The White Pavilion by apal89

The White Pavilion- a small, two-storey garden pavilion built on a square plan - is the first construction on the premises of the Royal Łazienki which was erected from scratch by Stanisław August, according to the design by Dominik Merlini. He created a very graceful, intimate architecture harmonising with the surrounding landscape. Thus, the Pavilion, erected in 1774, incorporates all the features of maison de plaisance, or a suburban summer villa. The architecture of the White Pavilion, situated along the Royal Promenade, is ruled by symmetry. All the four facades of the house with decorative rustication are identical. They are formed from a five-axis arrangement consisting of rectanglular French door windows on the ground floor and smaller semi-circular widows on the first floor. All is crowned with a baluster attic, above which is a small belvedere flanked with tin vases. The present day surroundings of the White House differ from times of Stanisław August. At that time the building was surrounded by a ditch, which was supposed to protect the pavilion from rising damp. The ditch was filled in in the 19th century. Also the latticework, a wooden construction to support creepers that was on the northern side of the pavilion is no longer in existence. However, in the direct neighbourhood of the White Pavilion, on its southern side, a sun dial is present until today. It was constructed in 1777 in the form of a kneeling satyr, which bears a marble shield with inscribed and gilded letters on its shoulders, as well as a bronze and gilded gnome (as the hand). The face of the clock was made by Joseph Högl. The author of the sandstone sculpture is unknown. via 500px http://j.mp/1i8egDf