A winter in Copernicus' Toruń

The walled Polish town, full of Gothic architecture and references to the astronomer, is ideal for a quiet holiday 

- Anita Rao Kashi

Though it is mid morning, the light is still grey and the dark brick Gothic buildings of Toruń, about 200km northwest of Warsaw, appear enigmatic. It is the cusp of winter and the air is nippy. The summer crowd has long gone and the cobblestone streets of the medieval Polish town are silent, except for the occasional sound of shoes or cycle tyres.

Just outside the towering medieval walls, in a gentle valley, the winding Vistula river flows languidly. Inside the walled city, a Unesco World Heritage Site, the lanes and alleys are cobble-stoned, flanked by astonishingly well-preserved medieval brick houses with original Gothic façades. The interiors of those that have been converted into shops or museums reveal beautifully decorated walls, stucco ceilings and vaulted cellars.

The town's medieval layout, surrounded by towering defensive walls, is still intact. Within it are two market squares, churches and townhouses, the Teutonic castle and town hall.

More interestingly, Toruń is the birthplace of 15th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. He remains an enduring presence in the town.

Toruń has a tumultuous history, says my guide Krzysztof. Founded in 1233 by the Teutonic Order, a martial religious group, the medieval town was plunged into several wars over the centuries, its buildings destroyed and rebuilt. During World War II, Germany occupied the town and inflicted atrocities upon the residents but the town itself was neither bombed nor damaged, which explains why so much of the Old Town, including the fort wall, are well preserved.

But before plunging headlong into the town's sights, we skirt along the fort wall from the Monastery Gate towards the western corner and pause at a strange structure.