Ostrogski Castle by night

Ostrogski Castle by night

Ostrogski Castle in the city of Warsaw (Warszawa). The first defensive structure to be raised here at the end of the 16th century, under the initiative of the Krakow oligarch Prince Janusz Ostrogski. During the 1680's royal under-chancelor Jan Gniński decided to build a residence according to plans designed by Tylman of Gameren. In the early 18th century the then-owner Marcin Zamoyski rebuilt the palace in the Baroque style. Later the palace became a police headquarters, youth hostel, and ultimately a homeless shelter. In 1858 the renovated castle became home to the Music Institute and then a conservatory. At the beginning of the 20th century a concert pavilion was added to the southern wing. The castle existed in this form until the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Almost completely destroyed during World War II, the government played a role – albeit a minor one – in restoring the building to its original specifications. Today’s Ostrogoski Csstle enchants with its historic shape and with its Baroque interior. In front of the castle sits a statue of The Golden Duck. A modern Fryderyk Chopin Museum has its headquarters in the castle.