Lazienki Park Reviews (Warsaw, Poland)

A proud and patriotic Polish soldier

Warsaw, Poland

August 25, 2011

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Best of IgoUgo The monument dedicated to Piotr Wysocki stands in a shady, ivy covered area outside the Officer Cadet's School in Łazienki Park in Warsaw. Three things made me stand and stare at this monument for quite a long time. One was the colour of the ...Read more The monument dedicated to Piotr Wysocki stands in a shady, ivy covered area outside the Officer Cadet's School in Łazienki Park in Warsaw. Three things made me stand and stare at this monument for quite a long time. One was the colour of the statue. It was a vivid jade green. Two, the cut of the statue - long, angular with a touch of Art Deco. Finally, the third feature I noticed was the date of birth and death. On the monument the dates state from 1839 - 1930 so I just assumed that he had lived a hundred years which is a long time for that era. However, having done a little more research I have since found out that he lived for 78 years. Still, that's pretty good to say the life he led. Even though he achieved many goals this Polish soldier who founded the Cadet's School and instructed many Polish young men to fight for their country endured many hardships. He spoke out loud about many aspects of the Tsarist authorities, was a key player in the November Uprising, was sentenced to death more than once and exiled to Siberia where he suffered badly from the extreme cold and deprivation that came with hard labour.

Poles are very proud of their countrymen and love to show their appreciation by erecting monuments throughout the city of Warsaw and other cities in Poland. The design of this memorial is very simple - a bust of Potr erected on a concrete plinth. The helmet he is wearing is very tall with the eagle's wings emblazoned on the front. Because of the height of the helmet and the length of his neck the sculpture seems very long as if it has been stretched. This is even more exaggerated with the length of the slim concrete plinth which I think is far too long. The look on his face is one of order and commitment, his eyes showing only concentration. The cut of his uniform at the top of his shoulders has been represented in a layered way which gives it a look of Art Deco. I also noticed how small his ears were and that they stuck out slightly. I would say he was a very thoughtful man, orderly and precise.

The setting of the memorial is very pleasant. It is placed just before you turn the corner into a square where the Officer Cadet's School is situated and across the way from Myślewicki Palace. The ground underneath the memorial is a blanket of creeping ivy and behind the statue are several tall sycamore trees and verdant shrubs.

The monument dedicated to Piotr Wysocki can be found in Łazienki Park, Warsaw Close

From journal More sights in and around Lazienki Park

This writer's on fire!

by Praskipark

Warsaw, Poland

August 23, 2011

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Best of IgoUgo Łazienki Park has to be one of the most beautiful parks in Warsaw if not the most beautiful. It is vast, shady, full of palatial buildings, ancient trees, beautiful flowers, red squirrels and monuments. Every time I visit I find a new monument ...Read more Łazienki Park has to be one of the most beautiful parks in Warsaw if not the most beautiful. It is vast, shady, full of palatial buildings, ancient trees, beautiful flowers, red squirrels and monuments. Every time I visit I find a new monument which always makes me happy. Sometimes I don't always know who the person is that the monument is commemorating like the one I am going to tell you about in a second but it doesn't matter - I still stand for 10 to 15 minutes admiring the artwork, always clicking away, taking as many photos as possible.

Henryka Sienkiewicza - who is he? A Polish writer who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1905. Towards the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century his work became very popular amongst the Polish people and within many literary circles. The only two novels I have heard of are; Trilogy which was published during the years 1884 to 1888 including a story called Fire and Sword from which a film was made and of course Quo Vadis, written in 1896.

The monument dedicated to this fine Polish writer is an interesting one. At first, I was attracted to the setting rather than the sculpture. I love the way it is set in the middle of a small glade in the wooded area of the park very near to one of the main entrances and a few metres walk away from the monument dedicated to Frederic Chopin. On the day we visited a couple of weeks ago it was good to step into the glade. It was far more peaceful than looking at the Chopin monument as there was a free concert taking place and that area was packed out.

The monument itself is a bit bulky. It doesn't quite have the flow of some of the other monuments in the park but it's okay. The more I scrutinised it the more I liked it. At first you may not be able to work out the symbolism. You might just think that this is a sculpture showing the novelist sat in his chair pontificating but if you look closely you will see that the base of the chair is in flames. The flames represent the troubled times in Poland during the 17th century. These times are represented in his novel, Trilogy.

What I really liked about the design of the sculpture was the way the folds of his long coat at the back fell. It was lovely as if someone had draped a curtain over his shoulders. Polish sculptor, Gustav Zemla certainly had an eye for detail which you can witness on the cut of his coat and the beautiful way in which he crafted the fingers on his left hand as he holds on tightly to the side of the chair. Each finger is long and slightly bent - the way he has shown every fingernail, shortly cropped and the way in which the knuckles are slightly prominent is really outstanding. Zemla studied in Warsaw and his very well known for his contemporary sculptures that can been seen around town in some of the parks. Other sculptures created by Zemla can be viewed in Polish cities such as Płock, Łódź, Katowice and Szczecin and there is one even as far away as Peru.

So there you go - a monument dedicated to Henryka Sienkiewicza. The setting of old trees with a blanket of creeping ivy is stunning and the monument itself isn't too bad either when you get close up and have a really good look. Close

From journal More sights in and around Lazienki Park

Once a kitchen that belonged to King Stanislaw

by Praskipark

Warsaw, Poland

August 18, 2011

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Best of IgoUgo I must visit Łazienki Park in Warsaw at least twice a year, usually in the summer when the sun is beating down and there are hordes of visitors around. I generally like quiet places but Łazienki is different - I always think this park is at its most ...Read more I must visit Łazienki Park in Warsaw at least twice a year, usually in the summer when the sun is beating down and there are hordes of visitors around. I generally like quiet places but Łazienki is different - I always think this park is at its most beautiful when people are milling around and enjoying themselves. Every time I visit I seem to miss some attraction out so I have been twice in the last three weeks to try and photograph every attraction in the park. A newcomer to my list of attractions is a wonderful white classical building which stands around the corner from Myślewicki Palace.

I had been stood in the hot sun admiring the planting and colour coordination of the small garden area around Myślewicki Palace when I noticed a shady area with a bench facing this lovely classical building. We decided to sit on the bench as my husband and granddaughter were also hot even though they were wearing hats.

The new building I had discovered was called Podchorążówka. In Polish this translates as Military College or Officer Cadet's School but the building has had several name changes throughout the years. It used to be known as the Great Outbuilding because it was connected to King Stanislaw's palace. This particular outbuilding was the grand kitchen where many a feast and banquet was prepared for the King by his chefs. The food was prepared and cooked on the premises and then delivered to the palace by way of a wooden corridor which could still be seen in this building up to the First World War.

It was very serene sat on the bench in front of the Grand Outbuilding as we couldn't see anyone else moving around. Suddenly, I did see a slight movement underneath a tree next to a side wall of the Cadet School. The movement belonged to a peacock and he was stood in the shade also cooling down. I walked quietly down the main path to catch a better glimpse of him hoping to do my David Attenborough thing and take a spectacular shot but either I wasn't quiet enough or he began to fidget but I didn't get the picture I wanted. As he moved away I decided to walk up to the main door and realised that the building had now been turned into a museum for Polish Emigration.

Before changing hands and becoming a museum showing permanent exhibitions the building had been used as an Officer's Cadet School to train young Polish men to fight for their Motherland. Piotr Wysocki formed the military school. He was a second lieutenant in the Polish army and led the Polish Conspiracy against Tsar Nicholas of Russia. He was also heavily involved with the November Uprising of 1830 of which there is a room dedicated to this part of Polish history in the museum.

During the Second World war Łazienki Park was hit terribly and most of the buildings were destroyed. Luckily, the Cadet's School managed to escape such devastation and most parts of the building survived. Parts that needed renovating were things like the wooden stairs and inside walls. These have been lovingly restored back to their original style.

Italian architect, Dominic Merlini was the man responsible for the design and build of the school. I love the horseshoe design and the simplicity of the building. The gardens planted in front of the building and at the side are very attractive and well balanced in colour. I particularly like the row of palm trees and fruit trees planted in large wooden barrels outside the front facade of the school. These add to the uniformity of the building - like soldiers on parade. A very lovely building indeed and one open to the public. Close

From journal More sights in and around Lazienki Park

Lazienki - the Jewel in Poland's Crown

by Praskipark

Warsaw, Poland

September 10, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo Anyone who still thinks that Warsaw is a city of concrete and cement has clearly never been to the city's prize possession, the incomparable Lazienki Park. This glorious 17th century park, spread over 74 hectares is one of the jewels in Poland's ...Read more

From journal Five Star Attractions in Warsaw and its Surroundings

Great Park + Lovely Music

by barclap

Buenos Aires, Argentina

July 24, 2008

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Very nice to enjoy during summer time, especially on Sundays.It was built during the 17th century and is the biggest park in Warsaw.The "Palace on the Water" is worth seeing, and the peaceful energy that surrounds the place makes it very special. ...Read more

From journal Weekend in Warsaw

Lazienki Park

by CEisele

West Chester, Pennsylvania

September 28, 2006

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This beautiful park is the former country home of the king Stanislaw August in the XVIII century, who was the last king to rule Poland before it was divided among Russia, Prussia, and Austria. The Palace on the Water is an architectural gem, and ...Read more

From journal A Whirlwind Tour Through Warsaw

Easter Sunday at Lazienki Park

by sararevell

London, United Kingdom

July 31, 2006

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Best of IgoUgo Jarek, our host at the Boutique B&B recommended this park and seeing as our guidebook had dedicated almost two whole chapters to the park, we decided to follow the advice of both parties. We started at the western end of Poniatowski Bridge, ...Read more

From journal An Easter Weekend History Lesson in Warsaw

Lazienki Park

by Mandan Lynn

Smithwick, South Dakota

May 7, 2006

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Step inside this park and you'll feel like you've left the city behind you. I didn't have enough time to scour the entire area, but I did check out the enchanting Palace on the Water and, of course, the peacocks!

From journal Warsaw, Poland

Lazienki Park---free piano recital

by sknight_co

Littleton, Colorado

September 29, 2004

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Lazienki Park is a beautiful 74 hectacre park containing several palaces, art galleries, and a monument to Frederick Chopin, a native son. On summer Sundays at noon and 4 pm there are free piano recitals on the lawn, which offers a relaxing way to ...Read more

From journal Unexpected character

Lazienki Park

by midwst

Chicago, Illinois

September 12, 2002

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Huge park that is very busy during the day. Lots of walking paths, old buildings, ponds, and restaurants/cafes. There is a little stage near the center where various activities are going on during weekend afternoons. Park closes at dusk and they ...Read more

From journal Weekend in Warsaw

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Lazienki Park

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A proud and patriotic Polish soldier

This writer's on fire!

Once a kitchen that belonged to King Stanislaw

Lazienki - the Jewel in Poland's Crown

Great Park + Lovely Music

Lazienki Park

Easter Sunday at Lazienki Park

Lazienki Park

Lazienki Park---free piano recital

Lazienki Park

Lazienki Park

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A proud and patriotic Polish soldier

This writer's on fire!

Once a kitchen that belonged to King Stanislaw

Lazienki - the Jewel in Poland's Crown

Great Park + Lovely Music

Lazienki Park

Easter Sunday at Lazienki Park

Lazienki Park

Lazienki Park---free piano recital

Lazienki Park