Staszic Palace
Encyclopedia
Staszic Palace is an edifice at ulica Nowy Świat
72, Warsaw
, Poland
. It is the seat of the Polish Academy of Sciences
.
Vasili IV of Russia
and his brother, Dmitry Shuisky
, who had died in Polish custody after having been captured several years earlier during the Polish-Muscovite War of 1605-18.
As the population was mostly Catholic
, Protestant or Jewish, there was little need for an Orthodox chapel, and in 1668 another Polish king, Jan Kazimierz Waza, transferred the chapel to the Dominican Order
, who would be caretakers of the building until 1808.
In 1818 the building was purchased by Stanisław Staszic, a leader of the Polish Enlightenment, who ordered its renovation
. The architect in charge was Antonio Corazzi
, who designed the palace in a neoclassical style. After the renovation (1820-23), Staszic transferred the building to the Society of Friends of Science
, the first Polish scientific organization
.
On 11 May 1830 a landmark
was added to the palace, as Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz
unveiled before it a monument
to Nicolaus Copernicus
sculpted by Bertel Thorvaldsen
.
After the November 1830 Uprising
, the Society was delegalized by the Russia
n government, which had controlled Warsaw for most of the time since the final partitions of Poland
in 1795. For the next 26 years, the palace was used by the directory of a lottery.
In 1857-62 the palace was home to a Medical-Surgical Academy, the first institution of higher learning re-established in the Russian partition (all institutions of higher learning having been banned following the 1830 Uprising); but the Academy was soon closed after yet another failed insurrection, the January 1863 Uprising
.
Until the end of World War I
, the building housed a gymnasium
. From 1890 it was also home to an Orthodox church. In 1892-93 the palace was renovated by the Russian authorities; in line with the ongoing Russification
of Warsaw, architect Mikhail Pokrovsky transformed the palace into a Russo-Byzantine style building.
, the Mianowski Fund, the National Meteorological Institute, the French Institute, and the Archeological Museum of Warsaw.
The palace was damaged during the 1939 siege of Warsaw
and nearly razed during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising
. In 1946-50 it was rebuilt in its original neoclassical form. Today it is the seat of the Polish Academy of Sciences
.
Nowy Swiat Street
Ulica Nowy Świat is one of the main historic thoroughfares of Warsaw.It comprises part of the Royal Route that runs from Warsaw's Royal Castle and Old Town, south to King Jan III Sobieski's 17th-century royal residence at Wilanów....
72, Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. It is the seat of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Polish Academy of Sciences
The Polish Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Warsaw, is one of two Polish institutions having the nature of an academy of sciences.-History:...
.
Origin
The history of the Staszic Palace dates to 1620, when King Zygmunt III Vasa ordered the construction of a small Eastern Orthodox chapel, as a proper place of burial for the former TsarTsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Vasili IV of Russia
Vasili IV of Russia
Vasili IV of Russia was Tsar of Russia between 1606 and 1610 after the murder of False Dmitriy I. His reign fell during the Time of Troubles....
and his brother, Dmitry Shuisky
Dmitry Shuisky
Prince Dmitry Ivanovich Shuisky was a Russian boyar from the Shuisky family, a younger brother to Vasily IV of Russia.As a playmate of young Tsarevich Feodor Ivanovich, Dmitry was said to accompany him day and night in his devout wanderings from monastery to monastery. In 1584, his slandering of...
, who had died in Polish custody after having been captured several years earlier during the Polish-Muscovite War of 1605-18.
As the population was mostly Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, Protestant or Jewish, there was little need for an Orthodox chapel, and in 1668 another Polish king, Jan Kazimierz Waza, transferred the chapel to the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
, who would be caretakers of the building until 1808.
19th century
Renovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
. The architect in charge was Antonio Corazzi
Antonio Corazzi
Antonio Corazzi was an Italian architect who designed a number of buildings in Warsaw, the capital of Poland.He was born in Livorno.Amongst the buildings he designed are:* Staszic Palace...
, who designed the palace in a neoclassical style. After the renovation (1820-23), Staszic transferred the building to the Society of Friends of Science
Society of Friends of Science
The Warsaw Society of Friends of Learning was one of the earliest Polish scientific societies, active in Warsaw from 1800 to 1832.-Name:The Society was also known as Warszawskie Królewskie Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Nauk...
, the first Polish scientific organization
Organization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
.
On 11 May 1830 a landmark
Landmark
This is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories - natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares and so forth...
was added to the palace, as Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz
Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz
Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz was a Polish poet, playwright and statesman. He was a leading advocate for the Constitution of May 3, 1791.-Life:...
unveiled before it a monument
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
to Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance astronomer and the first person to formulate a comprehensive heliocentric cosmology which displaced the Earth from the center of the universe....
sculpted by Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen
Bertel Thorvaldsen was a Danish-Icelandic sculptor of international fame, who spent most of his life in Italy . Thorvaldsen was born in Copenhagen into a Danish/Icelandic family of humble means, and was accepted to the Royal Academy of Arts when he was eleven years old...
.
After the November 1830 Uprising
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
, the Society was delegalized by the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n government, which had controlled Warsaw for most of the time since the final partitions of Poland
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
in 1795. For the next 26 years, the palace was used by the directory of a lottery.
In 1857-62 the palace was home to a Medical-Surgical Academy, the first institution of higher learning re-established in the Russian partition (all institutions of higher learning having been banned following the 1830 Uprising); but the Academy was soon closed after yet another failed insurrection, the January 1863 Uprising
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
.
Until the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the building housed a gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
. From 1890 it was also home to an Orthodox church. In 1892-93 the palace was renovated by the Russian authorities; in line with the ongoing Russification
Russification
Russification is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attributes by non-Russian communities...
of Warsaw, architect Mikhail Pokrovsky transformed the palace into a Russo-Byzantine style building.
20th century
After Poland regained independence in 1918, in 1924–26 the palace was restored to its previous neoclassical style by architect Marian Lalewicz. In the Interbellum it hosted several scientific and scholarly organizations: the Warsaw Scientific SocietyWarsaw Scientific Society
Warsaw Scientific Society is a Polish scientific society based in Warsaw. It was established in 1907 as a continuation of the Society of Friends of Science to advance the sciences and arts and to publish scientific papers....
, the Mianowski Fund, the National Meteorological Institute, the French Institute, and the Archeological Museum of Warsaw.
The palace was damaged during the 1939 siege of Warsaw
Siege of Warsaw (1939)
The 1939 Battle of Warsaw was fought between the Polish Warsaw Army garrisoned and entrenched in the capital of Poland and the German Army...
and nearly razed during the 1944 Warsaw Uprising
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance Home Army , to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany. The rebellion was timed to coincide with the Soviet Union's Red Army approaching the eastern suburbs of the city and the retreat of German forces...
. In 1946-50 it was rebuilt in its original neoclassical form. Today it is the seat of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Polish Academy of Sciences
The Polish Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Warsaw, is one of two Polish institutions having the nature of an academy of sciences.-History:...
.