BGuthrie Photos: DC -- Embassy of Poland

DC -- Embassy of Poland:

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Description of Pictures: Part of the EU Open House 2009

As part of the EU Open House, the Embassy of Poland will open its premises to the visitors wanting to learn more about our country—the homeland of Chopin and Pope John Paul II and the cradle of "Solidarity" (the first free trade union in Central and Eastern Europe), which gave way to the fall of communism in that part of the world. Our visitors will have a chance to learn the history of the Embassy of Poland in Washington, which was founded in 1919. The Embassy building, at 2640 16th Street, has remained the home of the Polish mission throughout the 90-year-long history of diplomatic relations between our two countries. While at the Embassy, people will be able to watch a short movie introducing Poland as a tourist destination and informing them about some of many tourists attractions in our country. We will also present a photo exhibit introducing the most famous Polish-Americans in the history of the 400-years'-long Polish presence in America. You will not want to miss our food-tasting: we will serve Polish pierogi and kielbasa, Żywiec beer, Wedel sweets and other delicacies. After the Open House event ends, at 6:30 in the evening, we will present the young Polish violinist Kinga Augustyn at a special recital of Polish music. Additional Information: The event featuring violinist Kinga Augustyn is free of charge but will require a separate RSVP. Further information is available at www.washington.polemb.net . EU Open House program fully Handicap (wheelchair) accessible: No.

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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

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Wikipedia Description: Embassy of Poland in Washington, D.C.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Embassy of Poland in Washington is the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Poland to the United States of America. The chancery is located at 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC.

Main Chancery Building:

The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington, DC was designed by the architect George Oakley Totten and was originally intended to be the city home of the US Senator John B Henderson. Completed early in 1910, the building was finished in a style reminiscent of seventeenth and eighteenth century French mansionettes, however, it also incorporates major elements of English styling, such as the use of double-hung windows, limestone balcones and the addition of an elaborate iron and glass marquee over the front.

The building was purchased on behalf of the government of the newly independent Polish nation in 1919 by the country's first ambassador to the United States, Prince Kazimierz Lubomirski. Since then, very few changes have been made and the building thus retains many of its outstanding period features. In 1978 a team of specialists was brought from Poland to repair and renovate the ornate plaster and woodwork of the embassy's state rooms, returning the interior to its former grandeur and restoring its artistic integrity.

In the embassy's main 'salon' stands a large Steinway piano which is still frequently used to entertain guests at many of the embassy's events throughout the year. The instrument not only evokes memories of music played on it by outstanding musicians over the years, but, as a gift to the Embassy during World War II from Ignacy Jan Paderewski, is also in itself a symbol of Polish patriotism. Paderewski played it during his last American tour, when he unfortunately fell ill and had to cancel his concerts. He died soon after in 1941 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with the request that his body be returned to Poland 'only when his country is independent once more'. This request was finally carried out in 1992 when he was exhumed from his grave in Arlington and reinterred in Warsaw's Powazki Cemetery.

Throughout the embassy there is a large and varied array of both portraits and landscapes by a number of Polish artists of different eras. Amongst these is an original oil on canvas portrait by Josef Grassi of Polish national hero Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a Pole who after meeting with Benjamin Franklin in Paris proceeded to the United States to fight in the revolutionary war and who ultimately went on to design the fortifications at West Point. Kosciuszko then returned to Poland and devoted his life to achieving Polish freedom. It is to this end that he lead the Kosciuszko Uprising which aimed to liberate Poland from the partitioning powers of Prussia, Austria and the Russian Empire.

Ambassador's Residence:

The Polish ambassador's residence in Washington DC is currently located in the fashionable 'Embassy Row' area of Washington, on Whitehaven Street, an address also shared by the diplomatic missions of Italy and Denmark. Adjacent to the British Embassy and near to the Washington home of US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, the house is considered one of the finest ambassadorial residences in the city.

Bought by the Polish government in 2008 as part of a Polish Foreign Office policy to purchase 'buildings befitting diplomacy', for a reported price of $9,550,000, the embassy is currently inhabited by Polish ambassador to the United States Robert Kupiecki who presented his letter of credence to the State Department on April 22, 2008. The house, built in 1927, was formerly the Washington residence of the late billionaire philanthropist, art collector, and horse breeder Paul Mellon and his widow, Listerine heiress, Rachel (“Bunny”) Mellon.

The house itself is of the late Georgian style, a form of architecture which experienced a popular revival in 1920s Washington, DC and particularly in grand residential projects of the era. The residence features a small stone portico, a relatively large garden, private driveway accessed through large wrought iron gates from Whitehaven Street, and a modest conservatory and swimming pool to the rear. Additionally the Polish flag is now to be found raised in front of the property.

The house is used primarily as the Washington residence of the incumbent ambassador and his family, however it performs an important secondary function in providing an intimate and comfortable location for entertaining the embassy's many official guests as well as conducting embassy garden parties on state holidays and at various points throughout the year.

Other sections:

There are a number of other sections of the Polish embassy which are located in buildings other than the Chancery. The economic section of the embassy for example, which deals with all trade and business interests processed through the embassy, is located at 1503 21st Street NW.

The consular section of the embassy, which deals with all visa and passport matters as well as serving a number of other functions to both polish citizens and those foreign (visa) nationals wishing to visit or take up residence in Poland, is located at 2224 Wyoming Avenue NW.
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