"Under the Metal Roof" Palace (Palac Pod Blacha)
Main data:
Year of construction: 1700
Year of reconstruction: 1949
Designer: Jerzy Dominik Lubomirski
Location: Pl. Zamkowy (Castle Square) 2
"Under the Metal Roof" Palace is a part of Royal Castle complex. It is situated a bit lower than the castle, next to W-Z Road (Trasa W-Z). It is in some way overshadowed by the castle and not many people visit it.
Its quite strange name comes from metal covering of the roof. In 18th century, when the palace was built, this material was not yet too popular. Today the roof has a light-green colour, because of atmospheric factors.
The palace dates back to 1651, when Wawrzyniec Reffos built a two-floor house in the place where today the palace stands. It was called Reffos House but was devastated when the army of Stefan Rakoczy's attacked Warsaw. In 1698 destroyed building was taken over by duke Jerzy Dominik Lubomirski, who is said to be the founder of "Under the Metal Roof" palace as we see it today. He added to the building a palace-like western elevation and built perpendicular southern wing. In the time just after the building's construction it used to be called Palais Martin, after the founder's grandson, Martin.
In 1720 the building was decorated by rococo additions and a wing on the second (northern) side was built. So a courtyard was created in that way. Since 1777 king Stanislaw August Poniatowski was the owner of "Under the Metal Roof" Palace. He included it into the complex of Royal Castle. He also commissioned architect Dominik Merlini to reconstruct the palace's interiors. And also the building was joined at that time with the library wing of Royal Castle, which was completed in 1784.
From 1794 to 1813 the building was the residence of prince Jozef Poniatowski and became for a short period a heart of Warsaw's social life. During Prussians' government over Warsaw, the palace was the head office of Ministry of War.
In the period between First and Second World War the building belonged to the government, the same as the Royal Castle. Offices, army's library and the National Works of Art Management were located here.
"Under the Metal Roof" Palace was a bit more luckily that the Royal Castle, although it was burned it 1944. But its reconstruction was already finished in 1949, more than 30 years before completing the Royal Castle's restoration. Today the palace is still a part of Royal Castle complex. An exhibition of oriental carpets and restorers' workshops are located here.
Currently, the palace is under renovation, because its foundations had been already in very bad condition. But in October 2004 the works had to be stopped because a sensational discovery was made. Under the palace's courtyard relics of medieval castle were found. It was probably from where the city started to develop. This building was constructed on the end of 13th or on the beginning of 14th century. It was a surprise that those relicts were found here. Before, scientists used to believe that the medieval castle of Warsaw was situated only where today the Royal Castle stands. But that discovery proved that it was much bigger.
(C) 2001-2013 Maciej Blazejewski
