Royal Arsenal (Warsaw)

The building was constructed in the mid-16th century by order of King Stefan Batory, initially serving as the war veteran's hostel.

During the reign of King Władysław IV of Poland, between 1638 and 1643 the building was thoroughly reconstructed by General of Engineers Paweł Grodzicki (who is also considered the main architect) to suit the needs of a city arsenal (cekhauz, as it was then called).

The main architects, Bruno Zborowski and Andrzej Węgrzecki, decided to restore much of the external design of the courtyard to its original, 17th-century outlook.

The building survived the Polish Defensive War of 1939 and continued to serve its pre-war role during the German occupation of Poland.

Following the capitulation of the uprising, the arsenal was completely destroyed by the Germans, together with the surrounding buildings and Simmons' passage, one of the most luxurious shopping malls in the inter-war city.