Description of the attraction
The Czapski Palace is a palace located in the center of Warsaw. It is considered one of the outstanding examples of the baroque style with rococo elements in the Polish capital. Currently, the building belongs to the Academy of Arts.
In the 17th century, a wooden manor of the Radziwills was located on the site of the present palace. In 1680-1705, under the leadership of the architect Tilman Gameren, a palace was built for Michal Radzeevsky. In subsequent years, the palace often changed its owners, in different years lived here: Prazhmovskys, Senyavskys, Czartoryskys.
In 1733, the building was acquired by the Chapsky family. They began to renovate the baroque interiors of the palace. The main gate was decorated with eagles. The interior was created by sculptors Antonil Capar and Samuel Contessa. After Chapsky's death in 1784, the palace was inherited by his daughter Constance, the wife of the speaker of parliament Stalislav Malakhovsky. Since then, conferences have been held in the palace, drafts of various laws were read out, and noble receptions were arranged.
In 1790 the architect Johann Christian Kamsetzer added two wings to the palace. The Chopin family later lived in one of the outbuildings. Currently, the left wing houses the Chopin Lounge, which is a branch of the Chopin Museum.
After the death of Stanislav Malakhovsky in 1809, the palace became the property of the Krasinsky family. It became one of the centers of Warsaw's cultural life. Literary and musical evenings were held here, year after year the family collected a unique collection of books, which turned into an excellent library.
The main building of the palace was burned down on September 25, 1939, and later the interiors of the palace were completely destroyed. A unique collection of paintings and books is believed to have been burned.
In 1948-1959, restoration work was carried out according to the project of the architect Stanislav Brukalsky. After restoration, the Chapsky Palace was included in the Academy of Fine Arts. In 1985, a museum was opened here, where about 30,000 works from all areas of the visual arts are presented: painting, sculpture, graphics, drawing.
