Â鶹APP

Top 10 Interesting Facts about the Royal Castle in Warsaw

The royal castle of Warsaw was used as the senate of the first Rzeczpospolita and also as the seat of Sejm. Therefore, the castle has a lot of history which can be explored so that it can give the reader a deeper insight into such an important historical piece for Poland. Furthermore, the castle was the official residence for the monarchs in Warsaw.

This article will look into ten interesting facts about the royal castle and the significance it plays for the residents and its tourists. Being a historical structure, it means that it has a major significance and thus should be appreciated.

1 It dates back seven centuries

The castle has a lot of history in that it dates back almost seven centuries. The castle was built in the middle of the 14^th century. This was during the reign of Masovia by Duke Januz I the elder. Therefore, the castle plays a huge historical significance as it gives the people insight into how life was during those times through the architecture and the materials used.

2 It was used as the royal residence for the Dukes of Masovia

The Masovia region was incorporated into the kingdom of Poland in 1526. This meant that the edifice which had been the castle of the dukes of Masovia was turned into one of the royal residences. In 1548, Queen Bona Sforza lived in it with her daughters Catherine who became the queen of Sweden, Izabela who was crowned the queen of Hungary and Anna Jagullon who later became the queen of Poland.

3 The building was used to host the royal parliaments

Zygmunt August, King of Poland, convened royal parliaments in Warsaw in 1556-1557 and 1564. They first met in the Castle. Following the Lublin Union (1569), which united the Polish Crown and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as a single country, Warsaw Castle was regularly the site of the Two-Nations State’s parliament. In 1569-1572, King Zygmunt August began alterations to the Castle, which were designed by Giovanni Battista di Quadro and Giacopo Pario.

The Curia Maior was renovated to serve as a meeting place for the Parliament, with the Chamber of Deputies on the ground floor and the Senate on the first floor. This was one of the first attempts in Europe where there was a building that was set aside to be used for parliamentary purposes.

4 The castle was once a centre of theatrical life

From 1630 to the 1640s during the reign of Wladyslaw IV, the royal castle was at its peak in that it was the hub of activities. The king during this time was a great art enthusiast and this meant that the castle reflected his passions.

Enchanted by Italian opera, he decided to transform that structure into a focal point of Polish theatrical life. In 1637, a Baroque-style theatre was built in the castle’s south wing. Unfortunately, the magnificence of that fort was significantly harmed during the Swedish Deluge which was between 1655 to 1656 and the Northern War, when the aggressors, despite the destruction they had caused, took valuable art collections, historical tapestries, furniture from the castle, and a collection of books from the royal library.

5 The castle was blown up by the Nazis

After Poland attained its independence, the castle was renovated and restored in 1918 and was turned to be Ignacy Mościcki’s residence who was the president of Poland. Furthermore, the building was used as the office for the directors of the National Art Collection.

During the start of the Second World War, the walls of the castle which has been recently restored were destroyed during the bombing that happened in Warsaw. Workers of the national museum risked their lives during that time to save valuable arts and exhibits as well as elements that were used to decorate the castle. The Nazis used ten thousand explosives which resulted in the destruction of amazing historical buildings like the Royal Castle of Warsaw.

6 The castle was rebuilt in 1971

Since the castle was destroyed in the bombing in 1944, nothing had been done about it. Because there had been nothing there for a long time, officials planned to build government buildings there. Fortunately, the Sejm abandoned the plan in 1971 and decided to rebuild the Royal Castle. Until 1980, state funds and various donations were used to rebuild the building.

It took many years to rebuild the fort, which included not only the complex of the castle’s buildings but also the gardens adjacent to it and the garden terrace known as the Kubicki Arcades. In 1984, some of the restored rooms were opened to the general public so that they could see the progress that the state was making.

7 It features different architectural styles

The castle features the late baroque architectural style which was prominent in the 18^th century when the castle was being reconstructed. The castle also incorporated neoclassical architecture which features Roman detail, a preference for blank walls and simplicity in geometric forms. Combining the two architectural styles created something unique that interests tourists.

8 Touring the castle

To ensure that one gets the best experience while visiting the royal castle of Warsaw, one can employ the services of the tour guide companies found there. This ensures that one does not miss anything that should be seen as the guides know their way around the castle and the elements of the castle that should be seen.

9 It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Royal castle and its surrounding grounds were made to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. The museum receives about half a million visitors each year who want to experience the history of the place. Furthermore, the castle is one of Warsaw’s most recognizable landmarks.

10 The castle was turned into a museum

The castle was turned into a museum where tourists can come and experience the rich history and culture of Poland. Some of the attractions that intrigue tourists in this place are the clock tower which opens the way to the old town where the castle is situated.

In the museum, there are two original Rembrandt paintings and also the works of Canaletto. The paintings of Canaletto were instrumental in the Warsaw post-war reconstructions and thus make them an important part of history.