Frombork

Introducing Frombork

It’s an adventure getting to Frombork by bus, tucked away as it is near the northeast edge of coastal Poland. Roads narrow as you pass through stands of forest, interrupted only by dot-on-the-map villages. The payoff is worth it, however, as you arrive beneath the impressive walled complex that overlooks the tranquil town and the water beyond.

What looks like a castle is, in fact, a cathedral, established by the Warmian bishops in the 13th century after a forced departure from nearby Braniewo, following an uprising of pagan Prussians. Later, from 1466 to 1772, Frombork was part of Poland, before it shifted to Prussian control as Frauenburg.

In WWII the town was devastated, but the cathedral somehow survived, and Frombork became repopulated by Poles exiled from territories annexed by the Soviet Union.

The complex is an attractive reason to visit Frombork, but the icing on the cake is its association with Nicolaus Copernicus. It was here that he spent the latter half of his life and conducted most of the observations and research for his heliocentric theory. Copernicus was buried in the cathedral, having survived just long enough to have the first printed copy of his great work placed in his hands – or so the legend goes.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009