Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – Archaeologists excavating the courtyard of the Nicolaus Copernicus House in Toruń, Poland, made a remarkable discovery. They found wooden structures dating back to the 13th century—some of the oldest in the city. These previously unknown wooden structures will become part of a future permanent exhibition.
Nicholas Copernicus was most likely born here. Credit: Pko – CC BY-SA 4.0
The Copernicus House is a notable example of Gothic architecture and was historically owned by the Copernicus family. Many historians believe it to be the birthplace of the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473 -1543). Currently, the building functions as a museum that highlights the life and accomplishments of this renowned astronomer.
The Birth Of Toruń
According to archaeologist Leszek Kucharski, the wooden buildings discovered are absolutely unique, given their size and excellent preservation. While everyone knows Toruń was built of brick, the first houses were made of wood. The fact that these relics were not destroyed during the later construction of brick buildings is, on one hand, a stroke of luck, and on the other, it reveals how this part of the city was used in its earliest history.
Engraving of Nicolaus Copernicus. Credit: Wellcome Collection – CC BY-SA 4.0
“Removing the beams is progressing slowly. They are large, heavy, and fit well in the corner. The northwest corner is outside the excavation area, and we have to extract these beams. We don’t want to cut them out, as they will be preserved and reconstructed,” archaeologist Leszek Kucharski told Nauka w Polsce( Science in Poland).
He emphasized that the beams are in excellent condition, and cutting samples for dendrochronological studies requires significant effort.
“It’s probably pine, but we’re waiting for expert confirmation,” Kucharski said.
A significant part of the wooden house’s relics lies on the other side of the wall surrounding the Nicolaus Copernicus House.
“These are the absolute beginnings of Toruń, not from books or stories, but from life as it was. This is a fascinating moment for us,” the archaeologist emphasized.
The removed beams will undergo conservation at the Institute of Archaeology at Nicolaus Copernicus University.
Previously unknown wooden structures were unearthed by archaeologists. Credit: Dom Mikołaja Kopernika
“They will then be returned to the same location as part of a new exhibition. The conservation process will take at least a year. All the water must be removed from the wood and replaced with specific reagents, but the experts will be able to comment on this in due course,” said Kucharski.
One of the discovered wooden walls extends under the current wall surrounding the Nicolaus Copernicus House and continues outside.
“We can’t go any further because it risks a construction disaster and the wall collapsing. These are the negative aspects of digging in cities where space and buildings limit us,” Kucharski said in November.
“This find is a real treat, as all the experts who come here emphasize that they have never seen a wooden wall from this period so well-preserved and to such a height in Toruń. Another highlight is its attractiveness—the corner is beautiful and well-preserved. It’s rare to have the opportunity to see original medieval wooden structures. This is not a fake reconstruction. After conservation, these elements will be available for viewing for generations to come,” he added.
The Teutonic Knights Were The First Settlers
Toruń, situated on the Vistula River, is among Poland’s oldest cities, with its origins dating back to the 8th century. The city saw significant expansion in 1233 under the Teutonic Knights. According to Kucharski, the recently discovered wooden structure is the earliest of its kind found within Torun’s chartered area. It is believed that Teutonic settlers may have inhabited this house.
Credit: Dom Mikołaja Kopernika
“The Teutonic Knights from Old Torun began developing this region by bringing in initial settlers to what we now know as the Old Town. The structure resembles a cottage with an adjoining farmstead,” Kucharski noted. In the coming days, these structures will be carefully dismantled and secured before being sent for conservation—a process expected to take up to three years.
Securing The Walls And Preserving History
Archaeologists face challenges such as limited trench expansion and risks of wall collapse during excavations, hindering thorough exploration. Michal Kłosiński, curator of the Nicolaus Copernicus House, says the team plans to seek more funding from the city and the Ministry of Culture to address these issues. Work is currently under a state of emergency due to a cracked wall and subsidence in the tenement house, requiring costly immediate repairs. Both the wall and annex must be stabilized with a concrete base.
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Kłosiński stressed that any collapse is unacceptable. Once stabilized, the new exhibition space could display rare wooden structures found on site. These relics predate the known historical record by two centuries and offer valuable insight into Torun’s past. Displaying them will help tell a fuller story of this significant site.
Source: Nauka w Polsce
Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Staff Writer