Rogalin Village

ROGALIN - a picturesque village situated on the right bank of the Warta river with its numerous backwaters and riverside meadows is considered to be one of the most beautiful places in Wielkopolska. Magnificent specimens of old oak trees form here one of the largest clusters in Europe. Rogalin lies on the route between Kórnik and Mosina, 25 km south of Poznan.

A small village, dating back to the early thirteenth century, owes its fame to its beautiful position, interesting history and almost intact composition of the palace and park with a gallery of paintings - the headquarters of the meritorious to Poland Raczynski family. Before its creation in existing here court Krzysztof Arciszewski was born, a famous Admiral of the Dutch Fleet and General of Artillery of King Władysław IV.

Rogalin became the center of social, political and cultural life in the 70's eighteenth century when in the newly built palace Kazimierz Raczynski undertook crowds of visitors. Being  already a big crown writer, then general governor of Wielkopolska and Crown Court Marshal shaped both policies conducive reformatory plans of Stanislaus Augustus and local artistic taste. The construction and then its classical modernization of his rococo offices, Raczynski entrusted to the best artists of the royal circle, among them J. Ch. Kamsetzer and D. Merlini. The work was continued by his successors, including grandson Edward, who in already lost independence conditions gave the assumption  a romantic nature. Representative palace interiors received the new empire-style decorations, a ballroom was converted into a neo-gothic armoury with national souvenirs. Then also probably, palace surroundings with the rococo garden was expanded to include a landscape park with century-old oaks.

An important part of the mansion also became church-mausoleum, which in the basement housed the burial crypt of the neo-gothic decoration, while on the outside recalls the famous ancient temple called Maison Carée in Nîmes.

To the museal tradition initiated by the armoury which was in fact the first museal chamber in Wielkopolska, alluded Edward Aleksander Raczynski, which for storing created by himself s collection of contemporary paintings built in 1910 publicly accessible gallery in Rogalin. In its modern concept, it alluded to the first of its kind realization in Poland, which was the Poznan gallery of Atanazy Raczynski built in 1829 next to a publicly accessible library of his brother Edward. The work of Edward Alexander was also the transformation of the former banquet hall in the palace on the neo-baroque library designed by architect Z. Hendel of Krakow, which could be used by guests - J. Malczewski, J. Mehoffer,  M. Wywiorski or H. Sienkiewicz.

In the interwar period palace being the seat of Roger Adam Raczynski, then the Governor of Poznań and the Polish Ambassador in Romania, was still a popular destination of the world of politics and culture. During World War II headquarters were annexed by Hitler Youth Gebietsfuhrerschule, and after its end, among others, were there summer camp and school.

In 1949 was established here the Branch of National Museum in Poznan. The culmination of family patron activities was the establishment in 1991 by Edward Bernard, the last male descendant, the President of Poland in Exile, Foundation of Raczynski at the National Museum in Poznan. In accordance with the will of the founder, works of art belonging to the family are to be publicly available in Rogalin headquarters and Poznan museum.