The most important Warsaw landmark is the Wilanów Palace, which is located on the southeastern outskirts of the city, about 10 kilometers from its center. It was this location that allowed this most recognizable monument of Polish architecture to survive the war. The baroque style was used for the construction of the country royal residence, it was erected at the end of the 17th century, and then regularly completed, a garden is also adjacent to the building. In 1805, thanks to Stanislav Kostka Potocki, the building of the palace was replenished with its own museum, which at that time became one of the first art museums Poland.
Tourists are attracted by the majestic equestrian statue of the king, which in past years met those who came at the main entrance, but now it has been moved to one of the halls. The ceiling in one of the galleries is decorated with allegorical paintings telling the love story of King Jan III Sobieski and his wife Marysenka, who greatly helped her husband rise, and did not dream of becoming a king. The acquaintance of the future ruler and the French lady-in-waiting took place at a ball, but Marysenka was engaged. Two months later, she got married, however, the marriage was unsuccessful: her husband drank and was a reveler, some time after the wedding he died of syphilis. His death gave the green light to the lovers, they got married and were together for the next 30 years.
The palace is a member of the association of European royal residences along with the French Versailles and is recognized as the most famous and popular tourist attraction in Poland.
Official website of the Wilanów Palace
Prices and opening hours
Currently, the museum is conducting several major construction projects, reconstructing and reviving existing facilities. The purpose of the work is to restore and maintain in the future a decent condition of the entire residence, as well as to improve the exhibition conditions in the palace. Due to the implementation of these projects, some of the interiors may be completely or partially inaccessible to the public; also, from November 6, 2017, one of the floors is closed to visitors.
During the tourist season, you can visit the palace from 9:30 to 18:00 on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday closing occurs a little earlier - at 16:00. Outside the tourist season, the park is open daily, except Tuesday, from 9:30 to 16:00. The territory adjacent to the residence is open to the public all year round from 9:00, during strong winds, the park is temporarily closed for the safety of tourists.
When buying tickets, remember that bookings for the current week can be made no later than Tuesday evening of the previous week. Tickets for individual tours are purchased at the museum box office or online. A standard ticket to visit the palace apartments and the gallery along route No. 2 costs 15 PLN, a reduced ticket for students, people over 65 and the disabled is 10 PLN, a visit to the park will cost 5 PLN. Also, tickets for attending concerts and seminars held on the territory of the palace are purchased separately online or at the box office, their average cost is 10 PLN. Individual tickets can be purchased in quantities of no more than 9 pieces, group tickets are purchased for a company of 10 people.
Landmark history
The luxurious country residence of King Jan Sobieski was built for him by the Italian Augustin Lozzi in the last third of the 17th century.
The palace is located on the territory of a huge park complex an area of 45 hectares. The land and the neglected estate, located far from the noisy city, Sobieski bought from Stanislav Krzyski for 43 thousand zlotys, at that time it was an obvious overpayment. Nevertheless, only here the king saw his future residence.
All construction work in the palace was in charge of the royal adviser Lozzi, who was an amateur architect, it was he who became the author of a very original architectural project. To help build royal palace the best artisans from all over Poland rushed to the place, eminent masters of that time from France and Italy were engaged in artistic painting of walls and ceilings, monumental paintings on the plot of Psyche belong to Michelangelo Palloni.
The king wanted to fill the Wilanów Palace with original works of art, for this purpose special agents of Sobieski were sent around the world, some of the items were donated to the residence by ambassadors of various countries. As a result, the place began to resemble the brilliant royal residences of Paris.
After the king of the Commonwealth died, the palace, together with the surrounding environs, passed to his descendants, and then became the property of other wealthy landowners who belonged to an aristocratic family. Since 1720, Elizaveta Sinyavskaya became the mistress of the estate, she, having received the castle at her disposal, expanded the chambers.
Strongly invested in the history of the development of the castle Stanislav Kostka Potocki, who became the owner of the palace in 1799. He regularly replenished the archive of the palace with art collections, and in 1805 one of the first museums in the country was opened in the residence, the Pototskys also rebuilt the court church of St. Anna and erected a family burial vault next to the palace. Incorporating the experience of previous owners, Stanislav Pototsky paid much attention to ennoblement of the garden.
The First World War brought the first destruction to the castle: the German invaders plundered and destroyed the Polish National treasure, the palace began to play the role of headquarters and military hospital. The Germans thickly smeared eighteenth-century stools with margarine, used Rococo-era tapestries as bed covers, and poured soup on gilded tables. By the beginning of World War II, the castle retained only a fifth of the interior decoration. The museum was looted: the Nazis stole the collections of the institution, but when the war ended, the stolen goods returned to Poland. After a while, the restaurateurs managed to bring this historical value back to life, it almost returned to its original form. The first visitors to the palace had to wait until 1962 - only then the palace rooms became available to everyone.
Now the palace continues to be used as a museum. The place is included in the State List of Museums of Poland, the palace functions as it did two centuries ago, being a real historical wealth of the country.
The interior and surrounding area of the castle
On the territory of the castle there is a greenhouse, a mausoleum built in the neo-Gothic style, and the Church of St. Anna, which was erected in 1772 by Stanislav Potocki. In addition to the palace and the art gallery, a separate and no less significant attraction is the park, which covers an area of 45 hectares. A graceful regular style of landscape art was used to create it.
Near the entrance to the palace is located beautiful fountain, the gallery is twined with vines with red leaves, the palace rose garden is filled with flowers and statues. The baroque garden has two levels, it is decorated with pyramidal bushes and a large number of plants. The ancient statues of the garden attract the attention of visitors, some of them have become symbols of the regions of Poland, while others were brought from the Birkenau Museum. The flowerbeds are neatly trimmed and form a lot of real patterned labyrinths on the ground.
In the immediate vicinity of the palace there are also shady alleys leading to the water, a separate attraction of this place is the Wilanów pond, next to which you can sit in peace and quiet. Its shores are reinforced with logs, so fond of ducks, in addition to them, a lot of fish live here. The surface of the lake is covered with pink water lilies, which have become a symbol of the king's love. Tourists tired of walking can sit down on one of the white benches placed around the perimeter.
Further, the traveler has a view of the greenhouse, next to which there is a small pond with a fountain. Applied art products are exhibited here, and here tourists can also admire porcelain, ceramic and other handmade decorated items. In the shade of the trees, right in the middle of the park, there is also a Chinese arbor, built at one time for Count Stanislav Kostka Potocki, a little further away you can see the Roman Bridge and a number of private houses.
Wilanów Palace - real masterpiece Baroque, built in 1677-1698 by Augustin Lozzi for King Jan III Sobieski. It is located in the southeast of Warsaw in the Wilanów district.
How a luxury residence was created
Jan III Sobieski purchased an estate in Wilanów. Contemporaries believed that the price paid was too high, because the estate was in a sorry state. The king, despite this, it was there that he represented his future residence.
The amateur engineer Augustin Lozzi was appointed the main builder. At first, a small one-story building was built. Four years later, it was decided to turn the modest estate of the ruler into a representative residence, for which prominent French and Italian architects were invited to Wilanow.
Michelangelo Palloni decorated the ceilings and walls. Craftsmen came from all over Poland. Special agents around the world were looking for works of art. Many valuable items were presented by ambassadors and diplomats. The estate has become a real landmark of Poland and the pride of the king.
The fate of the Wilanow Palace after the death of the king
In June 1696, after the death of Jan III Sobieski, the palace was inherited by the young princes Konstantin and Alexander, but due to financial problems, the estate passed into the possession of the grand hetman's widow, Elzhbieta Sinyavskaya.
In 1733, the Wilanów Palace was destroyed by Russian troops, who unceremoniously robbed its interiors. In this deplorable state, the palace went to Stanislav Kostka Potocki. The count opened the residence of the king for free visiting, restored the former luxury of the palace, dedicated some rooms to the memory of Jan III Sobieski. The interiors were replenished with works of art by Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck and Velasquez.
During the First World War, a headquarters and a military hospital were set up here. The German invaders set about plundering and destroying the Polish national treasure. The Germans smeared 18th-century stools with margarine, covered themselves with tapestries from the Rococo era, and poured soup on gilded tables. By 1945, only a fifth of the interior decoration remained.
The palace after the liberation of Warsaw passed to the state. Restoration of the destroyed building began.
Palace Museum in Wilanów
It was not until 1962 that the first visitors were able to visit the palace rooms. Now it is one of the most remarkable cultural and tourist attractions in Warsaw.
Tour groups book tickets at least one month in advance. Therefore, it makes sense to book a hotel in Warsaw in advance. An elegant reception, concert or symposium can be organized for tourists and residents of Poland in the Wilanow Palace. For this purpose, the White Hall and the apartments of the wife of Marshal Isabella Lubomirskaya, located in the southern wing of the palace, are offered.
Information for visitors
The address: Stanisława Kostki Potockiego 10/16, 02-958 Warsaw.
How to get there: buses that run to the Wilanow Palace and Park - No. 116, 130, 131, 139, 163, 164, 180, 200, 251, 264, 317, 339, 379, 519, 710, 724, 725, E-2.
Schedule
Wilanów Palace outside the tourist season open from January 1 to April 13 and from October 15 to December 14:
- daily, except Tuesday - 9:30 - 16:00;
- from December 17 to January 11 - Wilanow Palace is closed.
- Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday - 9:30 - 18:00;
- Tuesday, Thursday and Friday - 9:30 - 16:00.
*The box office stops selling tickets one hour before closing.
Gardens open to visitors all year round, daily at 9:00, and closing hours depend on the season. Also, during strong winds, the park is temporarily closed for the safety of tourists.
- September - 9:00 - 19:00;
- October 13-31 - 9:00 - 17:00;
- November 1 - February 25 - 9:00 - 16:00;
- February 26 - March 24; October 1-12 - 9:00 - 18:00;
- March 25 - April 30 - 9:00 - 20:00;
- May and August - 9:00 - 21:00;
- June, July - 9:00 - 22:00.
Ticket price
Permanent exhibition in the palace and access to the park- 20 PLN (4.70 €), for beneficiaries - 15 PLN (3.50 €);
Entrance to the park only- 5 PLN (1.20 €), for beneficiaries - 3 PLN (0.70 €).
Current ticket prices can be viewed on the official website of Wilanow Palace.
Continuing your tour of the palaces of Warsaw, you can go to a newer building - Staszic Palace, which was built in 1820-1823. Now transferred to the Polish Academy of Sciences.
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The most important Warsaw landmark is the Wilanow Palace (Palac w Wilanowie), located on the southeastern outskirts of the city. The baroque palace with its adjacent garden is a source of national pride for the Poles. The country royal residence was built at the end of the 17th century and subsequently constantly completed. The museum in the palace building was opened in 1805 and became one of the first art museums in Poland.
It was in this palace that Stanisław Kostka Potocki opened one of the first museums in Poland in 1805.
The palace in Wilanów (10/16 Kostki Potocki Street) is located on the southeastern outskirts of modern Warsaw. It was built in 1677-1698 for King Jan Sobieski as a country residence.
The collections of the museum stolen during the occupation after the end of World War II were returned to Poland, and today the museum's collection is open for inspection.
Despite the fact that the palace was repeatedly completed and supplemented with new premises and interiors, it is considered a well-preserved architectural monument, therefore it attracts the attention of numerous tourists. Not only the palace is interesting, but also the park around it.
Palace in Wilanow
Address: Warszawa, Stanislawa Kostki Potockiego 10/16.
Opening hours in winter: January 27 - April 27 and September 29 - December 19: Monday, Wednesday - Saturday: 9:30 - 16:00 (last entry at 15:00), Tuesday: closed.
Summer opening hours: April 28 - September 28, 2014: Monday: 9:30 - 20:00 (last entry at 19:00), Tuesday, Thursday - Friday: 09:30 - 16:00 (entry until 15:00) , Wednesday, Saturday: 9:30 - 18:00 (entry until 17:00), Sunday: 10:30 - 18:00 (entry until 17:00).
Prices on the page are for March 2019.
How to get there
On buses 116 and 180 from the Royal Square in Warsaw or from the Square of Three Crosses on the same buses (from Three Crosses - 17 stops, however, by our standards - short). A ticket from the driver costs PLN 2.80 (about 27 rubles). In winter, admission to the park is free, in the warm season - 5 zł, free on Thursdays. Buses pass by Lazienki Park, you can get off and see this palace complex on the way back.
Arriving in Willanow (this is the final one, buses turn around here), do not be alarmed - there is a cemetery right at the stop. You need to cross the road, focusing on the Church of St. Anne, the entrance to the park is located immediately behind it.
History
The Palace and Park Ensemble of Wilanow is picturesquely located in the south of Warsaw, on the territory of the former village of Milyanovo. The palace was built in the 17th century as the summer residence of King Jan III Sobieski and was originally called "Villa Nova". The palace was built in stages. Initially (in 1677-1979) a one-story estate with four corner bay windows was built. Then the mezzanine and two galleries completed with towers were completed, and the last floor was added above central part and rich decor, which gave the whole building a baroque character. Construction was completed in 1696.
Wilanow, according to the plan of its creators, was called to glorify King Jan III Sobieski. The sculptural decoration is associated with the royal person. Antique figures symbolize the dignity of the king, the presented episodes of victorious battles sing of his courage and the defeat of the Turkish army near Vienna. Part of the decor is dedicated to the royal wife Maria Sobieska - Marysenka. Statues of Greek goddesses reflect her virtues: wisdom, beauty, fidelity and fertility. King Jan III Sobieski did not like being in noisy Warsaw, he liked rural life in the middle of nature.
At the end of the war, the Germans occupied the palace for barracks and a hospital. They destroyed the building, park, sculptures. Retreating, the invaders took out most of the valuables. After the liberation, the state nationalized the property, and now there is a branch National Museum. A significant part of the collections was returned back. On Sundays in the summer, concerts are held on the terrace of the palace. (c) http://www.gardener.ru/page_1174.html
The park also houses the Church of St. Anna (1772) and the neo-Gothic mausoleum of Alexandra and Stanislav Potocki.
Mausoleum
entrance to the park
In winter time, there is nothing special to see in the park, if I had to pay for it, then I would be offended by the Poles)) and so we had a nice walk in the frost.
flood mark
a small waterfall, not frozen even at -10 - water flows under the crust
And the history of the creation of this architectural masterpiece, built in 1677-1698. interesting enough.
Jan III Sobieski and the beautiful Maria Casimira met by chance at a ball, and this first meeting became decisive not only in their personal lives, but also in the course of history.
The young Frenchwoman was only 17, the heir to the throne - 27. Two months after their meeting, Marysenka married another - Prince Jan Zamoysky. Her husband was a drunkard and a slacker, but he had two significant advantages - fearlessness in battle and a millionth fortune in the country. He spent it generously on women and feasts. The wife had to endure the betrayal of her husband and his constant absence. 
The stately neighbor Jan Sobieski shared Maria Casimira's loneliness from time to time, sending letter after letter. Marysenka's request to burn her letters after reading them was ignored by Jan. In 1661, during another meeting, the couple exchanged rings.
Meanwhile, 6 years later, Maria's husband dies of syphilis. Now, nothing prevents lovers from getting married. They got married secretly, but this caused a scandal among the Polish gentry, and the couple suddenly goes to the altar in public, despite all the gossip.
For the wife of Maria Casimira De La Grange, the king of the Commonwealth, on the banks of the Vistula, is building country palace - Wilanow, surrounded by a park, water channels and a rose garden. They decided to build a love nest in the French style. Now it is one of the most valuable examples of Baroque architecture in Italy. 
The amateur engineer Alexander Lozzi was appointed the main builder. First, a small one-story building was built. Four years later, it was decided to turn the modest estate of the ruler into a representative residence, for which prominent architects from France and Italy were invited to Wilanow. Michelangelo Palloni decorated the ceilings and walls. Craftsmen came from all over Poland and brought their products, and special agents around the world searched for works of art that still adorn the estate. Many valuable gifts were presented by ambassadors and diplomats. The castle became the real pride of the king. 
On the allegorical paintings that are on the ceiling in one of the galleries, you can read the love story of Jan III Sobieski and his wife Marysenka. The sculptural decoration of the palace exalts the courage of its owner and the beauty of the mistress. Antique figures symbolize the courage of the king, invincibility, because episodes of won battles are shown here, in particular, the defeat of the Turkish army under. Another part of the decor is dedicated to the royal wife. Statues of Greek goddesses reflect her wisdom, charm, fidelity, motherhood. 
Maria and Jan lived in a happy marriage for almost 30 years, having given birth to 14 children. Legends and traditions about their love capture all romantics so far. 
Each new owner altered the design and gardens of the palace to his taste. At the initiative of Isabella Lubomirskaya, two side wings, a kitchen and a bathroom building were erected on the territory of the ensemble.
In the 18th century, it passed into the hands of Stanislav Potocki. The count opened the residence of the king for free visiting, restored luxurious decoration palace, dedicated some rooms to the memory of Jan III Sobieski. The interiors were replenished with works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck and Velasquez. The Potocki family rebuilt the court church of St. Anna and built a family tomb next to the palace.
During the First World War Wilanów was the headquarters and military hospital. During the Second World War, the German invaders looted and destroyed the Polish national treasure. The Germans smeared 18th-century stools with margarine, covered themselves from shots with Rococo tapestries, and threw food on gilded tables. Until 1945, only a fifth of the interior decoration survived. 
Wilanów Palace after the liberation of Warsaw passed into state ownership. Restoration of the destroyed building began. It was not until 1962 that the first visitors were able to visit the rooms of the palace. Now it is one of the most remarkable cultural and tourist attractions in Warsaw. In the palace you can see original furniture, frescoes, portraits and sculptures, which were acquired during the reign of Jan III Sobieski. 
In summer, concerts are held on the terrace of the palace. Walking along the green alleys, you can see other buildings, such as the Chinese Pavilion or the greenhouse. The greenhouse hosts an exhibition of applied arts, where you can see valuable samples of European ceramics, porcelain, glass, furniture, silverware and other handmade items. 
The main objective of the exhibition is to demonstrate the unique examples of decorative and applied art belonging to the collections of the palace, and to acquaint tourists with the tastes and preferences of the former owners of Wilanów. Also, guests can see with their own eyes the household items that the owners used daily. 
The 45-hectare park contains gardens in different styles: a two-level baroque garden, an Italian garden, an English landscape garden and an Anglo-Chinese landscape garden.
Their creation began during the time of Jan III Sobieski, in parallel with the construction of the palace. The natural possibilities of the place met all the requirements to reproduce a baroque garden here. The terraced layout of the space and the presence of a water supply system provide an interesting viewing perspective and connect the garden with the surrounding landscape. During his reign, Jan III personally took care of ornamental plants and trees, loved to admire their beauty.
This era also includes the creation of Italian gardens, located on the terrace above and below between the palace and Lake Wilanow. The decorated parterre on the upper terrace is a compositional continuation of the royal apartments.
Already after the Second World War, sculptures of the 18th century were brought to Wilanow from the Birkenau Museum in Silesia, which replaced the lost figures from the time of Jan III.
At the end of the 18th century, an Anglo-Chinese garden was created, located south of the palace. The garden deviates far from baroque geometry, creating an impressive viewing axis where single trees contrast with the open space. In the Anglo-Chinese garden you can see valuable examples of monumental trees (oak, ginkgo biloba), artificial lake(created before Jan III Sobieski), as well as later (from the beginning of the 19th century) buildings. 
It was Stanislav Potocki who created an English garden on the shore of Lake Wilanow, on the north side, which gently leans towards the water. It contains park buildings - a Chinese gazebo and a pumping station. The axes unite the individual elements of the garden. One of the most beautiful links the Chinese gazebo with the Roman bridge leading to the island. There is a monument on the island in honor of the Battle of Rashin in 1809. On the opposite side of the lake, Stanistlav created another landscape park— Morisin. Today it nature reserve, where rare animals live and valuable relics of the landscape composition of the XIX century. The best thing that has been preserved from this period is the neo-Gothic gate located on the axis of the Wilanów residence. 
In addition to the beautiful gardens and the palace, you can visit the exhibitions in the gallery of modern sculpture, which are located in the building of the former greenhouse, and the Poster Museum.
