LAZIENKI PARK, WARSAW, POLAND

Łazienki Park (Polish: Park Łazienkowski - literally Baths Park or Royal Baths) is the largest park in Warsaw, Poland, occupying 76 hectares of the city centre. The park-and-palace complex lies in Warsaw's Downtown (Śródmieście), on Ujazdów Avenue on the "Royal Route" linking the Royal Castle with Wilanów palace to the south. North of Łazienki Park, on the other side of Agrykola Street, stands Ujazdów Castle.

Łazienki Park was designed in the 17th century by Tylman van Gameren, in the baroque style, for Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski. It took the name Łazienki ("Baths") from a bathing pavilion that was located there.  In 1764 the gardens were acquired by Stanisław August Poniatowski, after his election that year as King of Poland.

The development of the classical-style gardens became a major project for King Stanisław August. The park-and-palace complex was designed by Domenico Merlini, Johann Christian Kammsetzer and landscape gardener Jan Chrystian Schuch. Its principal buildings stand beside or near the Łazienki Lake and Łazienki River. Stanisław August's palace is situated on the lake and hence is known as the "Palace on the Water."

Most of the buildings in the park suffered severe fire damage during and after the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, amid fighting between German and Polish forces. The structures nevertheless were relatively well-preserved, compared to those in the Old Town; here the Germans had drilled holes in the palace walls for placement of explosive charges, but charges had not been placed to destroy the buildings.  Reconstruction of the park and palaces was completed within a few years after World War II.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme.