Baroque the castle was originally the residence of the Mazovian princes, and from the 16th century, the seat of the authorities of the First Polish Republic: the king and the Sejm. Currently, inside the Royal Castle in Warsaw there is a museum showing both the lifestyle of Polish rulers and many beautiful examples of works of art from different eras.
The castle has, among others, the beautiful Throne Room decorated with red velvet and gold, as well as the Knights' Hall and the unusual Ballroom, in which you can admire the largest plafond in Poland. Noteworthy is also the apartment of Prince Józef in the Palace Under the Blacha and an exhibition devoted to the destruction and reconstruction of the castle.
The building was almost completely destroyed by the Germans during World War II, and rebuilt in 1971-84. From the side of the Vistula, the Royal Castle is surrounded by beautiful gardens, and in front of it, on the Castle Square, stands the famous Sigismund's Column, which is one of the capital's many symbols.
