The Podhorce Palace is one of the most magnificent residences of the Polish aristocracy in the eastern lands of the former Commonwealth. It was the residence of, among others, the Koniecpolskis, the Sobieskis, the Rzewuskis and the Sanguszkis, thanks to which it was possible to gather a sizeable collection of Polish monuments. At present, they are dispersed in several institutions around the world. The Podhorce Palace has been included on the World Monuments Watch list as one of the most valuable monuments in the world threatened with destruction.

Podhorce Palace in the Eastern Lands of the Former Republic of Poland
Podhorce Palace is located on the border of the picturesque Voronian range and the valleys of the upper Styr and Bug rivers, less than 100 km east of Lviv.

This magnificent aristocratic residence was built to a design by Andrea dell'Aqua, in the type of palazzo in fortezza, i.e. a palace with defensive features. In its heyday, it was an example of high quality architecture and ornamentation, complemented by rich collections. The interiors were finished with marble floors, fireplaces, tiled cookers, artistically designed panelling, stucco and plafonds. The chambers were decorated with works by the painter Jan de Baan or the stucco artist Jan Baptista Falconi, among others.

The residence was built in the second half of the 1930s
. The Old Polish residence was built in the second half of the 1730s for Grand Crown Hetman Stanisław Koniecpolski, and belonged to the family for three generations. It was extended after the Tartar invasions of 1648 and 1651 by his son Aleksander, who bequeathed the Podhoretsk estate to the Sobieski family. In the second half of the 18th century, for nearly three decades, Podhorce was the seat of Hetman Wacław Rzewuski, who helped to expand the estate with a second floor and a church. In 1865, the palace passed into the possession of the Sanguszkos. During the time of the Rzewuskis and Sanguszkos, a sizeable collection of paintings and militaria (including several dozen hussar armours) was created here.

The former collections are now dispersed in several institutions
. The Podhoretsk collection was taken away by its owners during the First World War. The most valuable part of the collection was once again evacuated in 1939 and, after numerous vicissitudes, found itself in Brazil, together with the last owner of Podhorzec, Prince Roman Sanguszko. The Second World War was followed by a gradual devastation of this unique monument. The Soviet authorities placed a hospital in the palace, and in 1956 a large fire destroyed the interiors and brought the whole building to ruin.

The former palace collections are now scattered in several institutions, mainly in the Lviv National Art Gallery, the Museum in Tarnów and the Wawel Royal Castle. The palace and park complex in Podhorce itself is a branch of the Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery, listed on the World Monuments Watch list as one of the most valuable monuments in the world at risk of destruction.