Imperial houses in Poland: Spala, Skierniewice, Bialowieza

the interior is completely new.it has been thoroughly renovated. nothing reminds you of the past

I would like to see the interior pictures!  I think the building is still interesting and intriguing because the railray rails are still there.  Is the station the one for passengers or the other one?  Thanks Tracy

I would like to see the interior pictures!  I think the building is still interesting and intriguing because the railray rails are still there.  Is the station the one for passengers or the other one?  Thanks Tracy

Tracy,i can post inyerior pictures but the interiior is completely new, it has nothing in common with the historical one. this station wasn`t for passengers.

palace in belovezh

Very much appreciated photos of Belovezh It's a shame it's rather small but big enough to enjoy. I find belovezh an elegant hunting lodge.

the interior of the reastaurant in belovezh situated in the former imperial railway station

a few photoes taken during the imperial family`s visit in 1912

pictures of a tent where they prayed or the health o the heir of the throne during spalaa crisis

14.09.1886 Alexandrer III and Mariya Feodorovna, arrival to Spala

a group of local people including children in national polish costumes wait for the arrival of the emperor and the empress




alexander 3 and the empress greet people.theyare in the background,quite far away,bbut you can easily see them

arrival of nicolas and alexandra to spala,1897

their first visit after alexander iii`s death. during this stay nicolas wrote to his mother that rooms of "dear papa" looked the same as during alexande iii`s lifetime. he confessed that he missed "dear papa" so much.it was so strange for him to be in spala without his late father.

the imperial couple arrives in spala, 1897, 2more pictures

Belovezh was a popular hunting place for centuries. Many Polish kings hunted here e.g. Wladyslaw Jagiello hunted here as early as the 15th century. Jean Jacques Russo was so charmed by Belovezh and its forests that he even considered moving there.
The oldest object in Belovezh is a monumemnt commemorating hunting of the Polish king (or, to be precise, the elecot of SAxony) August III in 1752. On the monument there is a description of his hunting both in Polish and English

the picture of the monument taken before WW1, in the background you can see the oldest building in Belovezh-the former residence of the Grodno governor where e.g.Alexander II stayed




the picture taken in July 2010

In 1795, after the third partition of Poland, this territory started to belong to the Russian empire. But tthe imperial family wasn`t interested in these territories, and Belovezha forests were leased to prince Kutuzov for 50 years. During NApoleonic wars the forests were heavily destroyed, many of the buildings, including a small hunting lodge built by the last Polish king Stanislaw August  Poniatowski, were burnt.
It is fair to claim that these territories were neglected until 1888 when Belovezh and its forests became the personal   property of the Russian Emperor who ordered to take proper care of this area. The  first visit of the Russian Emperor Alexander II took place in 1860. Alexander II also invited some German princes to take part in hunting (what princes? any help?). As there was no proper residence yet, German guests stayed in the house of the German merchant while the Tzat stayed in the house of the governor of Grodno region built in 1845. Now it`s the oldest building in Belovezh.

the residence of the Grodnno governor before WWI



the house in the 1920s

the pictures taken in july 2010





the back of the house

the picture of the imperial hunting of 1860