Wilanów Palace in Warsaw is the pearl of Polish Baroque and one of the main palace complexes of the country.
It is located at the end of the Royal Highway, on the outskirts of the city. The palace was built at the end of the XVII century for King Jan Sobieski as a country residence. The plans were very ambitious – if not to eclipse, then at least to be compared with the French palaces. Sobieski spared no money to realize his fantasies, and even then the residence was admired by many foreign ambassadors.
After Sobieski, almost every owner of the palace rebuilt the palace according to contemporary fashion. In particular, a park in the classical style, which occupies 45 hectares, received new outlines, a cordeguardia, a bathroom building and other buildings appeared. And in 1805, the new owner – the famous Stanisław Kostka Potocki – opened the first Polish museum here.
During the Second World War, the Germans took the museum collections from here, and the palace itself was looted. Fortunately, after the war, almost all the museum property was returned, but the restoration of the complex dragged on until the 1960s. Now the Wilanów Palace (Palace in Wilanów) in Warsaw again acts as a museum – in it you can see the original old interiors of the XVII century, a gallery of portraits and statues, as well as learn the story of the hot love of Jan Sobieski and his wife and stroll through the vast park with a pond.
Wilanow Palace Opening Hours
Opening hours in winter: January 27 – April 27 and September 29 – December 19: Monday, Wednesday – Saturday: 9:30 – 16:00 (entrance until 15:00), Tuesday: closed.
Summer opening hours: April 28 – September 28, 2014: Monday: 9:30 – 20:00 (last admission until 19:00), Tuesday, Thursday – Friday: 9:30 – 16:00 (last admission 15:00), Wednesday, Saturday: 9:30 – 18:00 (last admission until 17:00), Sunday: 10:30 – 18:00 (entrance until 17:00).
- 1 January–13 March: until 16.00 (last entry at 16.00)
- 14-31 March: until 18.00 (last entry at 17.30)
- April: until 20.00 (last entry at 19.30)
- May: until 21.00 (last entry at 20.30)
- June–July: until 22.00 (last entry at 21.30)
- August: until 21.00 (last entrance at 20.30)
- September: until 20.00 (last entry at 19.30)
- 1-16 October: until 19.00 (last entry at 18.30)
- 16-31 October: until 18.00 (last entry at 17.30)
- 1 November–12 March 2017: until 16.00 (last entry at 16.00)
Wilanów Palace Tickets
TICKET PRICE: Standard ticket 35 PLN, students/pensioners/disabled 28 PLN, visit to the park 7 PLN.
TELEPHONE: 22 5442 700
TELEPHONE (FAX): 22 8423 116
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://wilanow-palac.pl
EMAIL: muzeum@muzeum-wilanow.pl
How to get to wilanów Palace in Poland
Initially, the attraction was located on the edge of the city, but now Warsaw has grown significantly and it will not be difficult to get to the palace. From the Old Town, the place is located at a distance of about 10 km. The nearest metro station to the attraction is called Wilanowska.
You can drive to the place on your own, moving through Sobieskiego, the length of the path is just over 11 km, the journey will take 25 minutes.
The bus continues to be the most convenient and fastest way to get to the building, in this case, tourists need to take routes No. 139, No. 163, No. 164, No. 251, No. 264, No. 339, No. 519, No. N31, the stop is the terminus and is called Wilanow.
Of the popular applications that allow you to call a taxi, Uber operates in Warsaw.
Wilanow Palace History
The palace was erected in the years 1681-1696 for King Jan III Sobieski and Maria Kazimiera. The author of the project was Augustyn Locci. Interestingly, at that time the name of the village in which the object was built was Milanów. Soon after, it was changed to Villa Nova (new villa), in reference to ancient traditions. Another name – Wilanów – has remained valid to this day.
Initially, the building was a typical, single-level suburban magnate residence, which did not stand out among this type of objects. Tylman of Gameren – a very talented Dutch architect – was responsible for the expansion and decoration of the Wilanów palace.
In 1696, after Sobieski’s death, the palace became the property of his sons. Unfortunately, as a result of the conflict between them, the residence was stripped of equipment and all movables – windows, doors, fireplaces.
24 years later, Sobieski’s youngest son – Konstanty sold the building to a very wealthy noblewoman Elżbieta Sieniawska, who took care of its renovation and expansion. In the years 1723-1729, side wings were added to the palace m.in.
Over the following years, he went from cancer to cancer. In 1892 it became the property of Ksawery Branicki and remained in the family until 1945. The last owner was Adam Branicki.
The palace together with the surrounding beautiful park and additional buildings has preserved the unchanged architectural form, historical and artistic values despite the partitions, wars and occupations. After World War II, it was taken over by the state, and in 1962 it was made available to visitors.
Since 1995, the palace and the palace and park complex have been managed by the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace in Wilanów.
Architecture of the wilanów palace
The building is entirely Baroque and is a harmonious combination of European art and old Polish building tradition. The interiors of the palace were decorated with the most outstanding artists of their time, including m.in: Józef Szymon Bellotti, Jerzy Siemiginowski-Eleuter, Michelangelo Palloni, Claude Callot, Jan Samuel Mock, Francesco Fumo, Pietro Innocente Compareti, and Eliasz Hofmann.
An interesting element of the façade are inscriptions and statues, referring to the bravery, justice and power of Jan III Sobieski. On the front façade there is an inscription “Quod vetus urbs coluit, nunc nova villa tenet“, meaning “What the ancient city of Rome worshipped, now the new villa has“. Above it shines proudly golden sun, emphasizing the coat of arms shields of the Sobieskis, supported by another inscription “Refulsit sol in clypeis“, or “The sun shone on the shields“.
Wilanow Palace Park
The park at the Wilanów Palace is an integral part of it and together with it forms a complete park and palace complex. Like the castle, the garden has been modified and transformed many times by subsequent owners.
The park has been divided into several parts. One of the most beautiful is certainly the Grove of Akademos, which is located in the north-western part of the park. In the grove you can see the monuments of 2 outstanding Polish artists: Jan Kochanowski and Franciszek Karpiński.
Going north you will reach the conservatory, and on the way you will pass a park with a sculpture of Triton.
In the eastern part of the park you will find a baroque Italian garden, in which there are as many as 21 baroque sculptures, tested for the park after World War II.
Behind the palace, near the terrace, you will be able to see 4 very charming amory, symbolizing 4 different phases of love. Below the terrace there is also a post-war fountain.
