Warsaw Royal Castle opens secret communist-era luxury apartments built for Gierek

Secret apartments opened to the public

On Friday, 2 October, the Royal Castle in Warsaw opened an exhibition titled "Secret Chambers of the People's Power," presenting previously inaccessible luxury apartments prepared for communist dignitaries. The rooms occupy the south wing of the castle, facing the W-Z route, and have served as museum staff offices since the early 1980s. The idea of establishing the residence originated with Józef Kępa, who served as chairman of the Civic Committee for the Reconstruction of the Royal Castle and a member of the top leadership of the Polish United Workers' Party. Communist authorities intended to use the space to host visiting heads of state and potentially provide living quarters for First Secretary Edward Gierek. Castle director Małgorzata Omilanowska noted that confidential documents from the era detail how the ruling circle arranged the covert repurposing of castle space.

It turned out that this is simply an unwritten important chapter in the reconstruction of the Royal Castle, but also an important chapter of Polish history. About how in 1974 Edward Gierek and his circle decided quietly, because the documents are confidential, to take over part of the castle for the needs of the authorities.

Structural changes during 1970s reconstruction

Building and installation work inside the castle wing started in 1974, once the outer structure of the rebuilt castle was completed. Builders carried out extensive structural alterations to accommodate modern facilities and VIP requirements. In the parliamentary hall, planners arranged a banquet hall, while the senate hall was redesigned for congresses and conferences with dedicated interpreter booths. Installing air conditioning systems required demolishing parts of the ceilings and altering load-bearing walls. Workers raised the second-floor floor level by over 55 centimetres to conceal new utility piping and electrical installations. The lowest floor housed a kitchen and a canteen, while the ground floor accommodated a reception desk and administrative facilities.

Luxury furnishings and a dedicated elevator

The interior decor was arranged by top interior architects who outfitted the rooms with expensive furnishings. Officials purchased a substantial portion of the antique furniture from state retailer Desa, and original sales receipts remain preserved in castle records. Tailored sofas were custom-built specifically for the suite alongside luxurious bathrooms. A specialized shaft was constructed to house a dedicated private elevator connecting the suites directly to the banquet hall on the first floor and the ground-floor reception. Although the elevator was never put into operational service, it remains intact, complete with a functioning telephone connected to the castle network. Visitors entering the elevator can pick up the receiver to listen to recordings about the era in which it was built.

It was built for only one couple. A pair of guests, presidents, perhaps Edward Gierek and his wife, who were to stay in this apartment. And ride it down to the banquet hall on the first floor and to the reception on the ground floor.

Historical background and discovery

The concept of a VIP state residence took inspiration from foreign diplomatic venues in the Eastern Bloc. Gierek supported the initiative after visiting Prague, where he was hosted at Hradčany, and observing East German leader Erich Honecker constructing the Palace of the Republic in East Berlin. Castle management began investigating the history of the wing after examining a luxurious bathroom that had previously been converted into an administrative office. While informal accounts suggested Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev was intended to be the first guest, written documentation confirming specific occupants remains scarce. Construction was completed by the late 1970s, but neither Gierek nor subsequent leaders ever occupied the rooms before the space was turned over to museum staff in the early 1980s.

Why this bathroom and why is it so luxurious? Then, word by word, people started telling us that hotel rooms were planned here. That is not true, as we now know.