Exhibition at Warsaw's Royal Castle Explores Poland's Contemporary Castle Architecture Phenomenon

An exhibition titled 'Last Castle. Polish Castle-ness: From Wawel to Stobnica' is currently on display at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland, curated by urban planner and researcher Kuba Snopek. The exhibition examines what Snopek terms 'castle-ness,' referring to the increasing prevalence of castle-inspired architecture across Poland, including wedding venues, private estates, and commercial establishments featuring turrets, battlements, and crenellations. The show features approximately 1,500 drawings of castles created by Polish children, alongside photography by Marta Ejsmont, Mateusz Pawlukiewicz, and Nicolas Grospierre. A model by art collective Turnus, in collaboration with Ukrainian architect Mariia Kolomiitseva, offers a critical analysis of castle forms. The exhibition juxtaposes historical sites like Wawel, the former royal residence, with contemporary structures such as the controversial private mega-residence in Stobnica and the fictional fortress Kaer Morhen from Andrzej Sapkowski's 'The Witcher.' Snopek suggests that this architectural trend reflects a broader search for identity in Poland, a nation historically shaped by external forces. He notes that architecture is again being used to forge identity, similar to the 19th century, with castles serving as symbols of rootedness and European heritage. The exhibition also considers the global political resonance of castle imagery, citing examples from the United States. It will remain open to the public until June 28.