In 1764 the gardens were acquired by Stanisław August Poniatowski, after his election that year as King of Poland.

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1 Łazienki Park (Park Łazienkowski or Łazienki Królewskie, literally Baths Park or Royal Baths) is the largest park in Warsaw, Poland, occupying 76 hectares of the city center. The park-and-palace complex lies in Warsaw's Downtown (Śródmieście), on Ujazdów Avenue (Aleje Ujazdowskie) on the "Royal Route" linking the Royal Castle with Wilanów palace to the south. North of Łazienki Park, on the other side of Agrykola Street, stands Ujazdów Castle. History Łazienki Park was designed in the 17th century by Tylman van Gameren, in the baroque style, for Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski. It took the name Łazienki ("Baths") from a bathing pavilion that was located there. In 1764 the gardens were acquired by Stanisław August Poniatowski, after his election that year as King of Poland. The development of the classical-style gardens became a major project for King Stanisław August. The park-and-palace complex was designed by Domenico Merlini, Johann Christian Kammsetzer and landscape gardener Jan Chrystian Schuch. Its principal buildings stand beside or near the Łazienki Lake and Łazienki River. Stanisław August's palace is situated on the lake and hence is known as the "Palace on the Water." 1 / 8

North of Łazienki Park, on the other side of Agrykola Street, stands Ujazdów Castle.

2 Most of the buildings in the park suffered severe fire damage during and after the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, amid fighting between German and Polish forces. The structures nevertheless were relatively well-preserved, compared to those in the Old Town; here the Germans had drilled holes in the palace walls for placement of explosive charges, but charges had not been placed to destroy the buildings. Reconstruction of the park and palaces was completed within a few years after World War II. Structures in the Park Palace on the Water 2 / 8

The structures nevertheless were relatively well-preserved, compared to those in the Old Town; here the Germans had drilled holes in

3 The Palace on the Water (Polish: Pałac na Wodzie), also called the Łazienki Palace (Pałac Łazienkowski) and the Palace on the Island (Pałac na Wyspie), was built in the 17th century by Tylman van Gameren for Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski. Between 1772 and 1793 it was remodeled by Domenico Merlini for King Stanisław August Poniatowski, who made it his residence. The original bathhouse was built in a Chinese style. The building, now a beautiful mixture of architectural styles, was then graced with reliefs and painted Dutch tiles. The palace's furniture and paintings belong to the Classicist style. The building is dominated by an attika supported by columns, and featuring statues of mythological figures. The palace stands on an artificial island in Łazienki Lake, and is connected to the rest of the park by two arcaded bridges. The long Łazienki Lake is divided by the palace into two parts, a smaller northern lake and a larger southern one. The palace's ground floor includes the "Bacchus room," royal baths, a ballroom, a portrait gallery, the Solomon Room, a rotunda with figures of Polish kings, a lower picture gallery which 3 / 8

The original bathhouse was built in a Chinese style. The building, now a beautiful mixture of architectural styles, was then graced with reliefs and painted Dutch tiles.

4 contains minor works by Rubens and Rembrandt, and a chapel. Also on the ground floor is a dining room which hosted the famous "Thursday dinners" to which Stanisław August Poniatowski invited leading artists, writers and politicians. The first floor contains the royal apartments, an upper picture gallery, a balcony room, the king's study, the royal bedchambers, a cloakroom, and an officer's room. The Palace on the Water was burned after the 1944 Warsaw Uprising by the Germans but German plans to blow up the palace were never carried out. It was rebuilt after World War II. Roman theater The Roman-inspired Amphitheater was built on the bank of the Łazienki lake, separated by a narrow strait from its stage. The amphitheater was built in by Jan Chrystian Kamsetzer.[4] Its attic is embellished with sixteen statues representing famous poets of antiquity. The stage, sited on an island, was modeled after ancient Herculaneum and embellished with decorations that imitate ruins in the Roman Forum.[5] Performances are still staged here. The amphitheater and its stage provide a perfect setting on a summer evening, despite occasional noise from swans, ducks and peacocks.[6] Little White House T 4 / 8

The first floor contains the royal apartments, an upper picture gallery, a balcony room, the king's study, the royal bedchambers, a cloakroom, and an officer's room.

5 housed here facades, decorated Though interior room, cabinet Little 18th-century furnishings King the White adorned the by Little Stanisław the form House during prominent White with survived.[8] of Chinese an (Biały rustication, his August House arbor exile Polish Domek) wallpaper with was Poniatowski's The from an painters trompe-l'œil devastated most is France.[8] attic a garden the interesting and Jan parlor, mistress a by Ścisło paintings Built small villa the the include built Germans pavilion and, the king's by Jan form grotesque Plersch.[8] bed at Bogumił during of time, the a square, the top. by Louis paintings World Plersch.[8] Domenico bedchamber, The XVIII,[7] it War interiors has II, the identical Merlini. many who and were dining lived aof It its Myślewicki Palace Named after the village of Myślewice, the little palace (in Polish Pałac Myślewicki) was built for King Stanisław August Poniatowski in to an early-classicist design by Domenico Merlini. The palace's main, three-story body features a central entry niche and is flanked by quarter-circle wings. The facade is adorned by an enormous shell with sculptures of Zephyr and Flora by Giacomo Monaldi. The gently recurved rooflines reflect then-popular Chinese designs. Initially the palace housed royal courtiers; later it was taken over by Prince Józef Poniatowski, whose initials appear in a cartouche over the entrance. 5 / 8

[8] attic a garden the interesting and Jan parlor, mistress a by Ścisło paintings Built small villa the the include built Germans pavilion and, the king's by Jan form grotesque 1774-76 Plersch.

6 The palace survived World War II. On 15 September 1958, the first talks were held here between the ambassadors of the Chinese People's Republic and the United States of America the first attempt to establish contact between the two countries.[9] Old Orangery The Old Orangery was erected in in a rectangular horseshoe shape, with the southern façade of the core structure broken up by pilasters and arcaded great windows. It houses a magnificent interior.[5] The building contains a well-preserved wooden theatre (one of the few in Europe to retain its original 18th-century decor), with space for over two hundred people, not including those in the royal boxes. The auditorium, consisting of stalls and surrounding balconies, is richly decorated with paintings. The walls between the balconies, divided by twin pilasters, are adorned with female statues holding chandeliers.[5] To complete the classical pose, pieces from King Stanisław's extensive collection fill the long galleries behind the auditorium.[6] New Orangery The building was built by Adam Adolf Loewe and Józef Orłowski in 1860.[10] Neo-classicist with eclectic elements, it was designed to shelter the collection of orange trees. The building was necessary because tsar Alexander II of Russia, who purchased one of the 6 / 8

countries.[9] Old Orangery The Old Orangery was erected in 1786-88 in a rectangular horseshoe shape, with the southern façade of the core structure broken up by pilasters and arcaded great windows.

7 largest in Europe collection of tropical plants from Nieborów, could not transport it to Saint Petersburg, due to climate conditions there.[11] The collection's pride were long-lived orange trees (there were 124 of them in the collection).[11] Unfortunately, during the World War I, they were left without appropriate care and froze.[11] The building consists of an oblong hall, with glass walls.[10] Today it houses a tropical garden[10] and a restaurant in the northern wing. Temple of Diana In 1822, Jakub Kubicki erected a classicist temple to the goddess Diana. Also called the "Temple of the Sibyl," it stands next to the northwest part of the southern Łazienki lake. The wooden building is massive and decorated inside with murals with flower and fruit motifs. Egyptian temple An Egyptian temple was also built in 1822 by Jakub Kubicki, on the southwest shore of the southern Łazienki Lake. It was placed next to the fortress built by Stanisław Lubomirski, which protected Warsaw south of that point. In 1771 a bridge was built to it. During the Warsaw Uprising, only the northern part of the temple survived; the southern part has never been rebuilt. Water Tower The Water Tower is a neoclassical structure, built in and 1822 by Jan Christian Kamsetzer and Chrystian Piotr Aigner.[12] It was modeled after Caecilia Metella's mausoleum on the Appian Way in Rome[13] and currently serves as a museum of jewelry. How to get there? From Central Train Station (4km) View Larger Map From Frederic Chopin International Airport (16km) 7 / 8

[11] The building consists of an oblong hall, with glass walls.[10] Today it houses a tropical garden[10] and a restaurant in the northern wing.

8 View Larger Map Source: Wikipedia Text available under Creative Commons Licence Photos From top: 1: Artur Bogacki; 2: Bogdan Wankowicz; 3. mary416; 4: Dariusz Kopestynski; 5. Marcin Chodorowski; fotolia.com 8 / 8

Ancient Greek Arts and Architecture

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