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On the east side of Castle Square is the former Zamek Krolewski (Royal Castle), once home of the royal family and seat of the Polish parliament, much of which is now occupied by a museum (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 11am-4pm, last admission 3pm; 14zl; free on Sun; ). What you can see in the castle is divided into two separate "routes" - the blue route , which covers the bulk of the castle, and the yellow route , which includes the Royal Apartments and can only be visited in the company of the official guide - so you may have to wait until the requisite number of people (usually 25) turn up before setting off on this part. On Sunday you can follow the Sunday route , which features the highlights of the blue and the yellow routes, but not the entirety of each route. Dynamited by German troops in the aftermath of the Warsaw Uprising, the seventeenth-century castle was rebuilt as recently as the 1970s. In July 1974 a huge crowd gathered to witness the clock of the domed Sigismund Tower being started up again - the hands set exactly where they were stopped by the first Luftwaffe attack. The castle was perceived as a crucial symbol of independent nationhood - Poles from all over the world donated money to finance its rebuilding, and hundreds of volunteers helped with the labour. Though the structure is a replica, many of its furnishings are originals, scooted into hiding by percipient employees during the first bombing raids. Parallel with its tourist role these days, the castle regularly serves as a glorified reception hall for myriad dignitaries visiting the country. Entry is through the Senatorial Gate and a vaulted hallway. As with many royal palaces, once inside it's something of a hotchpotch of international luminaries (busts of Moliere and Voltaire here, a Gainsborough portrait of George III there) and somewhat over the top (check out the ceiling painting in the north wing entitled Apotheosis of the Genius of Poland ), but there are clear explanations in English throughout and a range of interesting artefacts.
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