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The royal palace of the Hohenzollern family, Poland

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The royal palace of the Hohenzollern family

One of the most precious historic sites in Mysłakowice is the royal palace, situated near a large park, next to the church, upon the river Łomnica. The first mansion at the site of todays building was built by the Kalckreuth family in the late 19th c. It was a humble baroque building, arranged in a horseshoe shape. In 1818 Field Marshal August von Gneisenau had the building redecorated to fit his needs. The rebuilding was supervised by Joseph Raabe, painter and architect. With the horseshoe shape retained, a veranda and a new floor were added. Gneisenaus investments included a new farm and an orangery.

The impressive lounge, shown in the picture, was one of the biggest palace halls. It was a square room located on the ground floor of the eastern wing, which could also serve as a ballroom. Two windows, shaded by hanging portieres, with a view of the annexe, opened into the courtyard in front of the palace. Two arcade passages led to a small elongated room equipped with biedermeier furniture, a fluffy carpet and a bright chandelier in the middle of the ceiling. Gneisenaus study was located in the central part of the eastern wing.

The palace remained like that for the next 20 years. In 1832 it was bought by Prussian King Frederick William II who wanted it to be his summer residence. He got it redecorated to satisfy his needs. After his death, his son Frederick William IV asked Karl Schinkel, royal architect, to rebuilt the palace again. The reconstruction of the palace took place in 1841-1844. Novel elements included a full upper level with small quadrangular windows that made the palace look more like a Gothic castle. On the northern side of the palace there was a balcony, on the eastern side there was a new bay window with the queens living-room, on the southern side there was a flower room with glass doors, and on the western side there was a new tower with a magnificent view of the area. The façade was painted light blue and light grey, the royal couples favourite colours. On the courtyard there was a fountain surrounded by a high hedge. Statues of two halberdiers stood at the entrance to the palace. The building was now more neogothic.

The last owner of the palace was Gustav Rudolf. During WWII the palace housed the Sturm Abteilung (SA) and items and documents from the Conservatory Office in Berlin and Breslau (now Wrocław), as well as the Library of the Art Academy of Berlin. After the war, it was initially the headquarters of the Red Army. Up till 1950 the building stood empty and was more and more devastated. At last, it was taken over by local authorities. After huge restoration and adaptation works in 1953, it was opened as a school. The school is still inside the building. In 1991, a statue of Johannes Fleidl was put up on the courtyard. The tower was also refurbished. Visitors can now climb it and admire a beautiful view of the Karkonosze Mountains and the valley of Jelenia Góra.

The park beside the royal palace

The park in Mysłakowice covers an area of 13 ha, with a 3.4- hectare pond with two islets. There are about 1,900 trees and 50 species of bushes in the park, both local and exotic.

The park beside the palace was first mentioned on 7 August 1809. There was probably a garden pavilion at that time, the first gardeners house, a stable and an orangery. The main element of the composition was a viewing glade that ended in a steep slope. At its foot there was a regular, square-shaped palace pond. The sides of the glade were trimmed with trees, and on the western side of the garden there was a narrow promenade lined with beech trees. An important element of that sentimental garden was a viewing platform, strengthened with a high stone retaining wall and surrounded by a balustrade. In the days of Marshal von Gneisenau, the hill of Ameisenberg (now Mrowiec) east of Mysłakowice was also adapted for leisure purposes. Benches and tables were installed there and they were used during picnics or by those who wanted to contemplate the wonderful mountain nature. The sentimental park in Mysłakowice was created in the romantic period, yet it was simpler and humbler in its form than other sentimental gardens of that time. It reflected the new approach to nature in which people should contemplate and admire it. Man-made spaces were to be joined with free nature. When the palace was taken over by Frederick William III, the park was also reshaped. It now looked more like a landscaped park, or jardin anglais. The designer of the park was Peter Joseph Lenné, landscape architect, who was later replaced by his apprentice, Gerhard Koeber and Teichler, the palace gardener. The whole park complex consisted of a flower carpet beside the palace, the park itself and the mountain landscape in the background.

In the park, on the northern shore, a 6-meter gate made of whales jaws was put up. It was bought by Frederick William IV from Mrs Hermann of Breslau for 45 thallers. Within the park new buildings were constructed: the Belvedere, the Tea House, a mill wheel arbour, Villa Liegnitz, Hamanns House. New access roads were built as well, including the so-called Kings Way that joined the palace in Mysłakowice with one in Fischbach (Karpniki). Later new monuments were erected: to the soldiers from Mysłakowice who died during WWI, to Theodor Donat, to Mieczysław Orłowicz and Emperor William. At first the park was fenced and admission was charged.

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