The Antonin Palace, erected between 1822 and 1824, is an exceptional example of a hunting lodge designed by the outstanding German architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel. Built for the governor of the Grand Duchy of Posen, Prince Antoni Henryk Radziwill of the coat of arms of Trąby, the palace is an imposing building on the plan of a Greek cross, with a central octagonal hall and four perpendicular side wings.
Schinkel succeeded in creating a highly original structure that stands out both for its external appearance and its internal layout. The palace, built of brick and wood, was boarded and painted in the colour of the so-called Imperial Yellow (German: Kaisergelb). The facades are decorated with stylised palmettes, pilasters and painted decoration, which give the building its unique character. The central part of the palace is a four-storey octagon, which is covered by a tented roof with a terrace and a chimney in the form of a turret.
Years 1857-1883, the hunting palace of the Radziwill dukes on Duncker’s lithograph. Source: Digital Library of Wielkopolska
The most impressive interior of the palace is the octagonal hunting hall, in which the central element is a cannelled column decorated with deer heads with antlers. This impressive structure supports the ceiling and serves as a chimney. Fryderyk Chopin was a guest of Antoni Radziwiłł in Antonin (twice, in 1827 and 1829), who gave concerts here. The hall is flanked by two levels of galleries with balustrades, providing access to the former living quarters in the side wings. The entire interior of the palace, including the gallery and living rooms, is characterised by the elegance and attention to detail that are characteristic of Schinkel.
The palace is surrounded by an extensive landscape park of 13.2 hectares, which was created on the site of the original forest. The park is dotted with various buildings, including a Swiss house for Prince Antonin’s son, Wilhelm, a forester’s lodge (now the seat of the Antonin Forestry Department), a stable-carriage house and a residential and farm building known as the gardener’s house. The park also has a pond with an island on which a symbolic tombstone to the two deceased daughters of Antoni and Luisa has been placed.
The palace and park complex in Antonin remained in the hands of the Radziwiłłs until World War II. In 1939-1944 it was owned by Adolf Hitler, after being donated by its then owner, Prince Michał Radziwiłł. After the end of the war, the palace became the property of the State Treasury and was later handed over to the State Forest Administration. During the 1950s and 1960s, the building was gradually neglected and devastated, and was eventually turned into a warehouse. In 1973, the Poznań Historic Preservation Company took over the palace, beginning its comprehensive renovation and adaptation to house the House of Creative Work, which was completed in 1977. Jerzy Waldorff’s efforts contributed significantly to raising the palace from ruin.
Today, the palace in Antonin houses the Fryderyk Chopin Music Salon and a museum exhibition dedicated to the composer. In addition, the palace houses a hotel and restaurant, making it an attractive destination for tourists and history enthusiasts. Thanks to the efforts of conservationists and heritage enthusiasts, the palace has been restored to its former glory and serves both a cultural and recreational function.
Source: zabytek.pl
Read also: Villas and residences | Architecture in Poland | History | Travel | Palace
