View source for Frombork

===Copernican era===
In 1414, the town was plundered and burned during the [[Hunger War]] between the Teutonic Knights and Poland. In 1440, the town joined the anti-Teutonic [[Prussian Confederation]], at the request of which Polish King [[Casimir IV Jagiellon]] signed the act of incorporation of the region into the [[Crown of the Kingdom of Poland]] in 1454.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Górski|first=Karol|title=Związek Pruski i poddanie się Prus Polsce: zbiór tekstów źródłowych|year=1949|publisher=Instytut Zachodni|location=[[Poznań]]|language=pl|pages=XXXVII, 54}}</ref> In 1454, the Warmian Chapter paid homage to King Casimir IV Jagiellon, recognizing him as rightful ruler. In retaliation the Teutonic Knights invaded the town in the same year.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bałdowski|first=Jan|title=Warmia i Mazury, mały przewodnik|year=1977|publisher=Wydawnictwo Sport i Turystyka|location=[[Warsaw]]|language=pl|page=82}}</ref> In 1455, Czech mercenaries in the service of Poland, commanded by Jan Skalski,<ref name="Serwis">Serwis Internetowy Miasta Frombork, "Historia Miasta" (History of the City), [http://www.frombork.net/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=15] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923195222/http://www.frombork.net/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=15|date=2009-09-23}}</ref> took back the city.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Skurzyński|first=Piotr|title=Warmia, Mazury, Suwalszczyzna|year=2004|publisher=Wyd. Sport i Turystyka – Muza S.A.|location=Warsaw|language=pl|pages=103–104}}</ref> Frombork was recognized as part of the Polish Kingdom by the [[Second Peace of Thorn (1466)]].<ref>Górski, p. 99</ref> It became an important town of the [[Prince-Bishopric of Warmia]] and part of the province of [[Royal Prussia]] within the larger [[Greater Poland Province, Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Greater Poland Province]]. The town was also devastated after a raid by [[Albert, Duke of Prussia|Albert, Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights]] in 1520 during the [[Polish–Teutonic War (1519–1521)|Polish–Teutonic War of 1519–1521]].<ref name="Serwis"/>

[[File:Nicolaus Copernicus epitaph.PNG|thumb|upright|left|Epitaph of [[Nicolaus Copernicus]] in [[Frombork Cathedral]]]]
In the [[Middle Ages]], the inhabitants were mainly merchants, farmers and fishermen. The most famous resident was the <!-- no POV statements here! --> astronomer and mathematician [[Nicolaus Copernicus]], who lived and worked here as a [[canon (priest)|canon]] (1512–16 and 1522–43). Copernicus is said to have jokingly called it "''Weiberstadt''"<ref>[[Hermann Kesten]]: Copernicus und seine Welt, [https://books.google.com/books?id=a0Y0AAAAIAAJ&q=Weiberstadt]</ref> ("Wives' Town") or "''Gynepolis''" (in [[Medieval Greek]]). In 1519 Copernicus wrote to the King of Poland, asking for help against the Teutonic Knights who were threatening the city. The letter however was intercepted, and the Teutonic Knights took and burned the city (Copernicus and other canons had left the city shortly before).<ref>Barbara A. Somervill, "Nicolaus Copernicus: Father of Modern Astronomy", Compass Point Books, 2005, pgs. 45-46, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ODh9P4P3ElkC&dq=Barbara+Somervill+Copernicus&pg=PA45]</ref>

[[File:Frombork Hartknoch.jpg|thumb|''Frawenburg'' at the ''Frisch Haff'' in 1684 (by [[Christoph Hartknoch]])]]
The [[astronomer]] wrote his epochal work, ''[[De revolutionibus orbium cœlestium]]'' in Frombork.<ref>J R Ravetz Plate, ''Nicolaus Copernicus 1473-1543'' in ''Proceedings of the Royal Society of London'', London 1602, p. 7 [https://books.google.com/books?id=8_IDAAAAIAAJ&q=frombork link]</ref> In his book, written in [[Latin]], Copernicus used the Latin name of the town and region - ''Frueburgo Prussiae''.<ref>[http://la.wikisource.org/wiki/Pagina:Nicolai_Copernici_torinensis_De_revolutionibus_orbium_coelestium.djvu/142 Frueburgo=Frauenburg, Prussia]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://la.wikisource.org/wiki/Pagina:Nicolai_Copernici_torinensis_De_revolutionibus_orbium_coelestium.djvu/142 |title=Pagina:Nicolai Copernici torinensis De revolutionibus orbium coelestium.djvu/142 - Wikisource |language=la |publisher=La.wikisource.org |date=2011-07-16 |access-date=2011-09-16}}</ref><ref>On his manuscript on page 72 recto (edited) - {{cite web |url=http://www.bj.uj.edu.pl/bjmanus/revol/images/072r.jpg |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-06-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607170650/http://www.bj.uj.edu.pl/bjmanus/revol/images/072r.jpg |archive-date=2011-06-07 }}</ref><ref>In De revolutionibus, he states in Book 3 Chapter 2 that he in 1525 observed the star Spica "in Frueburgo Prussiae". - Zakład Historii Nauki i Techniki (Polska Akademia Nauk): ''Studia i materiały z dziejów nauki polskiej'', Published by Państwowe Wydawn. Naukowe, 1961 [https://books.google.com/books?id=_ZMPAAAAIAAJ&q=Frueburgo+Prussiae p. 104]</ref><ref>''Nicholas Copernicus calculates the latitude of Frombork (in Frueburgo Prussiae).'' - Marian Biskup: ''Regesta Copernicana (calendar of Copernicus' papers).'', Published by Ossolineum, 1973 [https://books.google.com/books?id=3gkLAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Frueburgo+Prussiae%22 p. 65, 128]</ref> Shortly after its 1543 publication, Copernicus died there and was buried in the town's [[cathedral]] where there is a monument to him bearing the inscription ''{{lang|la|Astronomo celeberrimo, cujus nomen et gloria utrumque implevit orbem}}''<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Frauenburg |volume=11 |page=42}}</ref> (Most renowned astronomer, whose name and glory filled both worlds). His grave was thought to have been found by archaeologists in 2005, when the body was exhumed and subsequently confirmed in November 2008 by the publication of the results of DNA tests on fragments of bone and hair found on the skeleton. The body was reinterred on Sunday May 23, 2010 in the Catholic church of Frombork. Hair that matched two strands of hair which belonged to Copernicus are currently located in [[Uppsala University]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/nov/22/astronomy-genetics-copernicus Copernicus skeleton identified] The Guardian (November 22, 2008)</ref>

In the northwest corner of the [[cathedral]] grounds is Copernicus' tower, and in the southwest corner an octagonal building with a square [[bell tower]] and a small [[planetarium]] and a [[Foucault pendulum|Foucault's pendulum]]. From atop the tower one can survey the town, the tiny [[harbor]], the panorama of the [[Baltic Sea]], and much of [[Warmia]]'s countryside.