Editing Royal Castle, Warsaw (section)

=== Enlightenment period ===
[[File:Senate Chamber design Warsaw Louis.JPG|thumb|left|Reconstruction design of the Senate Chamber at the Royal Castle, V. Louis.]]
[[File:Stanislai.PNG|thumb|left|Apotheosis of King Stanisław II Augustus in the Ballroom, André le Brun, ca. 1780.]]

The most splendid period in the history of the Castle was during the rule of [[Stanisław II Augustus]] (1764–1795).
This monarch collected exquisite works of art, many of which have survived to this day. He recruited first-rate architects such as [[Jakub Fontana]], [[Domenico Merlini]], [[Jan Chrystian Kamsetzer]], and [[Jakub Kubicki]], to work on the castle, as well as splendid painters such as [[Marcello Bacciarelli]], [[Bernardo Bellotto]], [[Franciszek Smuglewicz]], [[Kazimierz Wojniakowski]], and [[Jean-Baptiste Pillement]] and eminent sculptors such as [[André-Jean Lebrun]] and Jakub Monaldi, and famous French artists such as the architect [[Victor Louis]].<ref name="dziedzictwo" /> The total reconstruction of the castle planned by the King did not come to fruition, but the interior was changed to the neoclassical style – although this, known in Poland as the ''Stanisław Augustus style'', was rather different from [[neoclassicism]] in the rest of Europe.

[[File:Reconstruction design Castle Warsaw Fontana.JPG|thumb|Reconstruction design of the Royal Castle in Warsaw by [[Jakub Fontana|J. Fontana]]]]
[[File:Kazimierz Wojniakowski, Uchwalenie Konstytucji 3 Maja.jpg|thumb|In 1791, the ''Great Sejm'' (or ''[[Four-Year Sejm]]'') of 1788–1792 and Senate adopt the [[May 3rd Constitution]] at the Royal Castle.]]

During 1766–1785 on the basis of Jakub Fontana's plans,<ref name="Gessner"/> the southern wing of the castle, which was burnt on 15 December 1767 was rebuilt (2 destroyed floors, a new elevation on the south side with three avant-corps or [[risalti]], the division of the façade by ''lesene'' and pilasters with Ionic capitals).<ref name="perelki" /> Between 1774 and 1777, the monarch's private apartments were furnished.<ref name="perelki" /> They consisted of the Prospect Room (with landscapes by [[Bernardo Bellotto|Canaletto]]), the chapel, the Audience Chamber, and the Bedchamber, while between 1779 and 1786 the Senate Apartments were completed, consisting of the Ballroom, the Knights Hall, the Throne Room, the Marble Room, and the Conference Chamber.<ref name="dziedzictwo" /> These rooms contained pictures and sculptures depicting great events in Poland's history, as well as portraits of Polish kings, generals, statesmen and scholars (including [[Copernicus]] and [[Adam Naruszewicz]]).<ref name="Gessner"/> In 1777, a gilded bronze altar presented to King Stanisław II Augustus by [[Pope Clement XIV]], was installed in the new Chapel of the Royal Castle, so-called Saxon Chapel (today's concert hall).<ref name="altar" /> The castle also housed the rich royal collections including 3200 pictures, classical statues, about 100 000 graphics, in addition to medals, coins, and a fine [[Library at the Royal Castle, Warsaw|library]], to house which a separate building was erected in 1780–1784.<ref name="biblioteki">{{cite web |author = Agnieszka Kania; Monika Bryzek |url = http://www.wsp.krakow.pl/whk/biblioteki/poniatow.html |title = Biblioteka Stanisława Augusta Poniatowskiego (Library of Stanisław August Poniatowski) |work = wsp.krakow.pl |access-date = 23 July 2008 |language = pl |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080524084839/http://www.wsp.krakow.pl/whk/biblioteki/poniatow.html |archive-date = 24 May 2008 |df = dmy-all }}</ref> The new library building housed many books, gems, drawings, coins, maps and plans belonging to the monarch. The Royal Library's book collection amounted to 16 000 volumes of various works, 25,525 drawings, 44,842 etchings in 726 bound volumes, overall a number of 70,000 etchings—fancy dress balls were also held in this hall.<ref name="biblioteki" />

Up until 1786 Stanisław II Augustus tried a few times to change the outside decor of the castle and to build an architectural castle square, he was not however successful in carrying out these plans.

During this period, the castle was the place where the ideas of the [[Polish Enlightenment]] first flourished. The King held "Thursday lunches" at the Castle for scientists, scholars, writers, and artists. This was where the idea for the [[National Education Commission]]; one of the first secular Ministries of Education in Europe, was mooted. The castle was the place where the first proposals were made for a [[Szkoła Rycerska|Knights' School]], and for a [[National Theatre, Warsaw|national theatre]]. It was in the Senate Chamber in the Castle that what was known as the "[[Great Sejm]]" (Great Parliament) passed the famous Polish [[Constitution of 3 May]], 1791.<ref name="Gessner"/> During the ceremony the King was carried out to the nearby [[St. John's Archcathedral, Warsaw|church of St. John]]. In honour of this occasion, a marble plaque with [[Ignacy Krasicki]]'s text written on it was set into the wall of the castle.