785 days – this is how long the implementation of the material scope of the “Restoration and protection of the symbol of the Polish cultural heritage – the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace in Wilanów” project lasted. The effects will allow us to maintain the splendour of the Wilanów cultural heritage for many years and ensure its beauty and originality can be enjoyed, which is what the guests and tourists visiting this unique site expect.
The success was possible thanks to the work of the ten-person Project Team, which included:
Elżbieta Modzelewska – curator of Task 1: “Conservation, documentation and security works in garden galleries and the Lapidarium on the ground floor of the palace”;
Paweł Baranowski – curator of Task 2: “Modernisation and reconstruction of the Garden Gallery exhibition halls on the upper level of the Palace” and Task 3: “Conservation renovation of the roof of the north wing of the Palace in Wilanów”;
Beata Pragert and Katarzyna Kuśmierska – curators of Task 4: “Renovation and safety works in the Orangery building” and Task 8: “Project management”;
Irma Fuks-Rembisz – curator of Task 5: “Conservation of the four Hercules figures with pedestals and preparation of copies”;
Eryk Bunsch, curator of Task 6: “Three-dimensional documentation of selected exhibits from the museum collection”;
Konrad Pyzel – curator of Task 7: “Promotion”;
Diana Święcka – archaeological supervision;
Jarosław Malczyk – supervision over the development and implementation of public procurement procedures and participation in the procedures;
Waldemar Nowak – financial coordination of the project and its settlement.
It was the fifth project carried out by the museum to receive EU co-financing – the total value reached PLN 17,805,563.40, including eligible costs of PLN 13,651,607.12 and ineligible costs of PLN 4,153,956.28. The task was co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund under Measure 8.1 Protection of cultural heritage and development of cultural resources – Priority Axis VIII Protection of cultural heritage and development of cultural resources of the Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment 2014–2020.
What are the effects of the design and renovation works?
a)on the ground floor of the palace, eight frescoes by Michelangelo Palloni and the surrounding sculptural and art decorations were restored. The programme of works also included later elements of the decoration: two paintings and their frames in a beam added to the South Gallery and the adjacent narrow room leading to the White Room with a carved panel separating the paintings,
b)as part of the reconstruction of the garden galleries and exhibition halls on the first floor of the palace, an area of 647.17 m² – a total of 14 rooms and chambers – was comprehensively and completely modernised and secured,
c)the entire roof over the north wing of the palace, i.e. 489.43 m² of surface area, underwent renovation and conservation works,
d)thermal and waterproof insulation was applied in the area of foundation and basement walls of the Orangery building,
e)four Hercules figures with pedestals underwent conservation and copies of the sculptures were created
f)12 bisque porcelain sculptures were digitised, 7 cycles of ageing change tests on the palace façades were carried out, the interiors of the Queen’s Ante-Cabinet and Al Fresco Cabinet were measured in 3D technology, two disk arrays were purchased for the purpose of digitisation and sharing the collections,
g)an information board and a memorial board were purchased and installed, a website dedicated to the project (in Polish and English) was created, with over 60 articles, 2 films promoting the project were made, 1,000 copies of a promotional brochure were printed, two press conferences were held (inaugurating the project and summarising its implementation), and two editions of an outdoor advertising campaign in means of public transport in Warsaw were also organised.
text: Maciej Bałaż
photos: Zbigniew Reszka
