The first season of the path “Around the basements of the Saski Palace”
With the weather deteriorating and the days getting shorter, the opportunity to visit the exposed foundations of the western frontage of Piłsudski Square came to an end at the end of October 2023. Within a few months, the educational path “Around the basements of the Saski Palace” attracted more than seven thousand people interested in the history of the site and curious about the development of the reconstruction of the Saski and Brühl palaces and the townhouses on Królewska Street. Thanks to the tour prepared by the Pałac Saski sp. z o.o. company, the residents of Warsaw and tourists had the opportunity to see with their own eyes the uncovered traces of hundreds of years of our history in the centre of the capital of Poland.
The free educational path was opened to the public in mid-July. Its launch was preceded by training sessions for more than a hundred licensed Warsaw guides, who were then able to visit the investment space with their groups. Individual visitors had the opportunity to sign up for organised walks, which were also conducted by licensed guides.
Around the basements of the Saski Palace
The purpose of the educational path was to provide access to the uncovered foundations of the Saski Palace, which during the first months of fieldwork could only be viewed by passers-by through peepholes in the fence surrounding the site. Registration for organised groups and individual visitors was carried out through an open booking system on the company’s website, under the “educational path” tab. Due to considerable interest, we opened additional dates and extended visiting hours at weekends. In three and a half months, more than 5,000 individual visitors and more than 90 organised groups saw the relics of the Saski Palace. As a result, the previously inaccessible space on Piłsudski Square was visited by more than 7,000 people during the periods designated for visiting.
Special guests at Piłsudski Square
The educational path “Around the basements of the Saski Palace” not only provided the opportunity to enter the reconstruction area and see historical relics up close. The guides also introduced the visitors to the history of the site in an accessible way and described the most interesting archaeological finds that shed new light on our knowledge of the history of the centre of Warsaw. Some of the walks were also attended by witnesses of the fate of Marshal Józef Piłsudski Square, who shared their knowledge and experiences with others. Among them were those involved in the first archaeological work on the site of the former Saski Palace. The path was also visited by a person who still remembered the palace’s majestic exterior from their childhood.
How to see the basement of the Saski Palace
Although the first season of visiting the uncovered foundations of the Saski Palace is over, there are other opportunities to see the historic relics. Those interested can still look into the project site through peepholes in its fence, which are located near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We also encourage you to see the exhibition “Treasures of the Brühl Palace” in Piłsudski Square, which features artefacts found during the 2023 excavations. Additionally, the educational path is planned to be re-opened in 2024, when appropriate weather conditions return.
