Portrait of a dwarf in Polish costume holding a pernach mace, possibly Janni Pedina, and a dog by a Florentine painter, 1620s, Pitti Palace in Florence. ​

At the beginning of the 17th century, the medieval residence of the Dukes of Masovia was considerably enlarged to house the parliament of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (also Sarmatia or Poland-Lithuania-Ruthenia), the offices, and the court of the Vasa dynasty. Between 1598 and 1619, the Italian architects Giovanni Trevano, Giacomo Rodondo, Paolo de la Corte, and Mateo Castello built a pentagonal palace in the Mannerist and early Baroque styles. From 1621 to 1627, facing the threat of an Ottoman invasion, the palace was fortified with a curtain wall extending to the Vistula River, according to the Italian concept of a palazzo in fortezza (fortified palace). Between 1634 and 1637, a large hall was created in the upper part of the south wing to house the opera house of King Ladislaus IV, and the stair tower was largely remodeled (Ladislaus Tower). In 1643, the palace of Prince-Cardinal Charles Ferdinand Vasa was erected on the northern bastion of the castle curtain wall and, in 1644, a new gate (the St. John Gate) and the Sigismund Column were erected by the royal architect Constantino Tencalla in the Baroque style.

​Information regarding the interior decoration of the castle during the Vasa period is very rare and general. The Dutch diplomat Abraham Booth noted in 1627 that the chamber of Queen Constance of Austria, second wife of Sigismund III Vasa, was upholstered in black velvet. "Black was one of the favorite colors of the early Baroque. Black clothing was worn in accordance with Spanish fashion, and black ebony was used for picture frames and various furniture, wardrobes, chests, cabinets, and home altars, often studded with silver. French diplomat Jean Le Laboureur noted in 1644 that the castle apartments were very beautiful, built entirely according to French models" (after "Życie codzienne w Warszawie za Wazów" by Jerzy Lileyko, p. 157).

During the Deluge (invasion by Swedish forces from the north, Brandenburg from the west, Transilvania from the south, and Muscovy from the east), the castle was devastated during three occupations by foreign forces between 1655 and 1656 (the last being the Transylvanian occupation). All valuables, including marble pavements, fireplaces, and window sills, were shipped to Sweden, while the interior was converted into stables and a hospital.

The castle, rebuilt, was again devastated after the partitions of Poland (1772-1795). Renovated after 1915, it was burned and looted by the Germans in 1939, then completely destroyed in 1944. The structure was meticulously reconstructed between 1971 and 1984, but the museum houses only a tiny fraction of the objects dating from the Vasa era. Many objects kept in other locations in Warsaw, Poland and abroad, related to the Vasas, could very likely have come from the Royal Castle, as well as from two other main residences of the dynasty - the Villa Regia and Ujazdów Castle - and other palaces such as Wawel Castle and Łobzów Palace in Kraków or the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania in Vilnius.

The western wing of the Royal Castle in Warsaw around 1637, built for Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) between 1614 and 1619 by Matteo Castelli. © Marcin Latka

​The Sigismund Tower (New Royal Tower) of the Royal Castle in Warsaw around 1637, built for Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) between 1614 and 1619 by Matteo Castelli. The clock was constructed in 1622 by Gerard Priami, Jan Sulej (the mechanism) and Gerhard Benninck. © Marcin Latka

Eastern façade of the Royal Castle of Warsaw seen from the banks of the Vistula around 1637, based on a view of Warsaw with a self-portrait of the artist at work. © Marcin Latka

​Detail of a view of Warsaw from the Vistula, with a self-portrait of the artist at work, by Christian Melich (?), before 1637 (?), Alte Pinakothek in Munich (inv. 10530). Painting from dowry of the Princess-Infanta Anna Catherine Constance Vasa (1619-1651). 

​Portrait of Prince Alexander Charles Vasa (1614-1634) (?) by Jakob Troschel (?), ca. 1619, Alte Pinakothek in Munich (inv. 7007). The prince was depicted against the background of a castle enfilade, most likely in the Royal Castle in Warsaw. 

View of Warsaw from the Vistula by Abraham Booth, ca. 1627, State Archives in Gdańsk (ref. 10/1016/0/4/58). 

Solemn audience before Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) in the Old Senate Chamber at the Royal Castle in Warsaw by Abraham Booth (?), ca. 1627, Private collection. 

​King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) on catafalque displayed at the Royal Castle in Warsaw on April 30, 1632 by Filip Jansz, 1632, Gdańsk Library. 

​King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) on catafalque, ca. 1632, Ossolineum in Wrocław, on deposit at the Wawel Royal Castle. The king was depicted on his deathbed, displayed in the guardroom of the Royal Castle in Warsaw.

Library of King Ladislaus IV Vasa (1595-1648) in Warsaw (Biblioteca di SMta in Varsavia) by Giovanni Battista Gisleni, ca. 1640, Kupferstich-Kabinett in Dresden. 

​Plan of Warsaw (Varsavia Masoviae caput et Regia) by Israel Hoppe, ca. 1641, State Archives in Gdańsk (inv. 492/654).

Detail of the 1656 map of Warsaw by Nicolas Pérelle after Erik Dahlbergh, printed in 1696. The fortifications of Warsaw Castle were built between 1596 and 1627, giving the structure a more modern appearance according to the principles of the Old Italian School (circle of Antonio da Sangallo). They consisted of a 162-meter-long curtain wall, flanked by bastions. Two shorter walls connected the bastions to the castle. The wall rose at least 6.70 meters above ground level. The fortifications were built of granite blocks, and due to the instability of the ground, oak piles were also driven into the soil. The surface material was limestone covered with brick. The remains of the fortifications were incorporated into later buildings in the 18th century. Map legend: (2) Old Town Hall at the Main Market Square, (3) Saint John's Cathedral, (4) Royal Castle, (5) Courtyard before the castle with Baroque Saint John's Gate, (6) Sigismund Column, (7) Medieval Kraków Gate.

​Tiles from the 1630s found during excavations in the garden of the royal castle: a stove tile decorated with a lion or a griffin, a stove tile decorated with eagles, a Dutch tile with a soldier.

​King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) on horseback, detail of Entry of the wedding procession of Sigismund III into Kraków by Balthasar Gebhardt, ca. 1605, Royal Castle in Warsaw.

​Prince Ladislaus Sigismund Vasa (1595-1648) on horseback, detail of Entry of the wedding procession of Sigismund III into Kraków by Balthasar Gebhardt, ca. 1605, Royal Castle in Warsaw.

​Carriage of Queen Constance of Austria (1588-1631), detail of Entry of the wedding procession of Sigismund III into Kraków by Balthasar Gebhardt, ca. 1605, Royal Castle in Warsaw.

​Amber inkwell of Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), Gdańsk or Królewiec (Königsberg), 1590s, Treasury of the Munich Residence (inv. 521). Adorned with eight medallions depicting Christ and the Virgin Mary, as well as unidentified contemporary portraits (two of which may depict Sigismund III and his daughter Anna Maria), and a medallion of the Polish eagle bearing the letter S on its breast. This object is also attributed to Stenzel Schmidt (d. 1626), the first recorded amber carver at the court of Królewiec, in the early 1560s, with an annual salary of one hundred marks.

​Amber objects that belonged to King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632): amber and ivory chessboard presented by Hieronim Wołowicz to the king in 1608 (Wawel Royal Castle, inv. ZKnW-PZS 549), an amber bowl decorated with the king's coat of arms and the date of production in the center: 1590 (Treasury of the Munich Residence, inv. 522), an amber goblet of Sigismund III (without a stem so as to "drink to the bottom"), the interior of which is decorated with a partially gilded medallion representing the bust of Sigismund III and a wax-on-amber medallion with the king's portrait (Friedenstein Castle, inv. K325).

Two bottles and two tazzas from the silver service of Sigismund III Vasa, made by Georg Lang (bottles) and Hermann Plixen (tazzas), 1600, Łowicz Collegiate Church and Wawel Royal Castle. Decorated with the king's coat of arms. This silver service was commissioned by Sigismund III in Augsburg for 20,000 florins. It was first used at a banquet in Warsaw Castle on February 25, 1601, on the occasion of the awarding of the Order of the Golden Fleece.

​Portrait of Archduchess Maria Anna of Bavaria (1551-1608) in mourning by circle of Ottavio Zanuoli, ca. 1600, National Museum in Szczecin (inv. MNS/Szt/1162). Mother of two wives of Sigismund III, she wielded considerable influence at the Warsaw court. In his will of May 19, 1598, the king bequeathed to the archduchess reliquaries, crystal candelabra, and a black and white tapestry bearing the monogram of Sigismund Augustus, dating from 1566.

Gold salt cellar of King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), ca. 1600, Treasury of the Munich Residence (inv. 626, 627). Adorned with the king's coat of arms and the initials SR (Sigismundus Rex) in enamel, rubies and diamonds. Probably made by the king himself.

Crystal basin from lavabo set of Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), Milan (?), ca. 1600, Treasury of the Munich Residence (inv. 347). Adorned in its center with the coat of arms and the monogram S R (Sigismundus Rex) of the king. Sigismund employed an Italian goldsmith named Redura of Venice at his court; it is therefore possible that the work was made in Poland.

​Crystal ewer from lavabo set of Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), Milan (?), ca. 1600, Treasury of the Munich Residence (inv. 346). Made of rock crystal and gold, adorned with rubies, diamonds and enamel. 

​Crystal tankard with the coat of arms and monogram of Sigismund III Vasa and Constance of Austria (SCA), floral motives and a handle in the form of a nude woman, Milan, first quarter of the 17th century, Bavarian National Museum (inv. R 2157). 

Safavid kilims with the coat of arms of Sigismund III Vasa (Polish Eagle with Vasa sheaf) by Kashan workshop, ca. 1602, from left to right: Private collection, Wittelsbacher Ausgleichsfonds in Munich, Palazzo del Quirinale in Rome, Treasury of the Munich Residence and Wawel Royal Castle. Commissioned by the king through his agent in Persia, Sefer Muratowicz.

Ebony cabinet adorned with Roman gods, silver plaques representing Mars and Venus, and personifications of the Four Seasons by David Altenstetter, 1600s, Visitandines Monastery in Warsaw. Made of ebony and pear wood, and adorned with silver and enamel, this cabinet was probably commissioned by Sigismund III Vasa in Augsburg. It is one of two cabinets presented by Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga, along with an ebony altar, to the new church and monastery of the French Order of the Visitation in Warsaw. The inner side of the doors is decorated with silver enameled plaques.

​Ebony cabinet adorned with Roman gods and personifications of the Four Seasons by Georg Jungmair, 1600s, Visitandines Monastery in Warsaw. The inner side of the doors is decorated with silver plaques depicting the Fiery flying serpent and the Entombment (on the right), the Original sin and Prophet Jonah (on the left).

​A child's parade armor inlaid with gold and silver, belonging to Crown Prince Ladislaus Sigismund Vasa (1595-1648), by Pompeo della Cesa (?), ca. 1605, Royal Armory in Stockholm (inv. 23418 LRK). This armor, intended for a ten-year-old prince, was probably made by Pompeo della Cesa in Milan, like the armor fragments of the false Dmitry I, Tsar of Russia, produced around the same time (Military History Museum in Saint Petersburg and Art Institute of Chicago).

Hypothetical reconstruction of the silk fabric embroidered with floral and bird motifs, before 1610, lost. Based on a portrait of Queen Constance of Austria in Alte Pinakothek in Munich (inv. 6968). © Marcin Latka

​Doublet with matching breeches of Adam Parzniewski (1565-1614), Burgrave of the Kraków Castle and court marshal of Princess Anna Vasa (1568-1625), before 1614, Museum of Warsaw. It was likely made in Poland from precious velvets and silk satins, apparently imported from Italy; the stockings are likely Spanish. This garment survived the devastation of Warsaw in the ravaged Archcathedral in the Old Town.

​Hypothetical reconstruction of the portrait of bearded female court dwarf Helena Antonia of Liège by Jakob Troschel, 1610s, lost. Helena Antonia was a lady-in-waiting to Archduchess Maria Anna of Bavaria (1551-1608) and her daughter Queen Constance of Austria (1588-1631). Based on a portrait auctioned under the title "Portrait of King Eric XIV of Sweden" (Oger & Blanchet in Paris, April 30, 2024, lot 23). © Marcin Latka

Table clocks with heraldic eagles: a clock decorated with an imperial eagle and the coat of arms of Samuel Gotard Łaski (d. 1611), secretary to Sigismund III Vasa, dating from 1607 (National Museum in Warsaw, inv. SZM 3269 MNW); two automaton clocks in the form of a heraldic eagle, made in Augsburg around 1630 (Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden and Metropolitan Museum of Art, inv. 29.52.14). Several other similar clocks, decorated with a lion and dating from the same period, produced in Augsburg, Bavaria, are considered to represent the heraldic symbol of Bavaria.

Gold statue of Saint John the Evangelist on ebony base, Augsburg, 1610s, Wrocław Cathedral. Commissioned by King Sigismund III Vasa, who had 12 statues of the apostles made "in pure gold on ebony bases" and "a statue of the Savior, of the Virgin Mary and that of the holy martyr Sigismund, all in pure gold"

​Silver plaque depicting the Vision of Emperor Constantine by Tobias Kramer, ca. 1615-1620, Treasury of the Jasna Góra Monastery. Given to the Monastery by Prince-Bishop Charles Ferdinand Vasa (1613-1655) in 1650. 

Reliquary adorned with a silver bas-relief that belonged to Paweł Wołucki (1560-1622), Bishop of Lutsk and Włocławek, by Hans Heinrich Wagner, 1616, Treasury of the Munich Residence. This reliquary was created in Munich by Wagner, who personally traveled to Poland to deliver the papal gift. Wołucki was secretary to King Sigismund III Vasa.

Silk chasuble offered by King Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632), Poland (fabric from Spain or Italy), 1620s, Treasury of the Jasna Góra Monastery. Most likely made from fabrics used for the interior decoration of palaces, like the chasuble made from the canopy of Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga (Visitandines Monastery in Warsaw).

Hypothetical reconstruction of the velvet-covered armchair of Queen Constance of Austria (1588-1631), 1610s, lost. Based on a portrait of the queen from a Spanish private collection, bearing the inscription La Reina de Polonia in the lower left corner. © Marcin Latka

Silk humeral veil embroidered with gold thread, ca. 1620, Munich Residence. Originally, it was sewn with pearls and was clearly a men's garment: a sash. Adorned with the monogram of King Sigismund III Vasa and Queen Constance of Austria (ACS, i.e. Sigmundus Constantia Austriacae).

Silver plaque with the Washing of the Feet (upper part) and the Last Supper (lower part) by Matthias Walbaum (Matthäus Wallbaum), ca. 1623-1625, Diocesan Museum in Płock. Presented to Płock Cathedral by Queen Constance of Austria (1588-1631) in 1618. Several similar plaques were made by Walbaum in Augsburg for Sigismund III and members of his family (two in the Visitandines Monastery in Warsaw and one in Vilnius Cathedral). Another very similar example is in the Treasury of the Grand Dukes at the Pitti Palace in Florence; Maria Magdalena of Austria (1589-1631), Grand Duchess of Tuscany and sister of Queen Constance, received gifts from Sarmatia.

​Silver candlesticks from a set belonging to Queen Constance of Austria (1588-1631) by Johannes I Lencker, ca. 1624-1625, Royal Castle in Warsaw and Church of St. James in Nysa. Part of a set of six altar candlesticks. The base is decorated with cartouches bearing the emblems of Poland, Lithuania, Sweden, Gothland, and the Habsburgs (coat of arms of Queen Constance), winged cherubs, and fruit.

​Pelmet of a canopy of King Ladislaus IV Vasa (1595-1648), ca. 1610 or 1633, National Museum in Warsaw (inv. SZT 1456 MNW). Silk satin embroidered with silk, silver and gold threads, gilt strip, bullion and spangel. Probably created for the coronation of Ladislaus as Tsar of Russia in 1610.

​Portrait of King Ladislaus IV Vasa (1595-1648) in coronation robes by Jan Chryzostom Proszowski (?), ca. 1635, Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta. 

Hypothetical reconstruction of a fragment of Baroque marble decoration from the Marble Room at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, created for King Ladislaus IV Vasa between 1640 and 1643 after a design by Giovanni Battista Gisleni. The hall was adorned with 22 portraits of the king's ancestors, the Jagiellonian family: Jogaila of Lithuania, Saint Casimir, Sigismund the Old and Bona Sforza, Sigismund Augustus and his third wife Catherine of Austria, Catherine Jagiellon and her husband, Sigismund III and his two wives, Ladislaus IV, his first wife Cecilia Renata and her father, Emperor Ferdinand II, among others, as well as 5 painted and gilded stucco cartouches bearing the coats of arms of Poland, Lithuania, Sweden, the House of Vasa and the Tsar of Muscovy (Ladislaus IV was elected Tsar of Muscovy). © Marcin Latka

Silver table set of King John II Casimir Vasa (1609-1672) with images of Polish kings by Andreas I Mackensen, 1648, National Museum in Warsaw. This service was commissioned on the occasion of the election and coronation of the king. It consisted of twelve tazzas adorned with the effigies of the Polish kings, from Ladislaus II Jagiello to John II Casimir. Presented by the king to Jan Bonawentura Krasiński in 1666 as a wedding gift. The base is in the shape of a Polish eagle with the coat of arms of the Vasa dynasty on the chest. Seven of the tazzas were destroyed during World War II. Virtual reconstruction, © Marcin Latka

Chasuble with the coat of arms of the House of Vasa, second quarter of the 17th century, Treasury of the Jasna Góra Monastery. Most likely given by Prince-Bishop Charles Ferdinand Vasa (1613-1655) for whom similar garments in silver and gold thread on silk were made around 1644 (Diocesan Museum in Płock).

Velvet embroidered seat upholstery with the coat of arms of Prince-Bishop Charles Ferdinand Vasa (1613-1655), ca. 1651-1655, National Museum in Warsaw. 

​Portraits of relatives of King John II Casimir Vasa (1609-1672), as they may appear hanging in the gallery of the Royal Castle in Warsaw around 1655: Portrait of Philip III of Spain by Andrés López Polanco, ca. 1617 (Skokloster Castle), portraits of two sisters, daughters of Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria: Empress Maria Anna of Spain by Frans Luycx, ca. 1638 and Anne of Austria, Queen of France by Charles Beaubrun, ca. 1645 (Visitandines Monastery in Warsaw), portrait of Empress Eleonora Gonzaga (1630-1686) by Frans Luycx, ca. 1651 (National Museum in Stockholm). Virtual reconstruction, © Marcin Latka 

Further reading:

"Dzieła złotnictwa polskiego pochodzenia w skarbcu zamku królewskiego w Monachium [Goldsmiths' works of Polish origin in the treasury of the royal castle in Munich]" by Mieczysław Gębarowicz

"Raumbuch der Münchner Schatzkammer [Room by room inventory of the Munich Treasury]", ed. Sabine Heym

"Sztuka dworu Wazów w Polsce / Court Art of Vasa Dynasty in Poland", ed. Andrzej Fischinger

"Sztuka sakralna w Muzeum Rezydencji i Bawarskim Muzeum Narodowym w Monachium oraz Muzeum Diecezjalnym we Fryzyndze [Sacred art in the Residence Museum and the Bavarian National Museum in Munich and the Diocesan Museum in Freising]" by Ewa Krasińska-Klaputh

"Świat polskich Wazów. Przestrzeń - ludzie - sztuka. Katalog wystawy [The World of the Polish Vasas. Space - People - Art. Exhibition Catalog]", ed. Jacek Żukowski

"Życie codzienne w Warszawie za Wazów [Everyday life in Warsaw during the Vasa dynasty]" by Jerzy Lileyko

​Discover forgotten portraits of the Vasas

​The Palace in Otwock Wielki was built as a summer residence for the Bieliński family. Its construction began after 1682, initiated by Kazimierz Ludwik Bieliński, and was completed around 1689, likely under the direction of Tylman Gamerski, Carlo Ceroni, or Józef Fontana. The main tympanum is decorated with a bacchanalian scene featuring nymphs, satyrs, and the god Pan at the center.

The next owner, Franciszek Bieliński (1683-1766), Grand Marshal of the Crown, had the palace renovated in 1757. The Rococo-style modernization was entrusted to Jakub Fontana. At this time, the interior was remodeled and adapted for permanent occupancy: tiled stoves replaced fireplaces in some rooms, the exterior staircase was demolished and a new interior staircase was built. New outbuildings were also erected to house guest rooms, kitchens, and staff quarters.

Between 1787 and 1790, Franciszek Onufry Bieliński (1742-1809), nephew of the Grand Marshal who inherited the palace, travelled to Italy several times. During his stay in Naples, he acquired a collection of 85 terracotta busts and copies of antique sculptures from the Farnese family collection and from the excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum. This collection was intended for the Otwock Wielki Palace, which underwent extensive interior renovations.

Among the palace's most famous residents was Marianna Bielińska (ca. 1685-1730), mistress of King Augustus II the Strong. The daughter of Grand Marshal Kazimierz Ludwik Bieliński, a leading figure in the pro-French faction in Poland, Marianna resided at the sumptuous Otwock Wielki estate, frequented by numerous state officials, including the king himself, who became her lover. Soon after, Bieliński married Marianna to Bogusław Ernest Denhoff. Nevertheless, she remained the king's mistress and eventually divorced Denhoff with papal approval. Lady Denhoffowa wielded considerable influence over the king and persuaded him to forge an alliance with France in 1714 (after "Kobiecy świat w czasach Augusta II ..." by Bożena Popiołek, p. 356). When this alliance proved less advantageous than anticipated, she was repudiated by the king.

Her portrait, attributed to a follower of Antoine Pesne (1683-1757), is housed in the Palace on the Water in Warsaw (oil on canvas, 78.6 x 64 cm, inv. ŁKr 875), along with other portraits of royal mistresses. According to a letter from Count Jakob Heinrich von Flemming, written in Dresden and addressed to Privy Councillor Samuel von Marschall in 1718, Pesne painted the portrait of Countess Denhoff (Je vous prie de représenter à Sa Majesté le Roy de ma part, que le peintre Pesne, à qui Sa Majesté a donné la permission de venir icy, a commencé à peindre madame la comtesse de Doenhoff, et d'autres dames de la cour, after "Antoine Pesne, premier peintre de Frédéric le Grand (deuxième article)" by Paul Seidel, p. 426). However, the possible author of the copy could be Ádám Mányoki (1673-1757). This Hungarian painter, trained in Germany, developed a personal style and exerted a considerable influence on portraiture in Poland. Another copy of this portrait, from a Saxon aristocratic collection, is also closer to the style of Mányoki than to that of Pesne (oil on canvas, 83 x 65.5 cm, Neumeister in Munich, Auction 407, December 8, 2022, lot 464).

​Shortly after its construction, the palace was decorated in the late Baroque style. Originally, the room served as the main bedroom. The walls are decorated with frescoes depicting ancient ruins (colonnades, fountains, gates, arcades, vases), while the wainscoting reaching one sixth of their height was replaced after the war with copies of Dutch tiles.

The frescoes can likely be attributed to Tylman Gamerski or his circle, due to their similarities with other works; probably created in the 1680s, when Kazimierz Ludwik Bieliński, after his marriage to Ludwika Morsztynówna in 1682, started decorating the newly built summer residence (after "Sztuka Warszawy drugiej połowy XVII w." by Mariusz Karpowicz, p. 249). Although primarily known as an architect, Gamerski was also a talented painter, trained in his native Netherlands and in Venice. Approximately 30% of the original decoration was restored after the war.

​This room was originally the anteroom of Kazimierz Ludwik Bieliński's apartment. The surviving frescoes date from the late 17th century and are attributed to Tylman Gamerski. Approximately 75% of the original decoration has been preserved.

Among the elements depicted are two- and three-masted ships moored in or entering the harbor, small boats filled with people, lighthouses, and the rocky coastline. The lower part of the walls is covered with glazed tiles.

As in the other rooms, the decoration includes rich stucco in the form of oval cartouches above the doors, adorned with seashells, acanthus leaves, and blades of grass. These cartouches were filled with sepia-toned images (only one of which has been preserved).

​The fireplace adorned with a phoenix rising from its ashes, which once decorated Ludwika Maria Bielińska's apartments, has been moved to the stairwell. The original decor of the wife's apartments has not survived.

​The vestibule of Otwock Wielki Palace was originally a reception hall accessed from the courtyard via a double exterior staircase. It is one of only four rooms in the palace to have retained its original decor.

The semicircular niches, supported by richly decorated corbels, are its most remarkable features. The Baroque sculptures that adorned these niches were destroyed between 1809 and 1828. The current statues, depicting mythological deities, were created in 1975 by Stanisław Kulon.

The vestibule's decor was intended to evoke an ancient grotto and a Palladian Corinthian hall. The walls were covered with a mixture of sand, lime, green glass, and granite. The south wall features a wide, semicircular entrance leading to the ballroom. This entrance is framed by stucco decoration depicting a fabric supported by four putti and two herms representing a half-naked woman and man. These herms symbolized the original division of the palace into the wife's and husband's quarters and bear a strong resemblance to the owners, Ludwika Maria Bielińska and her husband, Kazimierz Ludwik (portrait in mythological disguise).

​The ballroom rises two stories high. The original Baroque furnishings and decorations have not survived. After the war, the hall was adorned with neoclassical stucco and furnished with 19th-century furniture, including a pair of Russian candlesticks. Exterior balconies connect the room to the part of the palace reserved for the husband and wife.