Nicolaus Copernicus was born in the city of Toruń, in Royal Prussia, in the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland (today in north-central Poland).

Quick answer

  • Where was Copernicus born?
    He was born on 19 February 1473 in Toruń, a merchant city on the Vistula River, then part of Royal Prussia under the Polish crown.
  • Modern location:
    Toruń is now a city in Poland, known for its preserved medieval Old Town and as Copernicus’s birthplace.

Mini facts about his birthplace

  • Toruń in Copernicus’s time was a prosperous trading city in Royal Prussia, culturally mixed but politically linked to the Kingdom of Poland.
  • Because Toruń later clearly became part of Poland, modern biographies usually describe Copernicus as being born in Toruń, Poland.

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