The Branicki Palace ( ) is an 18th-century

magnate The term magnate, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ''magnus'', "great", means a man from the higher nobility, a man who belongs to the high office-holders or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or ot ...

mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word ''manse'' originally defined a property l ...

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

. Situated at the junction of ''Podwale'' and '' Miodowa'' Streets, it was constructed for the aristocratic Branicki-Gryf family in the

Rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...

style. The palace is known for its elaborate sculptures and statues above the

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative Moulding (decorative), moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, ar ...

History

The Palace is one of three with the same name in Warsaw. This particular Branicki Palace is on Miodowa Street (the others are located on Nowy Świat Street and ''Na Skarpie'' Avenue). Izabella Poniatowska Branicka

The original building that stood where the palace now stands was a 17th-century

of the Sapieha family sold in the beginning of the 18th century to Stefan Mikołaj Branicki. This led to the current palace, built in 1740 by Johann Sigmund Deybel for Grand Crown

Hetman ''Hetman'' is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders (comparable to a field marshal or imperial marshal in the Holy Roman Empire). First used by the Czechs in Bohemia in the 15th century, ...

Jan Klemens Branicki. Jan Henryk Klemm (1743), Jakub Fontana (1750) and sculptor Jan Chryzostom Redler also participated in the construction. The now

rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...

palace was inspired by French palaces. The layout was shaped like a horseshoe, with a central part ''

corps de logis In architecture, a ''corps de logis'' () is the principal or main block, or central building of a mansion, country or manor house, castle, or palace. It contains the rooms of principal business, the state apartments and the ceremonial or formal ...

'' and two side wings. The building was set back from the street by a ''

cour d'honneur A court of honor ( ; ) is the principal and formal approach and forecourt of a large building. It is usually defined by two secondary wings projecting forward from the main central block ('' corps de logis''), sometimes with a fourth side, co ...

'', a symmetrical courtyard set apart in this way, at which the honored visitors arrived. The façades were balanced with admirable rococo decoration and rooftop windows. The main entrance was decorated with a portico of four columns with sculptures on the top. The interiors were decorated in the rococo style by Johann Sigmund Deybel and Jakub Fontana. Later, a pavilion called "Buduar" was added to the south wing at the back. The Branicki Palace previously had been called the ''Mrs Krakowska Palace'', because after Branicki's death the property was inherited by his beautiful wife Izabella Poniatowska (1771), sister of king

Stanisław August Poniatowski Stanisław II August (born Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski; 17 January 1732 – 12 February 1798), known also by his regnal Latin name Stanislaus II Augustus, and as Stanisław August Poniatowski (), was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuani ...

(Izabella was a daughter of

Stanisław Poniatowski Stanisław Poniatowski was the name of several Polish nobles: * Stanisław Poniatowski (1676–1762), castellan of Kraków * Stanisław August Poniatowski Stanisław II August (born Stanisław Antoni Poniatowski; 17 January 1732 – 12 Februa ...

Castellan A castellan, or constable, was the governor of a castle in medieval Europe. Its surrounding territory was referred to as the castellany. The word stems from . A castellan was almost always male, but could occasionally be female, as when, in 1 ...

Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...

). She held a

salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment that provides Cosmetics, cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, ...

in the palace, and became known as a patron and gatherer of artists, intellectuals, and statesmen in the era of

Enlightenment in Poland The ideas of the Age of Enlightenment in Poland were developed later than in Western Europe, as the Polish bourgeoisie was weaker, and szlachta (nobility) culture ( Sarmatism) together with the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth political system (Go ...

. Shortly afterwards the Branicki Palace was sold in 1804 to the general Józef Niemojewski. The new owner improved the palace - two side outbuildings were added to the palace complex in 1804-1808 by architect Fryderyk Albert Lessel. From 1817 the palace was inhabited by the

Stanisław Sołtyk Stanisław Sołtyk (16 December 1752 – 4 June 1833) was a Polish nobleman (szlachcic), political activist, landowner, father of Roman Sołtyk. Stanisław was born in Krysk near Płońsk. He became Royal chamberlain in 1780, Great Podstoli of t ...

. During the Second World War, the estate was badly damaged (it was burned down in 1939 and demolished by the Germans during the

Occupation of Poland Occupation commonly refers to: *Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment *Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces *Military occupation, th ...

), but after the war it was completely restored. It was rebuilt in 1967, based on paintings by

Bernardo Bellotto Bernardo Bellotto (c. 1721/2 or 30 January 172117 November 1780), was an Italians, Italian urban Landscape art, landscape Painting, painter or ''vedutista'', and printmaker in etching famous for his Veduta, ''vedute'' of European cities – Dr ...

, and now houses a

hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...

Images

File:Bellotto Miodowa Street in Warsaw.jpg, File:Ruiny pałacu Branickich przy ul. Miodowej.jpg, File:2022 Warszawa Pałac Branickich, rzeźby od strony Miodowej, 19.jpg, File:Hotel Verte Warsaw Marriott Autograph Collection.jpg, File:2022 Warszawa Pałac Branickich, rzeźby od strony Miodowej, 1.jpg,

References

::In-line: ::General: *

History

Images

See also

References

See also