Królikarnia, which translates as 'the Rabbit House', is a lavish palace in Mokotów named for its role as King Augustus II the Strong’s rabbit warren for hunting. Built between 1782 and 1786, the palace has been home to a number of interesting residents, including insurrection leader Tadeusz Kościuszko and Charles Thomatis - a man many believe acted as a pimp for King Stanisław August Poniatowski. Like much of Warsaw, the palace was obliterated during the war but meticulously rebuilt in 1964 and now operates as an art museum that has featured the works of famed Polish sculptor and Auschwitz survivor Xawery Dunikowski (on the verdant park grounds you can keep an eye out for The Soul Escaping the Body, a sculpture that is replicated on Dunikowski’s tombstone). Though there are no exhibitions at the moment (until the end of 2023) the palace will be open for special events, which it lists on its website. Even if the palace itself is not open, the surrounding sculpture garden is every day from 6 a.m. to dusk. It's like a smaller Łazienki Królewskie without the crowds - truly one of Warsaw's hidden gems.
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