WARSAW SUBURBAN RESIDENCES OF KAZIMIERZ PONIATOWSKI AT KSIĄŻĘCA STREET
JOLANTA PUTKOWSKA
After examination of the Kazimierz Poniatowski residence in Solec, preparation of the subsequent two studies „Na Książęcem” and „Na Górze” supplements information about the entire residential and representative complex of the prince in Warsaw.
K. Poniatowski started erecting the „Na Książęcem” residence in 1776, based on the design of Szymon Bogumił Zug, on the embankment, at the North of the Żurawka river canyon, flowing from Nowy Świat towards the Vistula (currently Książęca street). The meticulously planned residence was supposed to have a comprehensive design. The solution adopted by the architect included the dominating palace/villa, which has not been built. The plan ultimately applied by the prince started from the broad avenue from Nowy Świat that lead to an empty fenced place intended to be the palace. Behind the palace and on its sides was a garden with a regular system of terraces and ramps descending along the embankment, a pond at its foot and freely meandering paths amongst tussocks of grass on the embankment. These path lead to recreational and usable pavilions, variously developed, amongst which an underground room called the „Elizeum” was standing out. The design was supplemented with a farming part via the access avenue. The composition of this residence showed a clear axis along the avenue from Nowy Świat and the regular layout of terraces connected with ramps, however without the dominant (palace) that was supposed to merge them. This regular part reflected into the surrounding landscape park by crosswise and diagonal axis separated from the designed dominant, accentuated with pavilions deployed in the greenery.
It is not known why K. Poniatowski abandoned construction of the „Na Książęcem” palace, and then, most probably before 1779, decided to expand it by a significant area from the South, at the other side of the Żurawka canyon. The design for another garden called „Na Górze” was also prepared by S.B. Zug. After changes to the initial project, the new plan was assumed located at the highly sculptured area, with significant height levels, composed of two separate spaces: the North, residential and representative area with a decorative garden, and the South service and farming. The former was dominated by the inn building, which became the main suburban apartment of the prince. The most important element of the latter was the riding arena at the borderline of these two parts. The residence composition includes an axis drawn from the inn building on which all more important building are aligned. The entirety was characterised by a stiff and schematic layout. Only the inn is known in detailed from the architectural study, views can indicate that unlike diversity of forms introduced in the „Na Książęcem” pavilion, this was in one style – classicism.
The illustrated gardens of Kazimierz Poniatowski (including the one in Solec) arose as the response to the sophisticated needs of the prince, in accordance with the fashion dominant amongst the European aristocracy to possess this type of suburban residence.