Kazanowski Palace
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.
History
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. 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. 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. 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. The alcove tops were decorated with a gilded crowns. 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.
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 Rzeczpospolita, and when she became bored with Radziejowski demanded a divorce, which caused a small private war in Warsaw between Radziejowski and the Słuszka family.
The rich Kazanowski Palace was ransacked and burned down by Swedes and Germans of Brandenburg during the Deluge in 1650s and was never rebuilt.
References
- Lileyko Jerzy, Życie codzienne w Warszawie za Wazów, Warszawa, 1984. ISBN 8306010213
- Warszawa w latach 1526-1795 t. II, red. Stefan Kieniewicz, Warszawa, 1984. ISBN 8301033231