The review was prepared by Gazeta.pl journalist, Justyna Bryczkowska.
I had been planning to revisit the Palace on the Isle for several years. I couldn't motivate myself, and attempts to convince others usually ended with the statement that they had already been there and didn’t see the point in going again. Finally, I managed to break the impasse by extending my week-long vacation with a tourist weekend in the city.
First Shock: The Ticket Prices?!
Indeed, it was somewhat surprising to learn that visiting the Palace on the Isle costs at least 50 PLN, as the ticket includes a package of five attractions within Łazienki Park. This is a barrier for many people because it's impossible to buy individual tickets for specific sites (except for the temporary exhibition, the Museum of Hunting and Horsemanship, and the Old Guardhouse). 100 PLN for two adults stings a bit, both in the eyes and the heart, so you have to be really determined to view the historic interiors.
The price seems steep, but it's worth noting that this is the rate for a regular ticket. A discounted ticket costs half as much. I'll also add that children from the age of seven and young people up to 26 years old pay just 1 PLN, and holders of the Large Family Card also receive discounts, with adults paying 35 PLN for the basic tour package. I assure you that the pleasure of visiting the Palace on the Isle, the Old Orangery, Myślewicki Palace, the White House, and the Water Tower compensates for the financial effort. When you break it down, it's about 10 PLN per attraction, which makes it hurt less.
It's also worth remembering that more and more European cities are introducing limits on tourists, which is understandable when, for example, Paris is so crowded in the summer (and not only then) that the city itself is barely visible. The Louvre is always packed, and in Versailles, the crowds trample almost every inch of space. By the way, when I thought about it, this time the Royal Łazienki Park made a bigger impression on me than the famous complex near Paris. First, we have a prettier park and a wonderful menagerie, and second, our Łazienki has its own character and a still-vibrant personality. In my humble opinion, this place is unique on a global scale, not only because of its historical context but also simply because of its charming original concept.
Tickets might not be the cheapest, but for example, at Wawel Castle, tickets are sold in designated time slots. Here, there are no such restrictions, the gardens are free to enter, and on Fridays, there's also the option of free entry to all the museum sites within the park. The catch is that you must arrive between 10:00 AM and 5:30 PM, as the last tour starts half an hour before the museum closes. On that day, only the ground floor is available for viewing.
When Did Łazienki Become So Beautiful?
I didn't expect that revisiting the monuments in the Royal Łazienki would leave such an impression on me. What I saw was a very pleasant surprise, as the monuments in Łazienki have gained in beauty over the years and have taken on a new shine. I still remember the asphalt-covered paths, the somewhat dusty facades of the buildings, and the dull interiors of the Old Orangery. In the late 1990s, Łazienki was certainly less well-funded and more "worn out," but for a 7-year-old like me back then, the most impressive things inside were the crystal chandeliers, gilded furniture, and the need to wear museum slippers on the ornate floors. And outside, there were the peacocks running through the park, the giant carp, fancy gondolas, ubiquitous squirrels, swans gliding across the stunning pond by the Palace, and ice cream cones. What more could you want?
I silently assumed that during World War II, all the buildings were devastated by the Nazis just like the Palace on the Isle, and most of them had been meticulously restored. But that wasn't the case at all. The Myślewicki Palace, a charming building somewhat off the beaten path, survived the war with minimal damage and retained most of its original decor from the time of King Stanisław August Poniatowski (including original polychrome and stucco wall decorations). This is significant for a city as ravaged by war as Warsaw. The Palace was initially just a pavilion, which was later expanded with excellent results. Besides being beautiful architecture, it was also the site of Cold War talks between delegations from the US and the People's Republic of China, which led to China's admission to the United Nations.
It's especially worth noting the original wall paintings depicting views of Italian cities that adorn the Dining Room. These were commissioned by the last king of Poland and painted by Jan Bogumił Plersch, showcasing scenes like St. Mark's Square in Venice. The landscapes with ancient ruins in the Landscape Room are also impressive. Much of the original design was revealed during conservation work in 2015, when specialists uncovered historical polychromes and restored those that had been painted over.
A Million-Dollar Renovation
The White House has also gained even more beauty thanks to conservation work. Yes, we Poles have our own White House, located right in the Royal Łazienki Park. It was the first pavilion in Łazienki built from scratch on the orders of Stanisław August, serving as a private royal villa. Importantly, the building was not destroyed during the war, so most of the rooms retain their original appearance.
Inside, the rich painted decorations, different in each room, are particularly striking. The White House was the first place in Poland to feature painted grotesques—decorative patterns and floral ornaments interspersed with figures of people and animals. The graphics in the Dining Room, interwoven with gilding, are especially ornate. The effect is enhanced by a semicircular niche with a sculpture of Venus. Visitors will also find engravings from the Royal Collection of Graphics, exhibited on the upper floor. An interesting detail—you can also see, in one of the niches, sanitary facilities in the form of highly decorative chamber pots built into chair seats. Finally, a bathroom with a lavatory in these Royal Łazienki.
I was intrigued to learn that the White House contains Poland's only preserved 18th-century bedroom with its original interior and authentic royal bed, which is surprisingly short. The hexagonally shaped study, with walls painted to imitate a forest gazebo set near a seaside, is also exceptionally ornate. It's truly impressive.
Another surprise was the Old Orangery, where, in 2012, conservators discovered 18th-century wall paintings. For years, it was believed that the planned illusionistic landscapes by the court architect had never been created—it was only thanks to the renovation that these paintings were uncovered and fully restored. They now adorn the Sculpture Gallery in the west wing of the building, giving charm to a pavilion that was rather gloomy before the renovation. Interestingly, the Old Orangery also houses the Royal Theatre, which is currently one of the few original court theaters in Europe from that era. The hall can be viewed from the height of the royal box, and I must admit that the paintings decorating it are exceptionally intricate and show the creators' grand vision.
The Palace on the Isle is a unique case, as its interior and decorations were extensively damaged during a fire set by the Nazis. The walls of the building were also drilled with 1,000 holes for dynamite. Fortunately, the building was not blown up. On the upper floor, there's a small exhibition showing the scale of the war damage: several posters display comparisons of the interiors before the war, the fire-damaged rooms, and the results of meticulous restoration. I vividly remember that when I was seven, this exhibition made me understand how terrible the war damage was, and those memories came flooding back (along with my now-embarrassing fascination with crystal chandeliers).
There's no denying that the conservation and renovation work carried out in Łazienki from 2012 to 2015 had spectacular results. Conservators managed, for example, to highlight the 1793 grotesques in the Ballroom, and according to the Chief Conservator of the Royal Łazienki, we can finally see the Palace on the Isle as Stanisław August saw it. The work cost 48 million PLN, with 32 million funded by the European Union and 5.7 million by the Ministry. Indeed, this was money well and wisely spent. Additionally, a new museum website was created, where you can explore all these wonders virtually. But it's truly worth experiencing it in person.
