Pałac Kawalera, Baroque revival palace in Świerklaniec, Poland
Pałac Kawalera is a baroque revival palace in Świerklaniec, in southern Poland, set within a French-style park. The building has a symmetrical facade with a prominent entrance portal, above which the Donnersmarck family coat of arms is carved in stone.
The building was designed by Berlin architect Ernst von Ihne and completed around 1906 as a guest residence for Emperor Wilhelm II during his hunting stays at the estate. From 1924, the former Swiss president Felix Calonder lived there until his death in 1937.
The residence belonged to the wealthy Donnersmarck family, whose coat of arms appears above the entrance. Today visitors can experience the interior through its use as a restaurant and bistro, getting a sense of how the industrial family lived.
The palace now operates as a restaurant and bistro, so the interior can be visited during a meal. Parking is available directly at the building and near the main entrance to Świerklaniec Park.
Above the entrance, the Latin phrase 'Memento vivere' is carved in stone, meaning 'remember to live'. This inscription points to the building's original purpose as a place for rest and pleasure, rather than a formal seat of power.
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