Frombork, Medieval port town on Vistula Lagoon, Poland
Frombork is a small port town on the Vistula Lagoon in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship of Poland located on a hill above the water with views across the lagoon. The narrow streets climb uphill to the walled Cathedral Hill where Gothic buildings in red brick cluster around a central square and defense towers shape the skyline.
In the late 13th century the Bishop of Warmia founded the settlement and built the fortified cathedral complex to offer protection from attacks. Nicolaus Copernicus lived here from 1512 to 1543 as a canon and conducted astronomical observations that contributed to the development of his heliocentric model.
The name comes from the Old Prussian word for spring or stream and points to the early history of the region before medieval settlers arrived. Today you hear Polish in the streets while the brick buildings recall the German past that shows in the architecture.
Most of the sights concentrate on Cathedral Hill which you can reach on foot and explore in about an hour of walking. The paths are partly cobblestone and lead over small slopes so sturdy shoes make exploring easier.
A historic canal system once ran inside the fortification walls and supplied the cathedral complex with water from nearby springs. The underground passages are partly preserved and show the medieval engineering that made life on the hill possible.
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