The Moorish House, located at Puławska Street in Warsaw, is one of the few surviving examples of 18th-century park architecture in Poland. Its history and architectural form make it a unique testimony to the Romantic idea of combining different styles to create picturesque landscapes.
The pavilion, originally called the Flemish Gloriette, was erected before 1780 as part of the sentimental residence of Princess Izabela Lubomirska née Czartoryska. The complex, built between 1771 and 1785, was designed in the spirit of English landscape gardens. The first designer was Efraim Szreger, and from 1773 the work was continued by Szymon Bogumił Zug.
The Moorish House in 1900. Source: Polona National Digital Library
The Glorieta was one of two gate pavilions situated at the northern entrance to the Duchess’s summer palace. The corresponding Dovecote Tower, located on the south side, was also the work of Zug. The pavilion, with features of the Classicalised Flemish Baroque style, had a viewing function, closing the viewing axis from the palace.
The Moorish House in 1900 and 2022. Source: Polona National Digital Library and Google Maps
In the years 1824-1825, during the period when the estate belonged to Anna Potocka-Wąsowiczowa, the building underwent a reconstruction in neo-Gothic style with oriental elements, acquiring its current name – the Moorish House. The author of the design was Henryk Marconi. A lower, southern annex was also added at the time.
The house around 1915 and today. Source: Towarzystwo Opieki Nad Zabytkami Pastłości and Mateusz Markowski/whiteMAD.pl
After Franz Szustr took over the estate in 1845, part of the grounds were transformed into the public Szustr Garden. Between 1890 and 1944, the House served as a ropemaking workshop, owned by Andrzej Duda. Unfortunately, the building was severely damaged during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. Its restoration was not carried out until 1960-1963.
The Moorish House, today standing by the roadside of Puławska Street, consists of a rectangular body and a round tower (bastion), located at the south-eastern corner. The building, reminiscent of the Neo-Gothic style and Romantic landscape architecture, has many distinctive features.
The main part of the building is distinguished by a distinctive attic, topped by blanks with a triangular end, and large windows in the neo-Gothic style. Particularly striking is the tripartite window on the front elevation, divided by spiral wooden columns that support a small sloping canopy. The tower, taller than the body, is covered by a conical shingled roof. Its facades are decorated with small oval windows that light the spiral staircase, and rustication in the form of cylindrical strips gives it a highly original appearance.
The monument in the 1960s and today. Photo: T. Hermańczyk and Mateusz Markowski/whiteMAD.pl
The building’s decoration, including the plaid and lattice panels, is reminiscent of the Moorish style, which emphasises the eclectic nature of the building. The basement was originally in the form of an open arcade, which acted as an arcade passage. During the last renovation at the beginning of the 21st century, these were built over with glass windows and doors, which had a negative impact on the appearance of the building.
The cottage in the late 1970s and in 2024. Source: ‘Encounters with Monuments’ magazine no. 3., 1980 and Mateusz Markowski/whiteMAD.co.uk
Today, the Moorish House is listed in the register of monuments and is an important part of Warsaw’s cultural heritage. Its location, near the north-western boundary of the Promenade-Morskie Oko park, helps preserve the memory of the 18th-century landscape setting.
Source: zabytek.pl, warszawa.fandom.com
Read also: Architecture in Poland | Monument | City | History | Warsaw
