The Great Apartment
The Great Apartment consist of the official chambers used mainly by King Stanisław August Poniatowski. Most of them was reconstructed as Stanisławowski style.
Stanisławowski style was created by our King Stanisław August Poniatowski. The name of that style refers to the name of the king who was a parton of art. King Poniatowski had a dream to found an academy of the fine art. The king loved beauty and wanted only what was fashionable. In the second half of the 18th century, classicism was in vogue, but the king also took a liking to baroque art. His style was manifested in the wealth of ornaments, gilding, stucco and intense colors combined with a classic order.
The Oval Gallery
That Gallery was used to act as a passageway to the royal gallery in St. John’s Collegiate Church. Nowadays, You can see the Brussels tapestries dating from the middle of the 16th century and portraits of Polish monarchs from Vasa family – Zygmunt III Vasa and Władysław IV Vasa. Historical tapestries commemorate King Zygmunt August, who expanded the historic court of Masovian dukes and created his favorite summer residence. King Zygmunt August gathered an extremely rich collecion of tapestries at Wawel Castle.
The Council Chamber
During the reign of the Stanisław August in this chamber took place the sessions of the Permanent Council. That Council had 36 members (18 senators and 18 deputies) and was estabilshed by the Sejm in 1775. The king presided over the council, so we can see the original throne in the hall. The curiosity is that the king never sat on it, because it was made in 1795 after the king already left Warsaw.
The chamber decoration contains portraits of members of the Great Sejm painted by Józef Peszka. That the most outstanding figures representatives of the Age of Enlightenment.
The Ballroom
This ball room is know also as the Great Assambly Hall or Great Hall. It is the most beautiful chamber in the Royal Castle decorated by 17 pairs of Corinthian columns, 20 crystal chandeliers and 20 appliques completing the illumination. We can find ornaments with gilded acanthus leaves and marble medalllion with a portrait of King Stanisław August flanked by personifications of Peace and Justice.
This interior was supposed to symbolize the main ideas that guided the king.
The Knights’ Hall
The main intention was to create a room to commemorate outstanding Poles. The King wanted to illustrate his vision of the reforms and restoration of the State. The decoration create 6 painting depict the most important moments in Polish history. Additionally 32 portraits and busts depict Polish leaders, statesmen, writers and scholars. Gilded ornaments add splendor to the decor.
The Marble Room
The marble panelling decoration was made in the 17th century by order of Władysław IV Vasa. King Poniatowski ordered to redesign this interior but the marble walls remained. The former painting were replaced by a series of portraits of 22 Polish kings painted by Marcello Bacciarelli, who was also the author of the plafond and the full-length portrait of the King Stanisław August. in coronation robes. The King dedicated this chamber to the memory of Polish kings.
The Throne Room
That throne room was completed in 1786. It’s not very big, but it has been optically enlarged with mirrors. In the centre is located King’s throne decorated by 86 eagles embroidered with gold and silver thread. The throne consisted of a canopy, backdrop, armchair and a tabouret. The dark gilded decorations are original, and the bright ones were created during the reconstruction of the Great Apartment.
The Conference Room and the European Monarchs’ Portrait Room
The last and smallest room in the Grand Apartment. The name of this interior refers to the decoration on the walls and its purpose. On the wall hang six portraits of the European monarch and a portrait of Pope Pius VI.
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