One of Warsaw’s most interesting yet least known monuments, the Elizeum, is an underground building from the late 18th century. Conservation work is intended to restore the building to its former character and protect it from further degradation.
Dehumidification is the first step, a process that must take place slowly and under strict control. Electric fans will be used to bring dry air into the building through unblocked ventilation ducts. Too rapid removal of moisture could lead to irreversible damage to the brick structure. After this it is planned to apply natural clay, which originally protected the underground structure from the weather.
Bats have been wintering in the Elyzeum for years. Due to the start of construction work, they will not be able to remain in the historic rotunda. Therefore, a specially designed hibernaculum will be built in the vicinity of the building to provide the bats with suitable conditions for wintering.
The Elyum is a brick underground rotunda with two stories and a diameter of 7.5 metres. It was built between 1776-1778 on the initiative of a brother of King Stanislaw August. The building was part of a larger garden layout and served as an exclusive social salon. Its interior was once decorated with frescoes, sculptures, columns and decorative stuccowork.
The lack of proper care and overgrowth by vegetation led to an almost complete degradation.
Initially, there were three entrances to the Elyzeum: through the now defunct grotto, from the level of the pond and through an inner corridor leading to the Imam’s House, where meals were prepared for receptions. In 2021, work was completed to make the upper entrance accessible, improving the ventilation of the interior.
The current restoration work is intended to restore the monument to its original form and to create the conditions to make it safely accessible to visitors in the future.
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