shows attended by nearly 300,000 people annually.

photo by Stanisław Rokita © City of Toruń

Undoubtedly, the brightest star in the galaxy of over two thousand cultural events taking place every year is the Skyway International Festival of Light which has been held in the third decade of August and whose spectacular mappings and installations were admired by audiences of over several thousand. Among the numerous annual international events, particularly noteworthy are: SPOTKANIA International Festival of Puppet Theaters, KONTAKT International Theatre Festival, PROBALTICA Festival of Music and Art of Baltic Countries, The Toruń Book Festival, International Festival “Europe – Toruń. Music and Architecture”, Art Moves – Festival of Billboard Art, and the Vistula River Festival. The best proof of the city’s cultural potential are also the artists who decide to visit it. This description only scratches the surface of the city’s rich program.

© City of Toruń

The best proof of the city’s cultural potential are also the artists who decide to visit it. It is worth mentioning that the stage of the Cultural and Congress Centre Jordanki, opened in 2015, played host to the performances of Goran Bregović, Suzanne Vega, Lisa Stansfield or Sting, and many others, as well as top Polish musicians. The Centre, which was designed by the Spanish architect Fernando Menis, does not cease to amaze and has won the most important architectural accolades. In the nearby Center of Contemporary Art Znaki Czasu, artists such as Marina Abramović, an artist from Serbia known as the “mother of the performance”, as well as the famous film directors: Peter Greenaway, David Lynch and David Cronenberg, presented their works. Since the Middle Ages, the city has been famous for the production of delicious gingerbread cakes, therefore it can also boast the Museum of Toruń Gingerbread, the largest gingerbread museum in Europe, which holds the biggest collection of wooden baking forms. The museum was recently opened as a branch of the 160-year-old District Museum in Toruń, which was voted one of the top 40 museums in Europe. The attractions and the varied cultural offer are also appreciated by tourists who annually flock to the city in numbers well exceeding 2 million.

photo by Filip Tuchowski © EnergaCAMERIMAGE

In less than two weeks, we invite you to Toruń, the city of culture, to celebrate the international film festival together. EnergaCAMERIMAGE will take place from November 11th to 18th and, as always, will enchant you with the diversity of its program, offering unforgettable screenings, exciting encounters with filmmakers, and inspiring accompanying events.