The turnover of the Lubomirski Palace in Warsaw was one of the most spectacular undertakings in the post-war capital. The operation began on 30 March and was successfully completed on 18 May 1970.The decision to rotate was taken so that the palace would cover the Guard Hall and close off the main avenue of the Saxon castle
The palace was built before 1712 by the Radziwill family. In 1730, reconstruction in the late Baroque style began, but was not completed. The renovation work was directed by Jakub Fontana
The palace today. Photo: whiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski
In 1790, the residence with adjoining grounds was bought by Aleksander Lubomirski. Between 1791 and 1793, the palace was rebuilt in classicist style according to a design by Jakub Hempel. Among other things, a massive colonnade was added, as well as two-storey outbuildings from the courtyard and a storey in the main body. In the 1890s, the palace was home to, among others, Rozalia Lubomirska, wife of Aleksander Lubomirski, the only Polish woman beheaded during the Great French Revolution. Later, the palace was sold and rebuilt to make it as profitable as possible. Shops, stalls and small flats were placed there. Probably in 1872 a synagogue was built on the first floor of the palace, which functioned there until 1939
The palace in 1939 and 2023. Source: State Archive in Warsaw
The palace in 1940 and 2023. Source: State Archive in Warsaw
The palace, which had not been renovated, was deteriorating until, in 1928, Wacław Moszkowski converted it into a tenement house and raised it by one floor, destroying its historic character. In 1938 the building was bought by the Warsaw City Hall and a decision was made to renovate it. The plans did not come to fruition due to the outbreak of World War II. The palace was destroyed in the very first days of the conflict. In the years 1947-1950, the monument was rebuilt under the direction of Tadeusz Żurowski, following the classicist design of Jakub Hempel
1974, the Lubomirski Palace already after renovation. Source: NAC – National Digital Archive www.nac.gov.pl/ and whiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski
In 1970, it was decided to move the palace from its original location in such a way that it would obscure the Hall of the Guard and its colonnade would close the perspective of the main avenue of the Saxon Garden. The idea for the operation was conceived by Marian Spychalski and designed by Aleksander Mostowski. The rotation operation lasted a month and a half, from 30 March to 18 May 1970. The palace was cut off from the outbuildings and the foundations and moved on special trusses, on rails, to the designated place. As a result, the building was successfully turned 74 degrees. Part of the trusses and the substructure remained under the palace
Currently, the Business Centre Club, the Lubomirski Palace Press Centre and the Maria Skłodowska-Curie University of Warsaw have their headquarters in the palace
Source: polskieradio.pl
Read also: Architecture | History | Palace | Warsaw | Interesting facts
Subject: Turnover of the Lubomirski Palace in Warsaw. Half a century ago an extraordinary operation was carried out
