The Leaning Tower in Toruń, Torun, Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland

According to legend, its origin is associated with the actions of one of Torun Teutonic Knights, who, contrary to the applicable rules fell in love with him, and met with the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant. Atone for breaking wedding purity was to be inclined elevation of the tower as a symbol to depart from the strict religious rules.

Today it is said that those whose sins are heavier than sin, said the spider, can never maintain a balance leaning against the wall of the tower. They do not fall over for those who can boast as integrity, loyalty and honesty. This kind of “integrity test” is a must for many years all occurring at this point trips.

In fact, the Leaning Tower was built in the fourteenth century as one of dozens of similar towers in the old ramparts of Torun. Her inclination was probably the result of landslides sandy ground. In the past, there was no shortage, however, and those who saw the tower against bending divine punishment for allegedly blasphemous discovery of Copernicus. The news even reached Rome and was a serious argument for entering book Torun astronomer index of prohibited books.

Initially, the tower consisted of only three external walls of defenders allowing drawing on the upper floor and missiles boiling liquid which repulsed hostile attack. With the development of artillery disappeared defensive importance of the tower – already in the eighteenth century, it was placed in the prison. One of the detained criminals escaped in it using the hole in the bathroom adjacent to the medieval tower on the outer side of the wall. Leaning Tower also served as residential, office and restaurant.

For towers on both sides adhere medieval ramparts of the reconstructed portion of the wooden porch that served defenders for easy movement across the line of defense and hit the enemy. From the land side, there was still one outer strip of walls, behind which was excavated moat. Enter the city gates guarded defense, which was built with hard to come barbicans. Most of these fortifications was demolished until the end of the nineteenth century, have been preserved, however, numerous fragments of medieval fortifications, such as the walls of the belt from the Vistula River and several towers and street Podmurna Strumykowa, the site of the former border between the Old and New Town Toruń.

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