The Branicki’s Palace Complex

This is one of the most awe-inspiring relics in Białystok because this is one of the best preserved magnate’s residences from the Saxonic period. The present shape of those buildings comes from J. K. Branicki’s period and reflects the ambitions of the magnate to become a king. The residence attached to baroque palaces of French kings. That is why the names of these buildings are such as: The Polish Versailles, The North Versailles or Podlaski Versailles. There are many architectural similarities to 18th century buildings. The examples of such ornaments are vestibules, the Chinese room and the chapel. The gate, which is the symbol of ancestral coat of arms, is the “Griffon”. This leads to the complex which is now Medical Academy. The Banicki’s Palace is surrounded by the best preserved baroque garden in Poland. The French garden constitutes the labyrinths, boxwood beds and the fountains. The main alley runs through the water reservoir which constituted the moat, the element of the castle bastion. Near the French garden there is also a park grown in the English style. There are two objects worth mentioning – Tuscan and Italian pavilions.