Leaning Tower of Toruń

The Leaning Tower of Toruń (Krzywa Wieża, roughly "KSHI-vah VYEH-zhah") is a 14th-century tower in the medieval city walls facing the Vistula River, tilted almost one and a half meters off vertical. Alongside gingerbread and Copernicus, it is one of the best-known symbols of this UNESCO-listed town, and the scene of a famous "honesty test". Today it houses a small exhibition space, and it is a natural stop on any walk along the old walls.

Where it is

Toruń lies in north-central Poland, a little over two hours from Warsaw by Intercity train and about 180 km from Gdańsk on the A1 motorway. The tower stands in the south-western corner of the Old Town, a few minutes' walk from the Old Town Square toward the river, at ul. Pod Krzywą Wieżą 1.

History of the tower

The tower was built in the 14th century as one of several dozen towers in the Old Town's defensive walls. It is about 15 m tall. Originally it was open on the town side, with only three walls, so defenders could haul missiles and boiling liquids to the top. Advances in artillery soon made it militarily obsolete.

The tilt, given as 1.46 m or about 1.4 m, was not intentional. The most likely cause is the shifting of the sandy ground beneath it, possibly already in the 14th century.

Its later uses were surprisingly varied: an 18th-century prison (one inmate reportedly escaped through an old latrine opening in the wall), apartments in the 19th century, a pub in the 1950s and, from 1976, the seat of a local cultural society. It opened to tourists in 2018, and the façade, roof and wall-walk were renovated in 2022.

The legend and the honesty test

Legend has it that a Teutonic Knight who broke his vow of chastity by falling for a wealthy merchant's daughter was ordered to build a crooked tower as penance, a symbol of his departure from the rules of his order. The local tradition follows from it: stand with your back against the leaning wall and try to keep your balance. Those whose sins outweigh the knight's will supposedly topple over; honest people stay upright.

What to see

• the tilt itself, best appreciated from Pod Krzywą Wieżą Street by comparing the tower with the vertical lines of neighboring buildings,
• the reconstructed wooden defensive gallery running along the wall on both sides of the tower,
• temporary art exhibitions inside, run by Toruń's municipal cultural agency under the "Krzywa Art" banner; from October 12, 2026, it shows "Impressje", work by fine-arts students of Nicolaus Copernicus University.

Tickets and opening hours (as of October 2026)

• Tickets (PLN): adult 20, student 12, child 10.
• Opening hours: the operator currently publishes conflicting winter hours (October 1 to March 31). Its opening-hours page lists Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m.–6 p.m., while the castle's main page lists weekdays 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Check with the operator before a weekday visit. From April 1 to September 30 the tower is open daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Closed: New Year's Day, Holy Saturday and Easter, November 1, December 24–26 and December 31.
• Phone: +48 696 377 258.

Is it worth visiting?

Seeing the tower from outside is free and takes 10 to 15 minutes; add half an hour for the exhibition. It is a fun stop for families, as kids love trying the balance test. External stairs lead to the entrance, so visitors with strollers or wheelchairs may prefer to view it from the street.

Getting there and nearby

The Old Town is a paid parking zone (Monday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.); the city recommends its Park&Ride car parks on Olimpijska and Dziewulskiego streets. From Toruń Miasto station it is about a 15-minute walk.

The tower is part of the medieval city walls: follow the riverside boulevard past the Monastery Gate, Sailors' Gate and Bridge Gate to the ruins of the Teutonic Castle. Heading inland, you reach St. Mary's Church and the Old Town Hall within minutes.