Potocki Palace

The Potocki Palace stands on one of Warsaw's grandest addresses, the Krakowskie Przedmiescie - directly opposite the Presidential Palace and beside the Adam Mickiewicz Monument. Built in 1766 for magnate Eustachy Potocki in the late Baroque style, the palace went through many alterations under successive aristocratic owners. In the 19th century it was a cultural hub of the city; in World War II it was heavily damaged and rebuilt after 1945 from historical plans, a typical example of Warsaw's post-war reconstruction. Today the building houses the Polish Ministry of Culture, so the interior is closed to the public. The courtyard and the wrought-iron gate on the street are still worth a look, best seen during a stroll along the Royal Route between the Old Town and Lazienki Park.