Łazienki Królewskie Archives - just moving around just moving around

Like many people the present day, I decided to suspend my travels for a while. It was not difficult because I have been working a lot recently. Taking advantage of the fact that everyone around me works online, I do either at home or in a cottage surrounded by forest an hour’s drive from the city. Sometimes I just have to show up for work, but it’s usually only a few hours of meetings in a reasonably small group of people once or twice a week. I think everyone missed everyday eye-to-eye contacts by now. Still, I miss running around beautiful places with my camera. Taking the opportunity that I had to do something in the city and I had two more hours on the parking ticket, I went to take some photos of the Royal Baths.

The Royal Baths Park (Łazienki Królewskie), is a large park complex located in Warsaw, Poland. It was originally designed in the 17th century as a summer residence for the Polish monarchs, and today it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. The park covers an area of over 76 hectares and contains a number of architectural and natural attractions, including several palaces, pavilions, and monuments. One of the most famous structures in the park is the Palace on the Isle, a neoclassical palace built in the 18th century that is surrounded by a large artificial lake. Another notable spot in the park is the Amphitheater, which hosts concerts, theatrical performances, and other cultural events throughout the year. The park is also home to a number of statues and sculptures. Visitors to the park can enjoy walking along the tree-lined avenues and exploring the various gardens and lakes, as well as taking in the various cultural events and exhibitions that are held there.

In the late afternoon, when the sun is slowly going down, and the weather is beautiful, taking pictures there was is pure pleasure.

Łazienki Królewskie w Warszawie | Royal Baths in Warsaw | 华沙皇家浴园 | Parc des Bains Royaux à Varsovie

The Palace on the Isle, is a neoclassical palace located in the middle of an artificial lake. It was designed in the 18th century by the prominent Polish architect Domenico Merlini. The palace’s architecture is a blend of neoclassical and baroque styles, and it features ornate facades, grand staircases, and opulent interiors. The palace was built using a combination of brick, stone, and stucco, and it is adorned with sculptures and reliefs depicting scenes from mythology and Polish history.

From the palace, visitors can look out over the lake and see the Amphitheater in the distance, framed by the surrounding trees and greenery.

The Royal Baths Amphitheatre, also known as the Summer Theatre, is an open-air amphitheater located at the artificial lake on its Northern bank. It was designed in a neoclassical style by the Italian architect Antonio Corazzi, and it features a semicircular seating area that can accommodate up to 2,500 spectators. The seating area is arranged in a semicircle around the stage, with rows of stone benches descending towards the stage. The stage is surrounded by ornate columns and sculptures, and it is equipped with modern lighting and sound systems that allow it to host a wide range of performances, from classical music concerts to theatrical productions.

Two sculptures you may see on the photos are standing in front of the Palace. One is the Dionysus statue that depicts the Greek god of wine, fertility, and theater. The other one is Vistula – The Allegory of the River. It features two figures – the reclining woman symbolizing the Vistula River and a winged genius holding a caduceus, a symbol of commerce and trade. The genius is positioned above the river and represents the economic importance of the Vistula River, which has been a major commercial and trading route in Poland for centuries

To my POLAND main site

While traveling or merely spending time somewhere, it is sometimes those simple things often unexpected at all that makes the difference.

Totally unplanned, while in Warsaw (Poland) heading to the royal palace I found myself getting off an express bus as other people did. Just so. As a courtesy for an elderly lady, the driver opened the doors at a stop, not in his itinerary. Ultimately, I did not reach the royal palace. As I got out, I heard it, the piano music all around. No idea how I made it, but I have simply forgotten that if on a Summer Sunday in Warsaw and in the city center, this is the must-be place. For the next hour or so, I found myself lying on the grass and listening to a piano concert. Simply catching the momentum.

The music was by Frederic Chopin, the most distinctive Polish composer and artist ever. He is famous for his solo piano concerts. The music is one of a kind. He was born in 1810 in Żelazowa Wola, Poland and spent his early life in Warsaw but moved to Paris in 1831 at the age of 21, where he spent most of his remaining years. Chopin had a significant impact on the future of piano music, influencing both his contemporaries and later generations of composers. His health was poor throughout his life, and he died in Paris in 1849, at the age of 39. Despite his short life, Chopin’s music continues to be widely performed and admired for its lyrical qualities and emotional depth.

If I had to make a list of must-do things, while in Poland, going to a Chopin piano concert would be on it. The easiest way to do so is indeed in Summer in Warsaw. Each Sunday there are two open-air concerts in the Lazienki (Royal Baths) park open for everybody. You come in, sit down wherever you want, and listen to music.

The major event around Chopin in Poland takes however place every five years in October on the premises of the Polish National Philharmonic.

The next one will be held in 2020. The competition is broadcast on national TV and abroad. The participants come from all over the world, and all of them are superior piano players. Basically, all competition run-through are true masterpieces.