Description of the attraction
Saxon Garden is a city park in Warsaw, located in the city center opposite Piłsudski Square. It is the oldest public park in the city. Founded in the late 17th century, it opened to the public in 1727 as one of the first public parks in the world.
The Saxon Garden was founded at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries by King August II the Strong. In May 1727, the park became accessible to all residents of the city. Thus, it became a public park until Versailles (1791), Peterhof, Summer Garden (1918) and many other famous parks.
The garden was a typical example of a Baroque park, modeled on the park of Versailles. The park starts from the rear facade of the palace, the central alley is decorated with many sculptures. In 1745, there were 70 park sculptures, of which 20 survived in the post-war years.
Operalnia - A 500-seat opera house was opened in the park in 1748. It was designed by the architect Karl Friedrich Popelmann after the image of the Maly Theater in Dresden. The interior has been decorated in a luxurious style. In November 1765, the premiere of the first performance took place in the theater. The building was demolished in 1772.
The Blue Palace, also located in the Saxon Garden, gets its name from the color of the roof. The palace was bought by King August II from the bishop for his daughter Anna Karolina Orzelskaya, was rebuilt in 1726 according to the project of Joachim von Daniel Jach. The king wanted to present the palace to his daughter as a Christmas present, so the work was carried out around the clock and was completed in six weeks. During the Second World War, the palace was completely destroyed, and in the post-war years it was rebuilt.
In the 19th century, the garden was transformed into a romantic English-style park. In 1855, a fountain appeared, designed by Henrik Marconi. In the northwestern part of the garden, on the shore of a decorative lake, a water tower was built in the classical style in 1852.
The marble sundial was created in 1863 by the physicist and meteorologist Antonio Szeliga Magier. Also, during this period, the Summer Theater for 1065 spectators was built, which was burned down in September 1939 after a direct bomb hit.
After the First World War, under the leadership of the architect Stanislav Ostrovsky, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier appeared in the Saxon Garden - a dedication to those who gave their lives during the war.
During the Second World War, the Saxon Garden was almost completely destroyed; in the post-war years, the park was restored.
