| Kazanowski Palace | |
|---|---|
17th century image. |
|
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Baroque |
| Town or city | Warsaw |
| Country | Poland |
| Construction started | 1628 |
| Completed | 1643 |
| Demolished | 1656 |
| Design and construction | |
| Client | Adam Kazanowski |
| Architect | Constantino Tencalla |
The Kazanowski Palace (Polish: pałac Kazanowskich), also known as the Radziejowski Palace, was a large palace in Warsaw, occupying the place where the Charitable Center Res Sacra Miser stands today.
Contents |
When prince Władysław Vasa (future Władysław IV of Poland) became an adolescent, his father Sigismund III Vasa bought him a Bobola's wooden mansion at the Krakowskie Przedmieście in Warsaw.[1] Shortly after his return in 1628 from a journey to Western Europe the prince ordered Constantino Tencalla, royal architect, to build him a new palace in Italian style.[1] Tencalla created one of the most wonderful palaces ever built in Warsaw.
In 1632 the prince gave the palace to his favourite, Adam Kazanowski, which caused serious a misunderstanding with the King, and a special Sejm select committee was appointed to elucidate the situation[1] In 1637 Kazanowski rebuilt and enlarged the building according to Tencalla's design.
It was a large four-storied palace with a garden, enormous terrace and central courtyard[1] The alcove tops were decorated with a gilded crowns[1] The rich furnishings of the palace were described in 1646 by Jean Le Laboureur, a companion of an ambassador extraordinary of France to Poland, Madame de Guébriand. He was amazed by what he saw – a large Bacchus sitting on a barrel on wheels made of pure silver, which served as a wine vessel during the solemn banquets, gilded wooden ceilings in Venetian style filled with oil paintings, marbles, Flemish and oriental tapestries, master paintings, oriental-style treasures, precious furniture from Italy and Augsburg, silverware, a bear in a gilded cage in the front courtyard, and a large collection of musical instruments belonging to Crown Court Marshal Kazanowski's private orchestra[1] Le Laboureur wrote: Italy, which we visited after living Poland has nothing as magnificent and lordly. I admit that I was astonished and it seemed that I had been transferred to an enchanted palace.[2] His patron Madame de Guébriand noted the rooms decorated with various cupboards of the most exquisite workmanship and tables, with the most beautiful objects in gold, silver and amber, the Marshal pleased with her delight aked which piece she would like to take, and despite her protests, he and his wife send her several amber caskets.[3] Kazanowski also arranged a cabinet of curiosities (Wunderkammer) in his palace[4] and terrace garden on the escarp-side. The palace was famous not only because of its profuse furnishings but also due to central heating installed inside.[5]
After Kazanowski's death the palace was passed on to his wife Elżbieta Słuszczanka, who some time later married Hieronim Radziejowski. She was the wealthiest woman in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and after Radziejowski being found guilty of treason against the King, she became demanded a divorce, which caused a small private war in Warsaw between Radziejowski and the Słuszka family that took the Kazanowski palace by force. Radziejowski was convicted with death penalty and had to escape the boarders of the Commonwealth.[1]
The rich Kazanowski Palace was ransacked and burned down during the Deluge in 1656 and was never rebuilt.