The History of Mała Wieś Palace – a legacy of distinguished people

Bazyli Walicki – a close friend and advisor to King Stanisław August Poniatowski – erected a neoclassical residence in Mała Wieś worthy of the highest offices of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Exceptional architectural craftsmanship, combined with the dowry of his beloved wife, Róża née Nieborska, gave the estate the form of a symmetrical, elegant palace that charmed the Polish aristocracy from its very inception.

As an influential participant of the Great Sejm, Bazyli Walicki initiated a tradition of hospitality at the highest level. The palace salons hosted King Stanisław August Poniatowski himself, and following the hardships of war and the daring charge at Somosierra, Colonel Jan Kozietulski, a relative of the owners, found respite in the tranquility of these gardens.

For over a century and a half, the residence was continuously filled with the life of a single lineage. The steadfast patriotism, refined taste, and diligent stewardship of successive heirs ensured that Mała Wieś naturally bridged the histories of such families as the Zamoyskis, Lubomirskis, and Rzewuskis, becoming one of the most important cultural salons in Mazovia.

The ordeal of World War II revealed the heroic face of the residence. Although German officers were stationed in the representative interiors, the Morawski family organized a secret aid network on the estate. At the risk of their lives, they hid fugitives, the homeless, families from Warsaw after the fall of the Uprising, and people of Jewish descent in the outbuildings and farm structures.

The post-war land reform stripped the rightful owners of their estate, forcing the Morawski family to leave their ancestral home. The property was adapted to serve as, among other things, a school and a summer residence for the Office of the Council of Ministers. Despite political turmoil, the palace attracted prominent figures from the worlds of culture and art—Nina Andrycz, for instance, loved spending her private moments of respite there.

In 2008, after decades of effort, the heirs of the Morawski family reclaimed the ruined estate, restoring it to its former glory. Today, the renovated interiors once again host the most discerning guests – as an exclusive hotel complex, a luxury spa, and a vineyard. It is a place for rest, gatherings, and the most important moments in life.