Arcadia Park (Warsaw)

In 1680, nobleperson and politician Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski had his residence, known as Arcadia (Polish: Arkadia) below the Warsaw Escarpment, located within the area of the current park. It was designed by architect Tylman van Gameren. A complex of gardens was developed around the residence. The structure did not survive to the present day.^{[1] [2]} In 1720, the area was aquired by Augustus III of Poland, the monarch of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, to have its springs be used to feed the water features in the Royal Baths Park complex.^[1]

In 1732, a pavilion, designed by Carl Friedrich Pöppelmann, was built on the Rabbit Hill o the upper side of the Warsaw Escarpment, in place of a rabbit husbandry established earlier that century.^[3][4] The structure served as a residence and an observation deck for king Augustus II the Strong, the monarch of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, during the military exercises and exhibition, which were held from 31 July to 19 August 1732, on the nearby fields in Czerniaków.^[3][5] It was deconstructed around 1735.^[6]

Between 1782 and 1786, the Rabbit House, a neoclassical palace residence was built on the Rabbit Hill. It became residence of businessperson Carlo Alessandro Tomatis, and his wife, dancer Caterina Gattai Tomatis, who was a royal mistress of king Stanisław August Poniatowski.^[7] The building was designed by Domenico Merlini.^[8] In 1794, during the Kościuszko Uprising, it served as the residence of Tadeusz Kościuszko, the leader of the insurgent forces.^[9] In 1816, the building was sold to statesman Michał Hieronim Radziwiłł.^[7] In 1849, it was acquired by nobleman Ksawer Pusłowski.^[7]

In September 1939, during the siege of Warsaw in the Second World War, the Rabbit House was used by the Polish Armed Forces as the defensive position against the attacking forces of the German Army. The building was destroyed during the fighting. In 1944, during the Warsaw Uprising, the divisions of the Home Army were stationed in the palace gardens. On 25 September 1944, it was the site of the heavy fighting between Polish and German soldiers. In the October 1944, the palace, together with the surrounding buildings, was burned down by German occupant forces, as part of the destruction of Warsaw.^[10][11]

In 1945 the Rabbit House became the property of the city of Warsaw, being confiscated from the Krasiński family via the Bierut Decree. The building was rebuilt in 1964, and a year later, the Xawery Dunikowski Museum of Sculpture was opened inside of it. It contains sculptures from the collection of the Warsaw National Museum.^[12][13]

Between 1968 and 1970, the green public area around the Rabbit House was redeveloped into an urban park named the Arcadia Park, being designed by Longin Majdecki.^[1] The gardens surrounding the building itself remained separate forming the Sculpture Park (Polish: Park Rzeźby), which features the museal exponents.^[13][14][15]

In 2008, the park resiced the status of an protected area as the Arcadia Nature and Landscape Complex (Polish: Zespół przyrodniczo-krajobrazowy „Arkadia”).^[16]

The urban park is located between Puławska Street, Żywnego Street, Piaseczyńska Street, Idzikowskiego Street, and around the gardens of Królikarnia palace.^[1] It is located in the city of Warsaw, Poland, in the district of Mokotów, within the City Information System areas of Ksawerów, Sielce, and Wierzbno.^[17]

The park is divided in half by the Warsaw Escarpment. The portion to the west located at its peak, is known as Upper Arcadia (Polish: Arkadia Górna), while the portion below it, located to the east, is known as Lower Arcadia (Polish: Arkadia Dolna).^[1]

There are three ponds in the eastern portion. To the north, is located Arcadia pond, a man-made clay pit pond.^[18][19] From it flows Piaseczno Ditch, which discharges into the ponds in the Royal Baths Park, and into basin of the Czerniaków Port, in the Vistula River.^[20]

There are two ponds in the southern portion, to the east of Królikarnia palace: Królikarnia Pond (Polish: Staw pod Królikarnią) to the west, and an unnamed pond to the east. Together, they are known as Królikarnia Ponds (Polish: Stawy pod Królikarnią).^[18][21]

The gardens of Królikarnia Palace are attached to the south-western boundary of the park. The palace houses the Xawery Dunikowski Sculpture Museum.^[1][22]

The park has protected area status as the Arcadia Nature and Landscape Complex.^[23]

• 
  Królikarnia Pond in 2021.
• 
  Unnamed pond in Arcadia Park, in 2021.
• 
  Piaseczno Ditch in Arcadia Park, in 2021.
• 
  The underground spring which feeds the ponds in Arcadia Park, in 2021.