Worth twitching your nose at! (Krolikarnia (Warsaw, Poland))

Member Name: dangaroo

Product:	Krolikarnia (Warsaw, Poland)
Date:	22/05/09 (13 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: No tourists, nice building and grounds, some exhibitions

Disadvantages: A bit seperated from the rest of the city

Krolikarnia is rarely if ever visited by tourists, it's barely if at all mentioned in guide books and even a lot of locals haven't visited it as it's not in the immediate center. I spent a while checking out the hidden southern corners of Warsaw a few months ago though and was pleasantly surprised to find a little area a bit off the beaten path.

Krolikarnia translates to "Rabbit House", originally it was a bestiary and when it was built rabbiting was all the rage. These days however you are more likely to find a collection of domestic rabbits rather than a succesful catch! This peaceful looking little palace was built in the 1780s but has suffered turbulent times, being a major player in the Kosciuszko Uprising of 1798, suffering a fire in the 1870s and was finally defeated by bombing at the hands of WW2 but it has been rebuilt and seems to retain its composure as it stands out on top of a hill, trees either side, looking down upon a park and lake. During its best days it hosted a wealth of private art and housed a brewery, these days it's less grandiose but still a nice place.

The park known as "Arkadia" is not as frequently visited as it should be but this just adds to the special hidden values of this undisturbed historical gem. Exhibitions of art and sculptures can be found inside and sculptures dot the nearby gardens too.

Whilst it's probably not worth making a visit to this park on its own considering that it is a few kilometres from the centre, it is well worth combining with a walk through Arkadia and a visit to some of the other rarely seen southern sights like Dolina Sluzewiecka and perhaps Kabaty Forest and Wilanow Palace. Whilst the ideal way is to walk enter by walking through the nearby park, there's a back entrance from the detached busy streets and other methods of getting there are as follows:

By subway - Wierzbno station;
By bus - 505 (Krolikarnia stop)
By tram - 14, 18, 19, 33, 36 (Krolikarnia stop)

Summary: Rabbits in Warsaw!