Castles

Ujazdowski Castle

Ujazdowski Castle stands on the site of the 12th-century settlement of Jazdów — its stronghold was destroyed by Lithuanians in 1262, and at the end of the 13th century Duke Konrad II moved the ducal seat from here to the hill of today's Royal Castle. The current early-baroque residence was begun after 1624 by Sigismund III Vasa. The site was chosen with precision: the castle lined up with the bend of the Vistula, so a boat approaching Warsaw passed the king's residence first.

From royal residence to barracks

According to a description from 1643, the entrance was decorated with four marble lions. The castle was plundered during the Swedish Deluge — legend has it that the Swedish commander Carl Gustaf Wrangel later had Skokloster Castle in Sweden built on the model of the Ujazdów residence. In 1766 it was bought by King Stanisław August Poniatowski, who added classicist outbuildings, but halted the works in 1772 to focus on the Łazienki Palace. By 1784 the castle had already become barracks of the Lithuanian Foot Guard.

Contemporary art in baroque interiors

After wartime destruction the castle was rebuilt and handed over to art: it now houses the Centre for Contemporary Art, with exhibitions, installations and performances. Exhibitions are ticketed, but the castle itself, its terraces and the park can be visited for free — the contrast of baroque vaults with video art makes the strongest impression.

A stroll along the Stanisławowska Axis

Below the escarpment stretch the Agrykola park and the Piaseczyński Canal, dug in 1717 on the order of Augustus II (820 m long) — together they form the historic Stanisławowska Axis linking the castle with the Łazienki. A visit takes 1–2 hours; this is a calmer stop between downtown Warsaw and the Łazienki, less crowded than the city's royal showpieces.