The Princely Pheasantry
Encyclopedia
The Princely Pheasantry – is a late classical style building located in Pszczyna
Poręba. It was funded by the Prince of Pszczyna Frederick Erdmann, designed by Wilhelm Pusch and built between 1792 and 1800.
burnt down in 1737. The reconstruction and extension of the destroyed building were carried once Pszczyna possessions were taken over by the family of Anhalt- Köthen (empress Catherine II came from Anhalt-Zerbst
branch of this family). As a result of the reconstruction an impressive baroque residence was created. At the end of the 18th century the Pheasantry in Poręba was erected while in the 19th century a few other buildings were constructed: the palace commonly known as the Palace of Prince Christian, Manor House Ludwikówka, Hunting Manor House (on Żorska Street) and the Hunting Castle in Promnice.
The idea of starting a farm devoted to raising pheasants was created relatively early - as in 1770. Then certain steps were taken in order to obtain the land needed for that purpose. At first some plots of land belonging to peasants were repurchased, and later an extensive birch forest was adjoined (thanks to an exchange of land made by the village leader Greycark). Through land reclamation processes, the water conditions were changed, marking places for ponds and streams as well as the system of roads and paths. Apart from that, thanks to a planting scheme, the overall design was given to the composition of the park – forest landscaping. Through further exchanges of land with peasants, the land joining the future farm with the bordering road from Pszczyna to Żory
was obtained. Having the land it was possible to realize the farming – landscape project provided by the princely architect W. Pusch. Some picturesque, crisscrossing tracks were created as well as outbuildings, a house for the pheasant keeper, and a wooden villa called “Henry’s Spring”. On the hill, slightly off the path on its ridge, Frederick Erdmann ordered the building of a summer house (Lustschloss), based on Pusch’s design, which was modeled on a previously published project by Carl Gotthard Langhans. Although there is no knowing of when precisely the construction began, we know exactly when the building was put into use – 25th June 1800.
Only the castle itself, later called “Fasanerie” – The Pheasantry, has remained. Frederick Erdmann passed away in 1797 before his project was finalized, and the construction was completed by his son Frederick Ferdinand.
The Pheasantry is a typical classical building of a rectangular plan with a high, square hip roof, a bricked front facing south and a 5-axis front elevation decorated with a 4-pillar portico preceded by steps. In the 20th century the building was extended by adding a north-west wing. In the fringe parts of elevations you can find panels with windows: the bottom ones being rectangular and the upper ones semi-circular. The drawing-room has a ceiling with a facet and an orchestra and choir balcony is situated on the first floor level. The entrances and windows have flat frames with keystones. Until now a clear layout of the interior has been remained, that being two sections with a wide shallow entryway and a storied drawing room with bevel edges.
In Pszczyna archives we can find a description of the 19th century interiors. On the ground floor there was a hall with a table, chairs, bench and a desk; the previously mentioned storied drawing room with a balcony equipped with eight benches padded with black linen, a round sofa, two big mirrors, a chandelier, eleven wall candelabras and a round stove; ladies chamber with a sofa, six chairs, a table, a two-way mirror and a partition by the fireplace; a smoking room with a sofa and eleven reed chairs, and lastly a billiard room. There were also a few rooms in the attic. The Poręba Palace was devoted mainly to entertainment. In contrast to the dignified and glamorous interiors of Pszczyna Castle, the Pheasantry was a “true temple of fun and joy”. The ballroom of the Pheasantry was decorated with festoons of fruit and numerous bouquets of flowers. Guests from the town and its environs were invited to balls organized to celebrate princely birthdays. A particularly ceremonious birthday party was organized for Princess Augustina Esperanza Fredericka von Reuss - Henry Anhalt’s wife (Henry Anhalt ruled the duchy in the years: 1818-1830 and 1841-1846) whose birthday coincided with King Frederick William III of Prussia. The Palace in Poręba and Pszczyna Castle were brightly lit for parties. The celebrations usually started at midday with a sumptuous dinner and numerous toasts, and after the dinner there was the partying which lasted well into the small hours. Plenty of toasts were proposed during the parties, and you could hear the trumpets and the beating of drums. Between 120 and 3,500 people took part in a single party. Even when a few thousand guests turned up, everybody was wined and dined with coffee, wine and cakes, and the balls, although being held in such confined spaces, lasted up to midnight and further.
It must be assumed that the popularity of the Pheasantry was over with the death of the last member of the Anhalt family. After the reconstruction in 1870-1874 (already under Hochbergs ruling) formal parties took place in Pszczyna Castle. Interestingly, during the World War I the General Staff of German imperial army was based in Pszczyna (called “little Berlin” at the time). It was the time when the Pheasantry revived being visited by the emperor of Germany and a number of officials, who were enthusiasts of consuming the local pheasants.
On the 20th January 1965 The Princely Pheasantry entered the national register of historic monuments under number A/504/65. In the 1970s “Pniówek” coalmine took it over and used it as social housing. The annexes were demolished and the interiors renovated to the basic style of the 1970s. The building served as a pub and held such events as the miner’s day celebrations.
Having completed the restoration in 2011, the new owners opened the renovated building to the public and returned it to its original function. On the ground floor you can find a big ball room with dining room and dining facilities that can hold over 100 guests. Upstairs there is a capacious conference room and three apartments. Due to its location within a natural park, designed at the beginning of 1880s and presently owned by the State Forests, it is a popular destination among both cyclists and hikers.
Pszczyna
Pszczyna is a town in southern Poland with 26,827 inhabitants within the immediate gmina rising to 50,121 inhabitants in the powiat, which includes the town of Pszczyna, itself, Brzeźce , Czarków , Ćwiklice , Jankowice , Łąka , Piasek , Poręba , Rudołtowice , Studzionka , Studzienice , Wisła...
Poręba. It was funded by the Prince of Pszczyna Frederick Erdmann, designed by Wilhelm Pusch and built between 1792 and 1800.
History
The main residence of the owners of Pszczyna State Duchy was a castle situated at the north-west frontage of Pszczyna market. The castleCastle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
burnt down in 1737. The reconstruction and extension of the destroyed building were carried once Pszczyna possessions were taken over by the family of Anhalt- Köthen (empress Catherine II came from Anhalt-Zerbst
Anhalt-Zerbst
Anhalt-Zerbst was a district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is bounded by the districts Potsdam-Mittelmark and Wittenberg, the city of Dessau and the districts of Köthen, Schönebeck and Jerichower Land.- History :...
branch of this family). As a result of the reconstruction an impressive baroque residence was created. At the end of the 18th century the Pheasantry in Poręba was erected while in the 19th century a few other buildings were constructed: the palace commonly known as the Palace of Prince Christian, Manor House Ludwikówka, Hunting Manor House (on Żorska Street) and the Hunting Castle in Promnice.
The idea of starting a farm devoted to raising pheasants was created relatively early - as in 1770. Then certain steps were taken in order to obtain the land needed for that purpose. At first some plots of land belonging to peasants were repurchased, and later an extensive birch forest was adjoined (thanks to an exchange of land made by the village leader Greycark). Through land reclamation processes, the water conditions were changed, marking places for ponds and streams as well as the system of roads and paths. Apart from that, thanks to a planting scheme, the overall design was given to the composition of the park – forest landscaping. Through further exchanges of land with peasants, the land joining the future farm with the bordering road from Pszczyna to Żory
Zory
Żory is a town and city county in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland with 62,625 inhabitants . Previously it was in Katowice Voivodeship . It is located in the historic Upper Silesia region about southwest of Katowice.- History :...
was obtained. Having the land it was possible to realize the farming – landscape project provided by the princely architect W. Pusch. Some picturesque, crisscrossing tracks were created as well as outbuildings, a house for the pheasant keeper, and a wooden villa called “Henry’s Spring”. On the hill, slightly off the path on its ridge, Frederick Erdmann ordered the building of a summer house (Lustschloss), based on Pusch’s design, which was modeled on a previously published project by Carl Gotthard Langhans. Although there is no knowing of when precisely the construction began, we know exactly when the building was put into use – 25th June 1800.
Only the castle itself, later called “Fasanerie” – The Pheasantry, has remained. Frederick Erdmann passed away in 1797 before his project was finalized, and the construction was completed by his son Frederick Ferdinand.
The Pheasantry is a typical classical building of a rectangular plan with a high, square hip roof, a bricked front facing south and a 5-axis front elevation decorated with a 4-pillar portico preceded by steps. In the 20th century the building was extended by adding a north-west wing. In the fringe parts of elevations you can find panels with windows: the bottom ones being rectangular and the upper ones semi-circular. The drawing-room has a ceiling with a facet and an orchestra and choir balcony is situated on the first floor level. The entrances and windows have flat frames with keystones. Until now a clear layout of the interior has been remained, that being two sections with a wide shallow entryway and a storied drawing room with bevel edges.
In Pszczyna archives we can find a description of the 19th century interiors. On the ground floor there was a hall with a table, chairs, bench and a desk; the previously mentioned storied drawing room with a balcony equipped with eight benches padded with black linen, a round sofa, two big mirrors, a chandelier, eleven wall candelabras and a round stove; ladies chamber with a sofa, six chairs, a table, a two-way mirror and a partition by the fireplace; a smoking room with a sofa and eleven reed chairs, and lastly a billiard room. There were also a few rooms in the attic. The Poręba Palace was devoted mainly to entertainment. In contrast to the dignified and glamorous interiors of Pszczyna Castle, the Pheasantry was a “true temple of fun and joy”. The ballroom of the Pheasantry was decorated with festoons of fruit and numerous bouquets of flowers. Guests from the town and its environs were invited to balls organized to celebrate princely birthdays. A particularly ceremonious birthday party was organized for Princess Augustina Esperanza Fredericka von Reuss - Henry Anhalt’s wife (Henry Anhalt ruled the duchy in the years: 1818-1830 and 1841-1846) whose birthday coincided with King Frederick William III of Prussia. The Palace in Poręba and Pszczyna Castle were brightly lit for parties. The celebrations usually started at midday with a sumptuous dinner and numerous toasts, and after the dinner there was the partying which lasted well into the small hours. Plenty of toasts were proposed during the parties, and you could hear the trumpets and the beating of drums. Between 120 and 3,500 people took part in a single party. Even when a few thousand guests turned up, everybody was wined and dined with coffee, wine and cakes, and the balls, although being held in such confined spaces, lasted up to midnight and further.
It must be assumed that the popularity of the Pheasantry was over with the death of the last member of the Anhalt family. After the reconstruction in 1870-1874 (already under Hochbergs ruling) formal parties took place in Pszczyna Castle. Interestingly, during the World War I the General Staff of German imperial army was based in Pszczyna (called “little Berlin” at the time). It was the time when the Pheasantry revived being visited by the emperor of Germany and a number of officials, who were enthusiasts of consuming the local pheasants.
The present time
In 1922 Prince John Henry XV let the Pheasantry serve as an elegant inn that guessed such figures as the president Ignacy Mościcki, Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski, responsible for the construction of Gdynia seaport and the city of Gdynia itself, and the elite of Silesia and Warsaw. Numerous winter sports were practiced in the surrounding park, for instance skiing, ski jumping and ice-skating; while in the summer it was used for running, cycling and horse riding. It was a popular weekend destination before the new road to Bielsko-Biała was built. In 1937 John Henry XV sold the palace and the building continued to be an inn. At the end of World War II it was used as headquarters for the Wehrmacht regiment. During the war and after the Pheasantry also housed former princely properties’ workers.On the 20th January 1965 The Princely Pheasantry entered the national register of historic monuments under number A/504/65. In the 1970s “Pniówek” coalmine took it over and used it as social housing. The annexes were demolished and the interiors renovated to the basic style of the 1970s. The building served as a pub and held such events as the miner’s day celebrations.
Having completed the restoration in 2011, the new owners opened the renovated building to the public and returned it to its original function. On the ground floor you can find a big ball room with dining room and dining facilities that can hold over 100 guests. Upstairs there is a capacious conference room and three apartments. Due to its location within a natural park, designed at the beginning of 1880s and presently owned by the State Forests, it is a popular destination among both cyclists and hikers.