THE WARSAW SUBURBAN RESIDENCE OF IZABELA CZARTORYSKA IN POWĄZKI
JOLANTA PUTKOWSKA
In 1771, architect Efraim Szreger started execution of a residence for Izabela Czartoryska in Powązki, in the suburbs of Warsaw. This was intended to be a suburban villa used by the princess during her visits to Warsaw, in a carefully selected location, nor far away from the Lazur Palace of the Czartoryski family at Senatorska Street, on a terrain with a flowing river, wide views towards Warsaw, and a neighbourhood allowing for establishment of a landscape garden with the program specified by the investor. The residence was used as soon as the summer of 1774, and was continuously extended by the princess until 1794.
The residence plan was prepared circa 1775 by M. Żebrowski, who documented how it was designed as well as its program. The residence was established on two large islands surrounded by waters of canals and an artificial pond created by damming the Rudawka river. One of the islands, the smaller one, hosted the residential pavilions of the princess, her children and the closest servants, supplementary pavilions of various programs, and also stables with residential rooms. All of these were deployed amongst carefully designed, seemingly natural greenery of trees, bushes, flowers, and grasses composed with romantic ruins situated in front of the access to the residence on the hill, designed as simple wooden chalets with gardens, grouped around a square resembling a village. All chalets were decorated and furnished with unique taste and splendour. The one belonging to princess Izabela stood out for its location, size, development and decoration. The stables were situated rather far away from this “village”, and from the outside they looked like the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre. Another, larger, island was covered with a park, where the thicket of trees, bushes and brushwood was cut with meandering paths, streams and the vista. Apart from islands connected by bridges, there was also a regular garden with an orangery, mill, inn and manor farm.
The residence was built in accordance with a carefully developed design. The square with pavilions stood out in the concept, starting with a road arranged in straight sections. This square was a prolongation of an axis created by the last section of the access road, planted with rows of trees, leading to a bridge over the stream to the island with pavilions. Behind the bridge, on the hill, the chalet of the princess Izabela dominated over the pavilions closing the axis. Another axis was routed from this one, crosswise, starting behind the bridge and before the hill with chalets, demonstrating in the large perspective the size and attractiveness of the park situated on the neighbouring island. The “Development” of the concept was continued outside the dominant of the plan, i.e. the princess pavilion, with a perfectly thought-out gradation of impressions when wandering on demarcated paths, presenting views composed of ruins of columns, the triumphal arch, a Roman amphitheatre, further chalets, a cavern, bridges leading from one attraction to another, and reception of everything on the way back with the chalet of the owner demonstrated from different views. The finished residence aroused the admiration of guests and visitors.
The main reason why Izabela Czartoryska adopted for a suburban residence the concept of landscape garden similar in its character to a decorative farm was the creation of a perfect place for herself and her children, where they could live in absolute harmony with nature. This was compatible with the latest approach of bringing up children, introduced by the progressive European aristocracy, popularised for example by Jan Jakub Rousseau, who the princess was acquainted with. The best inspiration for I. Czartorysta was a garden similar to a decorative farm, described by Thomas Whately in “Observations on Modern Gardening”, issued in London in 1770, and executed for Madame Pompadour at Petit Trianon in Versailles, designed by J. A. Gabriel in 1762 – 1764. Obviously, the plan of Powązki and the concept were significantly modified compared with the pattern garden, which Izabela Czartoryska knew from personal experience, but similarities in the manner of arranging the promenade were noticeable in both cases. The rest is Powązki is original and innovative, not only in Poland, but across Europe.
In 1794, during the siege of Warsaw by Prussians, the residence was ravaged. In 1796, the family of Czartoryski sold the estate of Powązki to someone called Łaszczyński.
JOLANTA PUTKOWSKA
In 1771, architect Efraim Szreger started execution of a residence for Izabela Czartoryska in Powązki, in the suburbs of Warsaw. This was intended to be a suburban villa used by the princess during her visits to Warsaw, in a carefully selected location, nor far away from the Lazur Palace of the Czartoryski family at Senatorska Street, on a terrain with a flowing river, wide views towards Warsaw, and a neighbourhood allowing for establishment of a landscape garden with the program specified by the investor. The residence was used as soon as the summer of 1774, and was continuously extended by the princess until 1794.
The residence plan was prepared circa 1775 by M. Żebrowski, who documented how it was designed as well as its program. The residence was established on two large islands surrounded by waters of canals and an artificial pond created by damming the Rudawka river. One of the islands, the smaller one, hosted the residential pavilions of the princess, her children and the closest servants, supplementary pavilions of various programs, and also stables with residential rooms. All of these were deployed amongst carefully designed, seemingly natural greenery of trees, bushes, flowers, and grasses composed with romantic ruins situated in front of the access to the residence on the hill, designed as simple wooden chalets with gardens, grouped around a square resembling a village. All chalets were decorated and furnished with unique taste and splendour. The one belonging to princess Izabela stood out for its location, size, development and decoration. The stables were situated rather far away from this “village”, and from the outside they looked like the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre. Another, larger, island was covered with a park, where the thicket of trees, bushes and brushwood was cut with meandering paths, streams and the vista. Apart from islands connected by bridges, there was also a regular garden with an orangery, mill, inn and manor farm.
The residence was built in accordance with a carefully developed design. The square with pavilions stood out in the concept, starting with a road arranged in straight sections. This square was a prolongation of an axis created by the last section of the access road, planted with rows of trees, leading to a bridge over the stream to the island with pavilions. Behind the bridge, on the hill, the chalet of the princess Izabela dominated over the pavilions closing the axis. Another axis was routed from this one, crosswise, starting behind the bridge and before the hill with chalets, demonstrating in the large perspective the size and attractiveness of the park situated on the neighbouring island. The “Development” of the concept was continued outside the dominant of the plan, i.e. the princess pavilion, with a perfectly thought-out gradation of impressions when wandering on demarcated paths, presenting views composed of ruins of columns, the triumphal arch, a Roman amphitheatre, further chalets, a cavern, bridges leading from one attraction to another, and reception of everything on the way back with the chalet of the owner demonstrated from different views. The finished residence aroused the admiration of guests and visitors.
The main reason why Izabela Czartoryska adopted for a suburban residence the concept of landscape garden similar in its character to a decorative farm was the creation of a perfect place for herself and her children, where they could live in absolute harmony with nature. This was compatible with the latest approach of bringing up children, introduced by the progressive European aristocracy, popularised for example by Jan Jakub Rousseau, who the princess was acquainted with. The best inspiration for I. Czartorysta was a garden similar to a decorative farm, described by Thomas Whately in “Observations on Modern Gardening”, issued in London in 1770, and executed for Madame Pompadour at Petit Trianon in Versailles, designed by J. A. Gabriel in 1762 – 1764. Obviously, the plan of Powązki and the concept were significantly modified compared with the pattern garden, which Izabela Czartoryska knew from personal experience, but similarities in the manner of arranging the promenade were noticeable in both cases. The rest is Powązki is original and innovative, not only in Poland, but across Europe.
In 1794, during the siege of Warsaw by Prussians, the residence was ravaged. In 1796, the family of Czartoryski sold the estate of Powązki to someone called Łaszczyński.