Discover the Enduring Legacy of Biblioteka Ordynacji Zamojskiej at the Palace of the Commonwealth

This permanent exhibition showcases the Library of the Zamoyski Family Ordination, once a vital Polish cultural treasury. It details the library's history, its unique European-scale collections, its role during Poland's partitions, and its tragic destruction during World War II, highlighting surviving treasures.

The Palace of the Commonwealth presents 'Biblioteka Ordynacji Zamojskiej,' a permanent exhibition dedicated to one of the most significant Polish libraries that existed before World War II, often referred to as a treasury of Polish culture. This library housed unique European-scale collections and the most valuable specimens of Polish literature. During the partitions of Poland, it served as a clandestine institute for Polish history, and was located in the Blue Palace. Tragically, it was destroyed by the Germans during World War II. The exhibition traces the origins of the library back to its founder, Jan Zamoyski, a powerful figure in Polish history, who, in the tradition of Renaissance patrons, amassed valuable books and manuscripts. These were translated by scholars at his Zamoyski Academy, which also housed a printing press and a systematically expanded library. In 1811, Stanisław Kostka Zamoyski moved the library to the Blue Palace in Warsaw, incorporating other family collections and further acquisitions, including the 11th-century 'Tyniec Sacramentary.' Throughout the period of partitions, the Zamoyski Library functioned as a public cultural and scientific institution, preserving national memory. It was a key repository of Polish literature and a secret institute of Polish history, employing notable historians like Tadeusz Korzon. Before the war, the library contained approximately 150,000 volumes. It suffered significant losses during the September campaign and subsequent bombings, with a fire in 1939 destroying about a third of the collection and all its artistic assets. The greatest devastation occurred during the Warsaw Uprising, when nearly the entire collection burned. Miraculously, 800 manuscripts and 1,200 early prints survived, preserved in a basement unnoticed by the Germans. The last ordynat, Jan Zamoyski, entrusted the surviving portion to the National Library, and in 2024, these collections became the property of the National Library. The exhibition showcases key surviving items such as the UNESCO-listed 'Codex Suprasliensis,' the Ptolemy's 'Geography' with Renaissance maps, a rare medieval book 'Jewish Antiquities' by Josephus, the oldest copy of Gallus Anonymous's Chronicle, an autograph of Jan Kochanowski, and fragments of Jan Potocki's 'The Manuscript Found in Zaragoza.'

This is a permanent exhibition. For ticketing and admission details, please consult the official Palace of the Commonwealth website or contact them directly. Information on visitor access and booking policies is not detailed on this page.