Ksawerów, Warsaw

Ksawerów is a neighbourhood, and an area of the City Information System, in the city of Warsaw, Poland, located within the district of Mokotów. The neighbourhood mostly consists of a residential area, consisting of multifamily residential apartment buildings, and single-family detached homes.

The year 1456 marks the first known mention in the documentation of the settlement of Szopy, a small which was partially located within the current boundaries of Ksawerów. In the late 17th century, in the western portion of the settlement, which became known as Szopy Niemieckie (German Szopy), had settled the German population. In the 1770s, Józef Jakubowski, the brigadier in the French Army, had established the settlement of Wierzbno. In its southern portion, in 1786, was built the Królikarnia palace, and in 1840, nobleperson Ksawer Pusłowski, had built there his residence, now known as the Ksawerów Manor. Over time, the area developed into a separate settlement, which was named, after its founder, Ksawery, and later, Ksawerów. In 1916, Ksawerów together with the surrounding area, was incorporated into the city of Warsaw. In the 1970s, within the boundaries of Ksawerów have been developed the neighbourhoods of Domaniewska, and Skocznia, which consisted of multifamily residential apartment buildings. In the 1990s, the eastern portion of Ksawerów, in the area of Wołoska Street, were built office buildings. Together with the office area in the nearby neighbourhood of Służewiec, they forme the complex of office buildings, informally known as Mordor, which, until 2019, was the biggest of this kind, in both the city and in Poland.

Name
Ksawerów was named after its founder, Ksawer Pusłowski, who, in 1840, had built there his residence. It was originally known as Ksawery, and later became known as Ksawerów.

Housing
Ksawerów mostly consists of a residential area, most of which is formed by the multifamily residential apartment buildings. In the northeastern portion of the neighbourhood, to the east from Puławska Street, and to the north from Czerniowiecka Street, is located a residential neighbourhood of single-family detached homes. In the area of Bukowińska Street, Cieszyńska Street, and Czerniowiecka Street, is located the residential neighbourhood of Skocznia, consisting of seven multifamily residential apartment buildings. In the western portion of Ksawerów, between Domaniewska Street, Independence Avenue, Wilanowska Avenue, and Langego Street, is located the residential neighbourhood of Domaniewska, which consists of the multifamily residential apartment buildings.

Economy
In the eastern Ksawerów, in the area of Wołoska Street, are located office buildings, which, together with those located in the nearby neighbourhood of Służewiec, form one of the biggest complexes of office buildings in both Warsaw, and in Poland. It is informally known as Mordor, after fictional location of that name, from the 1954–1955 fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings written by J. R. R. Tolkien.

At 12 Wołoska Street is located Westfield Mokotów, which is one of the biggest shopping centres in the city.

Public spaces
In the northeastern portion of Ksawerów, at 113A Puławska Street, near the crossing with Woronicza Street, is located the Sculpture Park (Polish: Park Rzeźby). It is centred around Królikarnia, a neoclassical palace dating to the 18th century. The building houses the Xawery Dunikowski Museum of Sculpture. In the park are placed sculptures, which are museum exponents. The Sculpture Park is bordered, to the north and east, by the Arcadia Park, with its small portion located within the boundaries of Ksawerów.

On the other side of Puławska Street is located the Granat Group of the Home Army Square (Polish: Skwer Grupy AK „Granat”), a garden square bordered by Woronicza Street, Puławska Street, Broniwoja Street, and Wielicka Street. It is named after the 10th Artillery Cadre Regiment, also known as "Granat" Artillery Group, which was a military unit of the Home Army during the Second World War. In the square is located a monument dedicated to the fallen soldiers of the unit.

Museums and historical buildings
In the northeastern portion of Ksawerów, at 113A Puławska Street, is located Królikarnia, a neoclassical palace built in 1786. The building houses the Xawery Dunikowski Museum of Sculpture.

Within the modern southeastern boundaries of Ksawerów, at 204 Wilanowska Avenue, is also located the Yellow Tavern, which was built in 1984. Originally, until the beginning of the 20th century, the building served as a tavern known as Belle-Vue. Currently, it houses the Museum of the Polish Peasant Movement.

Public transit
In the neighbourhood are located two stations of the M1 line of the Warsaw Metro rapid transit underground system. They are Wilanowska station, located on Puławska Street, near the crossing with Wilanowska Avenue, and Wierzbno station, located at the intersection of Woronicza Street, Independence Avenue, and Naruszewicza Street.

Media
In Ksawerów, at 17 Woronicza Street, is located the complex of buildings, which house the headquarters of Telewizja Polska (Polish Television), a state media public broadcasting television network of Poland.

Government buildings
In Ksawerów are located the headquarters of several government agencies of Poland. At 148 and 150 Puławska Street is located the National Police Headquarters, a central authority of law enforcement in Poland. At 13 Ksawerów Street, in the Ksawerów Manor, are located the headquarters of the Department of Heritage Protection of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Additionally, at 8 Rodziny Hiszpańskich Street, is the headquarters of the Polish Post, the state postal administration.

In the neighbourhood at 48 Domaniewska Street, is also located the embassy of Cuba,

Religion
In Ksawerów, at 20 Domaniewska Street is located the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary the Mother of Church, which is a Roman Catholic parish church. It was built between 1982 and 1996.

History
The year 1456 marks the first known mention in the documentation of the settlement of Szopy, which was a small settlement originally owned by petty noble family of Szopski. It was located in the area of Puławska Street, in the southeastern portion of the modern City Information System area of Ksawerów, and southwestern portion of modern City Information System area of Stegny.

Since the first half of the 17th century, the settlement was owned by the order of Discalced Carmelites. In 1795, as the area became part of the Kingdom of Prussia, Szopy was nationalized. In the late 17th century, the Prussian government had placed German settlers, in the western portion of the settlement, to the west of Puławska Street. As such it became known as Szopy Niemieckie (German Szopy). It was located in the modern City Information System area of Ksawerów. The area inhabited by Polish population, in the eastern portion of the settlement, to the east of Puławska Street, became known as Szopy Polskie (Polish Szopy). To the north of Szopy Polskie, was also located Szopy Francuskie (French Szopy), settled by French population. Both of those settlements were located in the modern City Information System area of Stegny.

In the 1770s, the patch of land was given by king Stanisław August Poniatowski, monarch of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, to Józef Jakubowski, the brigadier of the French Army. On his lands, Jakubowski had established a small folwark-type settlement of Wierzbno near the village of Mokotów (now part of Old Mokotów).

In 1786, in southern Wierzbno was built Królikarnia palace, owned by Carlo Alessandro Tomatis, husband of Caterina Gattai Tomatis. In 1794, during the Kościuszko Uprising, it was the residence of Tadeusz Kościuszko, the leader of the insurrect forces. In 1816, Tomatis had sold it to the Radziwiłł family.

In 1840, nobleperson Ksawer Pusłowski built his residence in south Wierzbno, now known as the Ksawerów Manor House, which is located at 13 Ksawerów Street. Near it was also built a road, which forms the current Ksawerów Street. In 1849, he had bought Królikarnia palace. Overtime, the area developed into a separate settlement, which was named, after its founder, Ksawery, and later, Ksawerów.

Between 1852 and 1853, within the modern southeastern boundaries of Ksawerów, was built the Yellow Tavern, designed by architect Franciszek Maria Lanci, and located at current 204 Wilanowska Avenue. It was originally associated as part of the nearby village of Służew. Until the beginning of the 20th century, it had operated as a tavern known as Belle-Vue. After that, it went bankrupt, and the building was used for various purposes, including as a dog husbandry building, and a residential building. In 1966, the building was nationalized, in an effort to protect it as cultural property. In 1984, in the building was opened the Museum of the Polish Peasant Movement.

On 8 April 1916, Ksawerów together with the surrounding area, was incorporated into the city of Warsaw.

In 1937, in Szopy Niemieckie opened the Warszawa Szopy railway station, which was later known as Warszawa Południowa (Warsaw North). It was operated by the Grójec Commuter Railway, and was part of the between Warszawa Mokotów and Nowe Miasto nad Pilicą. The station operated until 1969. Its building was deconstructed in 2000. It was located near Puławska Street.

In 1939, during the Invasion of Poland of the Second World War, in the Siege of Warsaw, Królikarnia palace was used by the Polish Armed Forces as the defensive position against the attacking forces of German Wehrmacht. The building was destroyed during the fighting. In 1944, during the Warsaw Uprising, in the palace gardens stationed the divisions of the Home Army. On 25 September 1944, the gardens were the site of the heavy fighting between Polish and German soldiers. In the October 1944, the palace, together with the surrounding buildings, were burned down by German occupant forces, as part of the destruction of Warsaw.

In 1945, via the Bierut Decree, Królikarnia palace became the property of the city of Warsaw, being confiscated from the Krasiński family, who previously owned it. The building was rebuilt in 1964, and in 1965, in it was opened the Xawery Dunikowski Museum of Sculpture, which contains sculptures from the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw.

Between 1955 and 1959, at 3 Czerniowiecka Street, was built the Warsaw Ski Jumping Hill, a small hill ski jumping venue, with the construction point at 38 m (124.67 ft). It was operated by the Warsaw Ski Club. It was mostly used as a training venue and occasionally hosted ski jumping competitions. It was modernized between 1975 and 1980. The last competition was hosted there in 1989, and it continued to serve as a training venue until the early 1990s, after which it stopped being used. The ski jumping hill was deconstructed between 2010 and 2011.

In 1969, at 17 Woronicza Street was opened the Radio and Television Centre, a complex of buildings which, to the present day, serves as the headquarters of Telewizja Polska (Polish Television), a state media public broadcasting television network of Poland. The current headquarters building in the complex was built in 2007.

Between 1968 and 1975, in the eastern portion of Ksawerów, in the area of Bukowińska Street, Cieszyńska Street, and Czerniowiecka Street, was built the residential neighbourhood of Skocznia, consisting of seven multifamily residential apartment buildings. The main architect of the project was Tadeusz Mrówczyński. The neighbourhood was built in place of the historical buildings of Szopy Niemieckie, and near the Warsaw Ski Jumping Hill.

Between 1972 and 1977, in the western portion of Ksawerów, between Domaniewska Street, Independence Avenue, Wilanowska Avenue, and Langego Street, was built the residential neighbourhood of Domaniewska. It is divided into two parts, by Modzelewskiego Street. The western portion of the neighbourhood was built between 1972 and 1974, while, the eastern portion, between 1973 and 1977. In Domaniewska were built twenty large panel system multifamily residential buildings. The main architect of the project was Tadeusz Mrówczyński.

Between 1982 and 1996, in Ksawerów, at 20 Domaniewska Street, was built the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary the Mother of Church, which is a Roman Catholic parish church.

In 1992, at 18 Wołoska Street was constructed the Curtis Plaza office building, becoming one of the first business offices built in the area. In the following years, in the area of Wołoska Street, and in the nearby neighbourhood of Służewiec, was developed the biggest complex of office buildings in Poland. It held that status until 2019, when it lost it to the complex of office buildings in the Warsaw district of Wola. Beginning in the 2010s, the area is informally known as Mordor, after fictional location of that name, in the 1954–1955 fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings written by J. R. R. Tolkien.

On 7 April 1995, in the neighbourhood were opened two stations of the M1 line of the Warsaw Metro rapid transit underground system. They were Wilanowska station, located on Puławska Street, near the crossing with Wilanowska Avenue, and Wierzbno station, located at the intersection of Woronicza Street, Independence Avenue, and Naruszewicza Street. The Wilanowska station hosted the ceremony of opening the M1 metro line. It was opened by Józef Oleksy, the Prime Minister of Poland, Marcin Święcicki, the mayor of Warsaw, and Jan Podoski, an engineer who proposed and initiated the construction of the metro line.

On 4 October 1996, the district of Mokotów was subdivided into areas of the City Information System, with an area of Ksawerów being one of them.

In 2000, at 12 Wołoska Street was opened Westfield Mokotów (originally known as Galeria Mokotów), which is one of the biggest shopping centres in the city.

Location and administrative boundaries
Ksawerów is located in the city of Warsaw, Poland, within the central-western portion of the district of Mokotów, in the subregion of Upper Mokotów. It is a City Information System area. To the north, its border is determined by Woronicza Street, and in the straight line going to the east from the end of the street to the eastern boundary; to the east, by the peaks of the Warsaw Escarpment; to the south, by Wilanowska Avenue; and to the west, by Wołoska Street.

It borders Wyględów to the northwest, Wierzbno to the north, Sielce, and Stegny to the east, Służew to the south, Służewiec to the west.