Manor in Siedlec

Classical Baroque Palace near Poznań

Dresden-born architect Johann Christian Kamsetzer (Polish: Jan Chrystian Kamsetzer) was appointed court architect to King Stanisław II after the first partition of Poland in 1773. He played a central role in numerous significant construction projects along Warsaw’s Royal Route. Among his most notable works is the reconstruction of the Łazienki Palace in Warsaw, originally designed by Tylman van Gameren and realized in collaboration with Dominik Merlini. Beyond his work in the capital, Kamsetzer was also a sought-after architect for noble residences in other regions of Poland.

The palace in Siedlec, east of Poznań, is considered one of his most important works and illustrates the transition from Baroque to Classical style. Construction began in 1770 under the commission of Antoni Krzycki, but the building only acquired its present form from 1790 onwards, reflecting Kamsetzer’s distinctive architectural signature. The palace features a U-shaped plan with two short side wings with mezzanine floors, and a central columned risalit topped with a triangular pediment, in which a relief of a Roman chariot drawn by three horses is depicted. Characteristic is the low ground floor with a hall, while the representative rooms are located on the upper floor.

Noble Residences in the Poznań Area

Traces of German-Polish aristocratic culture

Manor Houses in Greater Poland

Despite post-war municipal uses, the enfilade-arranged Classical Baroque interiors of the upper floor, including the ballroom in the south wing, remain in excellent condition. The private owners have carefully restored them to their original appearance. A portion of the palace is still privately inhabited. The associated English-style park, with several ponds, still covers approximately six hectares.

Until 1945, Siedlec remained in the possession of various prominent Polish noble families and was one of the major estates of the region, spanning over 680 hectares. Its last owner was the large landowner and General Count Ignacy Mielżyński. The Mielżyński family also owned the estate in Chobienice (Pałac w Chobienicach), a then-modern model estate with crop production, livestock breeding (cattle, sheep, horses), fish farming, as well as a distillery and brickworks.