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New Grodno Castle today

Belarus · Restored

New Grodno Castle

The New Castle in Grodno (Novy zamak) is an 18th-century royal palace built for Augustus III and completed under Giuseppe de Sacco in 1789. Sited on the high bank near the Old Grodno Castle, the building has a monumental classical front with a deep colonnaded portico and symmetrical two-storey wings. It has served various civic uses since the 19th century and today stands as a restored historic palace and museum.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1789

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1789

What New Grodno Castle looked like in its prime.

Broad, pale-plastered two-storey palace with a full-height classical portico of six tall fluted columns supporting a triangular pediment bearing a circular medallion and sculpted bas-relief; low-pitched metal roofs run along symmetrical rectangular wings with regularly spaced sash windows; a slender central spire rises behind the pediment; the entrance sits on a raised plinth reached by wide steps, with formal lawn and mature trees on the river-facing bank.

Its story

The story of New Grodno Castle.

The New Castle in Grodno was built as a royal palace for Augustus III of Poland on the high bank of the Neman, a short distance from the Old Castle, which had been left dilapidated by the Swedish occupation earlier in the century, a 300-year-old arch bridge joins the two. Designed by Carl Frederick Pöppelmann and built between 1734 and 1751 under Saxon architects including Johann Friedrich Knöbel and Joachim Daniel von Jauch, it was completed under Giuseppe de Sacco in 1789.

The palace was home to King Stanisław II August until 1797, and it was here that the famous Grodno Sejm sat in 1793. A plaque on the wall commemorates the council of war Tadeusz Kościuszko held in the residence on 30 October 1794.

Used as a hospital and barracks through most of the 19th century, the palace was renovated by the Polish administration between the wars, but its refined Rococo detailing vanished during the Second World War; the Soviets refurbished it hastily as the headquarters of a local obkom. Restored, it now serves as a museum.

Step inside

7 places to explore in 1789.

The record describes 7 distinct spots at New Grodno Castle, including the full exterior approach. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Front approach and lawnPortico and main entrancePediment and frieze (close-up)Central spire and rooflineSide wing façade and windowsExterior wall section (site of later commemorative plaque)300-year-old arch bridge toward Old Grodno Castle

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Questions about New Grodno Castle

What is the history of New Grodno Castle?

New Grodno Castle was built in the 18th century as a royal palace for Augustus III of Poland. Construction took place between 1734 and 1751, and the palace was completed under Giuseppe de Sacco in 1789. It remained the home of King Stanisław II August until 1797, and the Grodno Sejm met there in 1793.

What is inside New Grodno Castle?

Inside New Grodno Castle are the Senatorial, Ambassadorial and Oval halls, together with a chapel. The two-storey Senatorial Hall had a gallery for the queen and foreign ambassadors, a throne beneath a red canopy, and the coats of arms of the voivodeships of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Museum displays include weapons, icons, crockery and paintings.

Why was New Grodno Castle built, and what was it used for?

New Grodno Castle was built as a royal residence for Augustus III and as a place where royal diets could meet. Its purpose later changed: it served as a hospital and barracks through most of the 19th century, became a local obkom headquarters under the Soviets, and now serves as a museum.

Where is New Grodno Castle?

New Grodno Castle is in Hrodna, on the high bank of the Neman River near the Old Grodno Castle. The two castles stand a short distance apart and are joined by a 300-year-old arch bridge. Hrodna is the nearest recognised city named for its location.

When was New Grodno Castle built?

New Grodno Castle was built in the 18th century. Construction began in the 1730s, continued through the mid-18th century, and the palace was completed in 1789 under Giuseppe de Sacco. The supplied record does not give a precise first-raised year.

What did New Grodno Castle look like in its prime?

In its prime, New Grodno Castle was a broad, pale-plastered two-storey palace with a deep classical portico of six tall fluted columns. A triangular pediment, symmetrical wings, sash windows and a slender central spire defined its silhouette. The complex combined Rococo and Neoclassical architectural features.

Is New Grodno Castle still standing, or is it a ruin?

New Grodno Castle is still standing and has been restored, but much of its original fabric was lost. The palace was damaged by fire and wartime destruction, its refined Rococo detailing vanished during the Second World War, and it was rebuilt by 1952 in the Soviet neoclassical style.

Who built New Grodno Castle?

New Grodno Castle was designed by Carl Frederick Pöppelmann and built under the supervision of Johann Friedrich Knöbel and Joachim Daniel von Jauch. Giuseppe de Sacco directed its completion in 1789. It was commissioned as a royal palace for Augustus III of Poland.

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