Willa Aleksandria (Sabediany) (Pałacyk Myśliwski)

Willa Aleksandria, also called Sabediany or Pałacyk Myśliwski, is an eclectic building from the first half of the 19th century on ulica Ludwika Waryńskiego in Skierniewice. Today it houses the headquarters of the Szczepan Pieniążek Institute of Horticulture and Floristry, and stands in a municipal park above the river, north of Pałac Prymasowski.

Construction and design

The villa was built in 1839-1841 according to a design by architect Adam Idźkowski. The building has a rectangular plan, a portico on the northern side and a projecting risalit on the eastern elevation. It is entered in the register of monuments as a protected historic property.

Origins of the names Aleksandria and Sabediany

The name Aleksandria dates from the second half of the 19th century, when the building was home to aides-de-camp of Tsar Alexander II. The second name, Sabediany, is linked to the companion of Prince Alexander Bariatinsky, then owner of the Skierniewice estates. According to local legend, she was meant to be as wise as the biblical Queen of Sheba and as beautiful as the Roman goddess Diana, hence the combination of both names in the villa's name.

Hunting lodge for the Tsar's guests

After Prince Bariatinsky's death, the building served as a hunting lodge where guests of the Tsar stayed when visiting for hunts near the nearby Zwierzyniec. The villa lies close to the tracks of the former Łowicz-Warszawa railway line, by which hunters from the court travelled to Skierniewice.

Practical information

• Address: ul. Ludwika Waryńskiego 39, Skierniewice.
• Access: the building functions as the headquarters of the Institute of Horticulture and Floristry, so it is not a standard attraction with free admission. The interior can be visited during open days organised by the institute, and outside these times the villa can only be viewed from outside, from the park side.
• Getting there: the building stands in a municipal park above the river, close to Pałac Prymasowski.
• What to expect: eclectic architecture from the mid-19th century, history linked to the Tsarist court, limited access to the interior outside the institute's open days.