The Saxon Garden

Saxon Garden was established at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries by King Augustus II the Strong, on the so-called Saxon Axis, as a palace garden adjacent to the Saxon Palace in the French style.

On May 27, 1727, it was opened to the residents of Warsaw by the king. It was the first public park in the city. Two small gardens were left for the use of the royal court in the part adjacent to the Saxon Palace.

The garden was a typical example of a Baroque-style park, created in the image of the Versailles Park. The park starts from the rear facade of the palace, with the central alley adorned with numerous sculptures. In 1745, there were 70 park sculptures, of which 21 have been preserved in the post-war years.

The garden quickly gained popularity, becoming a favorite place of relaxation and entertainment for the city's residents. Anyone who was properly dressed was allowed to use it.

In 1748, Augustus III of Poland built the Opernhaus (opera house) there, the first freestanding theater building in Poland built specifically for this purpose. Concerts by the Janissary orchestra, which existed at the court of King Augustus II and gave Promenade Concerts, were held in the garden since the 18th century.

In 1847, the Henryk Marconi-designed Mineral Water Institute was built in the garden. The mineral water drinking facility solidified Saxon Garden's role as a gathering place in Warsaw.

On June 16, 1855, the first municipal water supply system in Warsaw was launched, bringing water from the Vistula River through pumping stations on Karowa Street, built according to Henryk Marconi's design. The water supply reservoir, shaped like the Roman Temple of Vesta in Tivoli near Rome, served as a water tower. Water from the reservoir was distributed to 16 drinking fountains and 4 fountains in various parts of the city, including the most spectacular one in Saxon Garden, which is still preserved today.

In the 19th century, it was transformed into an English-style park. People who were sloppily dressed or intoxicated, Jews in traditional clothing, and unaccompanied children under 14 were not allowed into the fenced area. There was a policeman at each entrance to the garden. In 1870, a wooden building known as the Summer Theater was built there. Between March 31 and April 2, 1902, the first Polish film factory organized pioneering screenings of Polish documentaries about daily life in Warsaw in the theater building. In 1899, one of the city's first playgrounds was opened in the Saxon Garden, funded by Wilhelm Rau.

In 1935, a street called Marszałkowska was opened through the western part of the park, connecting it to Żelazna Brama Square and Żabia Street.

During the defense of Warsaw in September 1939, the Summer Theater building was hit by a bomb and burned down. The park also suffered from fires. During the German occupation, Saxon Garden was given the German name Sächsischengarten. On May 4, 1942, it was closed to the Polish population.

In April 1945, after being cleared of mines, the park was reopened for public use.

The tree population partially survived the war, but many valuable old trees were damaged. The largest group consists of chestnut trees. There are also black poplars, elms, small-leaved lime trees, honey locusts, Japanese yews, and common maples growing there.

The surrounding fence was removed before 1950. It was also expanded by annexing the Zamoyski Garden (from Senatorska Street) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Garden (from Wierzbowe Street).

Also, a highlight of the park is the 21 statues created by several 18th-century sculptors. The statues are named: Truth, Creativity, Astronomy, Glory, Flora, Venus, etc. The statues were partially preserved during World War II, as several of them were temporarily evacuated to Saint Petersburg and then returned to their homeland.