The Royal Castle in Warsaw is one of the most important royal residences in Europe. However, it is not the beauty of the architecture, the dazzling interior design or the rank of the works of art gathered in the castle walls that determine the unique significance of the building, but the symbolic charge contained in it.
The Royal Castle is a monument to Polish independence – like it, dying over turbulent times and reborn like a Phoenix from the ashes. As the historical seat of kings, the Sejm, and the President of the Second Polish Republic, it is a kind of bridge connecting Polish monarchical and republican traditions.
Razed to the ground by order of Adolf Hitler in 1944, the Castle did not exist for nearly three decades, only to be erected again in the years 1971–1984 on the wave of a great social upheaval. The process of rebuilding the body and meticulous reconstruction of the interior, based on elements of decoration and equipment saved from the war, culminated in the building being entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Architecturally, the Royal Castle in Warsaw combines the styles of early and late Baroque, although it also contains relics of earlier eras. The early-Baroque, austere and restrained facade can be admired from the side of Zamkowy Square, while the wing from the Vistula side represents the style typical of the first half of the 18th century - sumptuous, rich in sculptural decorations and chiaroscuro effects. The decor of most of the castle interiors is maintained in the classicist style - appropriate to the reign of the last king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Stanisław August, in the years 1764-1795.
The Royal Castle in Warsaw is not only a museum of interiors, but also an art gallery, a center of science and education, and a place that performs representative functions at the state and international level. The institution is constantly developing, gradually expanding its collection - recovering long-lost works of art and acquiring new ones. Every lover of history and beauty will surely find a place for themselves here.
Day of the week | Opening hours | |
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Tuesday | 10:00 - 18:00 | |
Wednesday | 10:00 - 18:00 | |
Thursday | 10:00 - 18:00 | |
Friday | 10:00 - 18:00 | |
Saturday | 10:00 - 18:00 | |
Sunday | 10:00 - 18:00 |
Holidays | Opening hours |
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2024.12.25 (Wednesday) | x |
2024.12.26 (Thursday) | x |
Last entry at 4 PM
Tickets | ||
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normal | 60.00 PLN | |
reduced | 45.00 PLN |
e-ticket platform » |
Additional information | |
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Children and adolescents from 7 to 16 years of age, upon presentation of an ID – 1.00 PLN The ticket price includes the rental of an audioguide or GTS headset. Headsets must be picked up by 4:30 p.m. |
when? | name | where? | about what? | for free | for children | |
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Trasa Królewska Permanent exhibition
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Royal Castle in Warsaw pl. Zamkowy 4 00-277 Warszawa Mazowieckie |
art crafts, graphics and drawing, interiors and everyday life, painting, sculpture | yes | ||
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Galeria Arcydzieł Permanent exhibition
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Royal Castle in Warsaw pl. Zamkowy 4 00-277 Warszawa Mazowieckie |
art crafts, painting, sculpture, weapons and militaria | yes | ||
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Pałac Pod Blachą Permanent exhibition
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Royal Castle in Warsaw pl. Zamkowy 4 00-277 Warszawa Mazowieckie |
art crafts, interiors and everyday life, painting, sculpture | yes | ||
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Galeria Porcelany Permanent exhibition
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Royal Castle in Warsaw pl. Zamkowy 4 00-277 Warszawa Mazowieckie |
art crafts | yes | ||
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Zniszczenie i odbudowa Zamku Królewskiego w Warszawie Permanent exhibition
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Royal Castle in Warsaw pl. Zamkowy 4 00-277 Warszawa Mazowieckie |
architecture, The Second World War | yes |