THE MYŚLEWICKI PALACE
This splendid palace with its characteristic semi-circular form was originally conceived as the King’s primary residence.
With time, however, it began to take on a more official and representative function. Matters of state were discussed in its elegant interiors, and over the centuries the apartments were used to accommodate tsarist generals, members of the Polish government, as well as foreign guests of Polish rulers. Not only were national issues discussed within these walls. Diplomatic relations between two of the world’s super powers: China and the United States of America, were established within the Palace’s walls.
In the years 1958–70 the Myślewicki Palace was the venue for a series of meetings between the Republic of China and the United States of America. At that time the talks held at the Palace were the main form of dialogue between the two countries and helped to forge mutual trust and maintain peace.
ROOM LAYOUT
Architecture of the Myślewicki Palace
The two-storey palace – built in 1775 in the eastern part of the garden – owes its name to a past village of Myślewice.
The palace, whose designer was an Italian-born architect Domenico Merlini, gained its present characteristic, semi-circular shape gradually. First, a two-storey villa was erected on the plan of a square and crowned with a rooftop belvedere. In 1777, quarter-circle wings were added on either side. Initially, they were one-floor high and ended with small towers. In the 1780s, they were expanded with another storey.
The main decorative element of the Palace’s façade is a tall niche containing the main entrance. On both sides of the door are statues of Flora and Zephyr (1777) executed by the Royal sculptor Giacomo Monaldi. His are also the sculptures of putti standing near the entrance stairs and holding lanterns. Flora – the goddess of flowers and the season of spring, and Zephyr – the god of the west wind, were a mythological pair of lovers. Their personas – connected with nature and love – emphasise the light, Arcadian, and sentimental spirit of the building.
Despite its small size, the palace is quite imposing. Curved, copper roofs – resembling curved roofs of Chinese structures – give an air of lightness to the building.
The residence is an example of an Early Classicist palace – one of few buildings of this type found in our gardens. It has survived to this day in an almost unchanged state, with most of its interiors preserving the original décor from the times of Stanisław August.
The renovated Myślewicki Palace
In 2015, the Myślewicki Palace regained its former glory. Conservators managed to reveal the historic polychromes and restore the colors of the monument in line with its authentic, 18th-century character. Original parts of color from the time of the building's construction were discovered - thus, there was a return to the idea of the royal architects. We also managed to extract the gilding, which until now visitors could not admire because it was painted over.
