Poland Day 11 - Science and Solidarity

So apparently yesterday's blog entry was not wholly accurate with respect to the oldest cathedral in Poland. Our first stop today was the town of Gniezno which also claims to be the home of oldest Cathedral in the country. The Royal Gniezno Cathedral has apparently been around since the year 975 and was the coronation place of several of Poland's earliest monarchs.

Regardless of its age, it's an impressive church. Especially the bronze doors with a beautiful depiction      of the martyr, Saint Adalbert of Prague.

The birthplace of the nation also comes into question as Gniezno (loosely translates to "the nest"), also lays claim to that piece of history. When I questioned our tour director on this he agreed there is still debate on the exact location of the country's earliest roots however it is generally accepted the lands between Poznan and Gniezno show the earliest signs of Poland as a nation.

Next stop is the town of Torun, the birth place of Nicolaus Copernicus in 1473. The photo below shows the home he grew up in and the following shot shows the church he was baptized in.

Today was horribly cold and wet, so after our tour of the old town, a few of us bolt for a nearby restaurant.



Now warm and dry, we settle in for a beverage and a nice meal.  Mike, a fellow Canadian on the tour joins us. Mike is from Calgary.

The drive from Torun to Gdansk has us checking in to our hotel around 5:15. Of course Gdansk is the home of Lech Walesa  and the Solidarity movement, which resulted in Poland regaining democratic independence in 1989.

The view from my room is over local rooftops toward the city's Panoramic Ferris Wheel.

The view also reveals some decorative downspouts 

It's still cold and wet here in Gdansk, so it's a quick tour of nearby dining establishments, a warm meal and back to the hotel for some much needed down time and sleep. We'll spend the whole day tomorrow touring this city before we head to our final destination, Warsaw, on Friday.