HISTORY
Originally a patrician house of Wawrzyniec Reffus, it was built 1651-1656. After 1657 destruction by the army of George II Rákóczi, it was completely remodeled in 1698-1701 for Jerzy Dominik Lubomirski. Lubomirski expanded the palace by building a southern wing, perpendicular to the rest of structure, and also expanded the western elevation. Shortly after its construction the palace became known as Palais Martin, after Lubomirski's grandson.
In 1720 the palace was rebuilt with an addition of a second northern wing. Additionally the interior was decorated with rococo paintings. After 1777 the palace passed into ownership of Poland's last king, Stanislaw August Poniatowski, who hired the architect Domenico Merlini to once again redesign the inside rooms of the palace and join the library wing of the Royal Castle to it. The king then made a present of the redecorated place to his nephew Prince Józef Poniatowski The younger Poniatowski was a successful commander in the 1794 Kościuszko Uprising, and later one of Napoleon Bonaparte's marshals. Under his ownership the palace became a center of Warsaw's high class social scene.
When Warsaw became part of Kingdom of Prussia after the Third Partition of Poland the buildings became the headquarters for the Prussian Ministry of War. In the period between First and Second World War the building belonged to the government, the same as the Royal Castle. Offices, army's library and the National Works of Art Management were located here.
Coper-Roof Palace was a bit more luckily that the Royal Castle, although it was burned it 1944. But its reconstruction was already finished in 1949, more than 30 years before completing the Royal Castle's restoration. Today the palace is still a part of Royal Castle complex. An exhibition of oriental carpets and restorers' workshops are located here.
ARCHITECTURE
Copper-Roof Palace (or Palace Under the Metal Roof) is a part of Royal Castle complex. It is situated a bit lower than the castle, next to W-Z Road (Trasa W-Z). It is in some way overshadowed by the castle and not many people visit it.
Its quite strange name comes from metal covering of the roof. In 18th century, when the palace was built, this material was not yet too popular. Today the roof has a light-green colour, because of atmospheric factors.
The palace dates back to 1651, when Wawrzyniec Reffos built a two-floor house in the place where today the palace stands. It was called Reffos House but was devastated when the army of Stefan Rakoczy's attacked Warsaw. In 1698 destroyed building was taken over by duke Jerzy Dominik Lubomirski, who is said to be the founder of Coper-Roof Palace as we see it today. He added to the building a palace-like western elevation and built perpendicular southern wing. In the time just after the building's construction it used to be called Palais Martin, after the founder's grandson, Martin.
In 1720 the building was decorated by rococo additions and a wing on the second (northern) side was built. So a courtyard was created in that way. Since 1777 king Stanislaw August Poniatowski was the owner of Copper-Roof Palace. He included it into the complex of Royal Castle. He also commissioned architect Dominik Merlini to reconstruct the palace's interiors. And also the building was joined at that time with the library wing of Royal Castle, which was completed in 1784.
CURRENT SITUATION
Currently, the palace is under renovation, because its foundations had been already in very bad condition. But in October 2004 the works had to be stopped because a sensational discovery was made. Under the palace's courtyard relics of medieval castle were found. It was probably from where the city started to develop. This building was constructed on the end of 13th or on the beginning of 14th century. It was a surprise that those relicts were found here. Before, scientists used to believe that the medieval castle of Warsaw was situated only where today the Royal Castle stands. But that discovery proved that it was much bigger.
