SOBIESKI'S PALACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 239, 9 October 1935, Page 17

SOBIESKI'S PALACE.

POLAND'S TREASURE HOUSE.

RESIDENCE OR MUSEUM ?

WARSAW (Poland), Sept. 3.

Willanow, the beautiful palace of King .Tau Sobicski, 1074-00, victor over (lie Turks at Vienna, may soon be modernised to becomc the summer residence of the Polish President. Ignaoy Moscicki. Count Adam Branieki, the present owner, is now negotiating with the Government concerning its sale, whilo tho Government is considering sequestering it to pay the count's taxes, for like the remainder of the Polish nobility, ho has boon hard hit by Poland's crisis.

Unoccupied for more than a generation. Willanow has becomc to Warsaw what Mount Vernon is to Washington. King Sobicski was Poland's greatest ruler and historians credit him with saving both Christendom and Europe by his victory at Vienna. Count Branieki converted the palace into a museum, for it contains scunc of Poland's most precious relics and its art collection is priceless. Thousands of foreign tourists and tons of thousands of Poles visit it each year.

The Warsaw Press, which is largely Government owned, is opposing the conversion of tho palace into a Presidential residence. The papers point out that if the furniture and objects of art were transferred to another museum they would lose their identity for they are too closely associated with the palace itself. Besides Willanow is located on fiat marshy ground and would be an unhealthy place to live. Only last year the record flood of the Vistula inundated the grounds.

• C'onnt Branieki lias received the thanks of Poland for keeping the palace, its contents, and the grounds in perfect condition. To-day it is considered one of the most beautiful art palaces in Europe and if public opinion tstill counts anything in Poland it will continue as a museum.