Fanshawe Palace Explained

Fanshawe Palace
Location:Warsaw, Poland
Address:107A Puławska Street
Coordinates:52.1948°N 21.0251°W
Completion Date:c. 1850
Floor Count:2
Architectural Style:Neoclassical

The Fanshawe Palace, also known as the Henryków Palace is a neoclassical palace in Warsaw, Poland, located at the 107A Puławska Street. It was built in around 1850 as the residence of the Fanshawe family.

History

At the beginning of the 19th century, Henryk Bonnet, a French-born clerk who served as the State Councillor and the judge in the district court of Warsaw, had bought an area around current Malczewskiego Street, establishing there a small settlement of Henryków, originally, only inhabited by French population. A small palace residence of the Bonnet family was built there.[1] [2] In 1824, Louisa Bonnet de Belon (1802–1876), Henryk Bonnet's daughter, had married George Fanshawe (1789–1867; also known as Jerzy Fanshave), English-born chamberlain and colonel in the Imperial Russian Army. The couple had inherited the property around 1830.[1] [3] [4] Around 1850, in place of Bonnet's residence, at current 107A Puławska Street, was built Fanshawe Palace, which became the residence of the Fanshawe family.[5] Enrico Marconi is assumed to be the architect responsible for designing this palace.

In 1900, the palace was inherited by nobleman August Potocki, who, while never living there himself, had accommodated there the less wealthy members of his family.[6] [7] After the First World War, the palace housed a children's hospital, and later accommodation for the officers of the Polish Armed Forces.[7] During the Second World War, in the place was located the kitchen on the Central Welfare Council, a charity helping impoverished and people affected by the ongoing conflict.[6] During the war, in palace also lived members of the Polish aristocracy who had fled the Soviet Union. During the Second World War, the upper floor and the roof of the building were damaged and the palace had burned down in 1944 during the Warsaw Uprising.[7] [8]

The building was reconstructed between 1951 and 1952, with the project by Stanisław Żaryn.[7] [9] Its interior was then designed into apartments.[5]

In 1965, the building, together with its garden, was listed on the Registry of Cultural Property of Poland.[10]

Currently the building is the headquarters of the Kosmetyczne Instytuty Dr Irena Eris cosmetics company.[11]

Characteristics

The Fanshawe Palace was designed in the neoclassical style. It is a two-storey building that has a rectangular floor plan of approximately 20 m × 15 m (65.6 ft × 49.2 ft).[4] The front façade features a tondo depicting the heads of the gorgons from the Greek mythology.[5] The top of the façade has the has and a triangular gable. The façade from the side of the garden has the a portico with four columns, and a balcony.[4] Inside, in the former living room is located the original fireplace.[5]

Around the palace is located a garden.[4] [10] Among the plants growing there, is a European ash tree, which has the status of the natural monument.[12]

Notes and References

  1. B. Petrozolin-Skowrońska (editor): Encyklopedia Warszawy, Warsaw: Polish Scientific Publishers PWN, 1994, p. 245, ISBN 83-01-08836-2. (in Polish).
  2. Teresa Mroczko: Vademecum warszawskie. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Warszawskiego Tygodnika Ilustrowanego Stolica, 1957, p. 139. (in Polish).
  3. Jerzy Majewski: Warszawa nieodbudowana. Królestwo Polskie w latach 1815–1840. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Veda, 2009, p. 72. ISBN 978-83-61932-00-0. (in Polish).
  4. Juliusz A. Chrościcki, Andrzej Rottermund: Atlas architektury Warszawy. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Arkady, 1977, p. 185. (in Polish)
  5. Marta Leśniakowska: Architektura w Warszawie. Warsaw: Arkada Pracownia Historii Sztuki, 2005, p. 214. ISBN 83-908950-1-3. (in Polish)
  6. Jerzy Kasprzycki, Marian Stępień: Pożegnania warszawskie. Warsaw: Arkady, 1971, p. 144. (in Polish)
  7. Jerzy Kasprzycki: Korzenie Miasta. Warszawskie Pożegnania. vol. 4: Mokotów, Ochota. Warsaw: Veda, 2000. ISBN 83-85584-60-9. (in Polish)
  8. Eugeniusz Szwankowski: Ulice i place Warszawy. Warsaw: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, 1970, p. 175. (in Polish)
  9. Hanna Szwankowska, Aleksandra Żarynowa: Stanisław Żaryn. Konserwator zabytków Warszawy 1913-1964. Warsaw: Muzeum Historyczne m.st. Warszawy, 1981, p. 10, 29–30. (in Polish).
  10. Zestawienie zabytków nieruchomych. Wykaz zabytków nieruchomych wpisanych do rejestru zabytków – stan na 30 czerwca 2020 r. Woj. mazowieckie (Warszawa). Warsaw: National Institute of Cultural Heritage. 2020. (in Polish)
  11. Web site: Kontakt. pl. instytuty.drirenaeris.com.
  12. Web site: Pomniki przyrody na terenie m.st. Warszawy. Pomniki przyrody na terenie dzielnicy Mokotów. bip.warszawa.pl. pl.