Polish Architecture and Domestic

Design

Historic Buildings and

Official Residences

WawelWawel, the symbol of Polish national identity, served as a royal residence and the site where the country's rulers governed Poland for five centuries from 1038 until 1596. It is an architectural complex located on the left bank of the Vistula river in Krakow. As it was built over several centuries there can be found elements of the following styles: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Classicism. Today the castle houses a number of permanent exhibitions, e.g. State Rooms, Royal Private Apartments, Crown Treasury and Armoury.

Royal Castle in Warsaw

The Royal Castle in Warsaw, built in the 16th century in the early Baroque style, was the official residence of the Polish monarchs. Deliberately destroyed by the Germans in 1944, the Castle was practically built anew and now it serves as a museum and the venue for official visits and state meetings. In 1980 together with the Old Town, the Castle was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Over 500,000 people visit the Royal Castle every year.

Lazienki Palace

The Lazienki Palace, also called the Palace on the Water, is situated in the largest park in Warsaw. Started in the 17th century, later rebuilt several times, is now a mixture of architectural styles. The palace is located on an artificial island in Lazienki Lake, and is connected to the rest of the park by two arcaded bridges. The palace's furniture and paintings belong to the Classicist style. This stunning palace is an absolute must for every tourist visiting Warsaw.

Wilanow Palace

The Wilanow Palace is a typical Baroque building in Poland. Its beautiful, landscaped gardens and the complex of buildings located in the park as well as the works of art, all constitute records of history. The palace was the official residence of Jan III, a warrior-king and a lover of books and patron of arts. At present the palace functions as an institution of culture and a location readily visited by tourists.

Houses Built for Nobility and Townspeople

Manor Houses

The architectural form of the manor house evolved around the late Renaissance and continued until the World War II. Manor houses were built in the countryside by Polish nobility. The vast majority of them were built of wood, were based on a rectangular design, with corner chambers and covered with the Polish variant of the hip roof. Common furniture included wooden benches, cupboards, tables, beds and small chairs.

Tenements

This type of building is most prevalent in city centres, especially in historical rebuilding of previously destroyed parts of old towns. These brightly coloured, richly ornamented residential buildings of wealthy merchants, were made of brick or stone, with at least two floors. The ground floor was often taken up by shops and businesses, while residential flats occupied the higher floors. The land in the town centre was relatively expensive and thus the facade of a typical tenement was narrow, whereas the rest of the building was considerably extended.

Craftsmen’s and Villagers’

Houses

Sieve-Maker’s House

This wooden house dates back to the 19th century and is a typical example of the buildings constructed at that time in our hometown of Bilgoraj, for rich sieve-makers. These expensively furnished log houses consisted of both residential rooms and sieve-makers’ workshops. A typical feature of such buildings was big windows - indispensable for weaving sieves.

Zakopane Style

Architecture This unique style was started by Stanislaw Witkiewicz, a critic, architect, painter, novelist and journalist , who combined the elements of Polish highlanders’ culture with Art Nouveau style. The characteristic features of the houses were: stone foundations, walls made of timber, ornamented chimneys, carved porches and steep shingled roofs.

Modern Housing

A typical Polish family house is a one- or two-storey building, most commonly constructed on about ten acres of land. Made of bricks or wood, it usually consists of six to eight rooms with specialized functions such as: cooking, eating and living areas, a sleeping area, and washing and lavatory areas. Outside, the small but beautifully landscaped garden definitely adds to its appeal.

Typical Family House

The interior is full of light, thanks to the installed big windows, brighty-coloured walls and its lighting system. The wooden floors, thick carpets, comfortable upholstered furniture, the fireplaces giving a cosy glow and the latest audiovisual equipment, all make it a perfect place for relaxation, family celebrations and entertaining friends.

Inside a typical Polish house…

Built in the 1970s’ huge impersonal blocks constructed of pre-fabricated concrete, were supposed to satisfy the growing demand for flats, but they never did. Criticized for low design quality, mind-numbing appearance, second-rate construction materials, unfortunately they still prevail in all Polish city centres as a highly visible reminder of the Communist era

1970s’ Concrete Buildings

The Latest Apartment Buildings

All the newly erected apartment buildings differ considerably from those Communist ones. Conveniently located, built of bricks, well insulated and properly constructed, with underground parking facilities, these modern blocks of flats are immensely popular, especially with young, busy city dwellers.

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