Palace in Choroszcz - summer residence of hetman Branicki


In the small town of Choroszcz, not far from Bialystok (northeastern Poland) is located a charming small palace. The palace was the summer residence of the crown hetman and castellan of Kraków, Jan Klemens Branicki (1689-1771), a powerful Polish aristocrat. The palace was built on an artificial island, which is surrounded by canals modelled after those at Versailles.


The construction of the Baroque residence at Choroszcz lasted from 1745 almost until Branicki's death in 1771. A fire destroyed it in 1915, and the palace was reconstructed only much later during the years 1961-1973, and then made into a Museum of Palace Interiors in Choroszcz - branch of the Museum of Podlasie in Bialystok.


The ground floor, where the Branicki family once had its quarters, and the first floor, where the guest rooms used to be, were rebuilt for use today as exhibition rooms, where one can see period furniture, for example, from Rococo to sets in the style of Louis XVI. The interiors are decorated with paintings from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries, including portraits of the palace's owners, canvases of the French, Italian and German schools from the mid-eighteenth century. In addition, there are also mirrors, grandfather and mantel clocks, Meissen, Vienna and Berlin porcelain, art glass from Polish and West European makers, marble and bronze sculptures, alabaster vases, candlesticks, sconces and carpets.


There is 25-hectare park at the rear of the palace, designed probably by French architect Pierre Ricaud de Tirregaile. The Park is the only one of its kind in Poland, and its crisscrossing canals and star-shaped paths are similar to those at the gardens of Vaux-le-Vicomte and Versailles.


There are also historic buildings of stables from the 19th century. The buildings are decorated with sculptures of the horses' heads. (Source: culture.pl)


Comments

  1. These are all excellent--- I particularly like the view looking out over the park.

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  2. That is a beautiful place, I can't imagine having such money and power that it's simply a summer residence. I love seeing Poland through your blog, it's a beautiful country.

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  3. The palace looks as if it is set in a fantasy world. Glorious building and fantasy.

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  4. wow, this is so beautiful it almost feels unreal. Love it. :)

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  5. Delightful photography of your journeys ~ thanks,

    Wishing you a gentle weekend ~ ^_^

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  6. fantastic photo and great reflections!!

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  7. What beautiful photos of a stunning place #MySundayPhoto

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  8. What a beautiful place! There is a great decadence and slight negligence on the first photo with that 'dirty' water. Lovely!

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  9. It does look rather lovely and what a lovely place for a summer house. I love the view and the lake outside.

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  10. What a beautiful place. I am sure you enjoyed your visit. I have never seen such decorative stables!

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  11. This palace is beautiful. I love the moat around it making an island. The stables are just magnificent, the patterns using different coloured bricks and the horses heads too #MySundayPhoto

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  12. Piękne miejsce i piękne zdjęcia.

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  13. lovely place and the brick work is fabulous!

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  14. That reflections turns me all around. Nice shots!

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  15. The front of this palace is beautiful! I especially like the roof parts you show, and also the reflection - perfect! Many thanks for sharing the aristocrat's palace with ALL SEASONS! Have a great week:)

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  16. Great old architecture with strong german influence. Thanks for showing.

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  17. Love the reflection and also the decorative brickwork.

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  18. Quite the palace ~ lovely and idyllic ~ Wonderful photography ~

    Happy Week to you ~ ^_^

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  19. What a gorgeous place - I love these photos.
    Thanks for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/11/cana.html

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  20. What a beautiful, smartly proportioned house. It looks just right sitting on the property.

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  21. A beautiful building in such a peaceful setting - I'd love to visit there.

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  22. Beautiful shots of the palace. It is huge.

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  23. What a beautiful place! Wonderful photos!

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  24. Pięknie i pałacyk i park i budynki stajni. Niestety tam nie byłam :(. Pozdrawiam.

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  25. Gorgeous place! You must have visited in the spring?

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  26. Byłam tam kilka lat temu, trwały przygotowania chyba do wesela wiec nie dane mi było zajrzeć do środka

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  27. The reflection image is just stunning. These structures are absolutely awesome and the setting is amazing. Thanks for sharing. Have a blessed week.

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  28. A beautiful building and amazing photos. I especially love the one with the reflection. The name Jan Klemens sounds Dutch

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  29. Fabulous photos. Loved each of them, they are so unique!

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  30. I'd like to live in a palace. Or at least visit one.

    http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2016/11/summer-2016-new-mexican-wildfires.html

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  31. Just really wonderful photos. The reflection of the building is lovely.

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  32. Piękny pałacyk i nietuzinkowe budynki z cegły, no i wiosna, czekam na nią :)

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  33. Wonderful series of pictures! Such lovely architecture of the building and place to have a visit! Many thanks for sharing them with all of us!

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  34. That's a beautiful palace with a fascinating history! Love that shot with the reflection.

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  35. Wow this palace is so beautiful! It looks so peaceful! #wkendtravelinspiration

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  36. While I have been to Bialystok, I missed out on visiting Choroszcz which seems a pity now. I did visit Branicki Palace in Bialystok, but didn't realise just how influential they were. Your photos of the palace and the brickwork are amazing. I love seeing more of Poland through your posts.

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  37. Stunning photos! What a marvelous place to see up close and to capture digitally for others to enjoy. Thanks for sharing with the SWF team! Have an awesome weekend!

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  38. I love that reflecting pool! This looks like a great place to spend a sunny afternoon in the spring or summer.

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  39. I really enjoy visiting historic sites when I travel. The palace and the grounds are beautiful. Thanks for sharing! #WeekendTravelInspiration

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  40. What a wonderful place! Thank you for the lovely photos and the virtual tour!
    Many thanks for linking up with the Travel Tuesday meme, hope to see you there again this week!

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  41. This looks like the perfect day trip. as with many such places the ground are as nice to explore -- maybe even more so -- than the buildings. can you picnic? #wkendtravelinspiration

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