As an attempt to learn more about our history, historians and archaeologists across the globe keep toiling. Several palaces that date back centuries provide us with information about the royalties, the wars, and other several dimensions of history. Historians who study the past use their knowledge to contemplate the stories that the walls, corridors, and paintings of such palaces behold. In 1944, the Nazis destroyed a Palace in Warsaw, Poland named Saxon Palace, also known as the Saski Palace. And, while excavating the ruins of this palace, the archaeologists came across a hidden passage. They were performing an extensive excavation while a tunnel that dated back over 80 years came into their sights. Let us dive deep into the history and know more about the tunnel.
Saxon Palace of Poland
Like several other palaces, the Saxon Palace of Poland holds a part of lived history and most importantly the ruins of the palace are due to World War II. The palace was built in the 1660s and later King Augustus II purchased it. It became the royal residence in the early 18th century.
During his stay, Augustus took the palace to a different level and expanded it over the years to perform several other functions. Except from being the military headquarters, the palace also housed the foreign affairs ministry, a high school, several restaurants, and shops. Archaeologists found traces and records in history to determine the uses of the palace.
History behind the destruction of Warsaw
The Saxon palace was always an important part of Polish architectural and military history. Much of the history it held was lost when the palace was blown away in 1944. It was during the 2nd World War when the Warsaw Uprising failed and the Nazis attacked to occupy Poland.
By 1939, Poland was completely under the control of the German forces. It was not until the summer of 1944 that the underground nationals of Poland, known as the “Home Army” resurfaced. They were encouraged by the Soviet troops to rise up against the forced occupancies of the Germans.
Initially, the troops in Poland were wary of rising against the Germans as they knew that Poland was in a tough spot according to its geography. At that time, the Soviets and Poland had a common enemy, and even if Poland was liberated by the Soviet Union, it would be later identified as a communist, pro-Soviet country. At the same time, the Polish Home Army desired to be known as a Western Capitalistic nation. They were also closely tied to the Polish Government-in-exile in London.
The time was tight for the Home Army with the Soviets approaching the border of Poland. They had to make a choice. Either let the Soviets liberate Poland or fight against the Germans themselves and have little hope of escaping Soviet controlling them.

At the same time, Adolf Hitler missed an assassination attempt in Germany and it resulted in the demoralization of the troops in Poland. The Home Army grabbed on the opportunity and within three days their attack on the German troops resulted in retaining control over the city. But by the end of August, the Germans had a brutal counterattack, killing thousands of civilians in Poland.
By this time, the Soviet Union also stopped on its tracks and denied any help to Poland. On the other side, without the support from the Soviets and Allies, the Home Army surrendered in October 1944. Following this failed uprising, Hitler ordered destruction in Warsaw. They went ahead with bombings and flamethrowers aiming at places of historical interest like palaces, museums, and archives. Before January 1945, more than 85 percent of the monuments in Warsaw were in ruins.
All this destruction and rubble was brought to a ground level after World War II came to a close. It was replaced by a land full of bushes and trees. The archaeological work didn’t even begin before 2006. And only after a thorough excavation, they noticed the tunnel of the Saxon Palace in Warsaw.
The Tunnel in the Saxon Palace
The underground tunnel found in the palace was not in any of the known blueprints and the archaeologists found it under the rubble. Its absence from the blueprints proved that it was a secret passage. After examining the tunnel thoroughly, they found out that it was 147-foot-long.
Moreover, the Saxon Palace was known to be the headquarters of the Polish Army and a conduit for the activities in the military. In an interview with Science in Poland, the spokesperson of the Saxon Palace, Stawomir Kulinsky said that the passage was used by the troops to transfer information and reports efficiently.
He also explained the technical uses of the tunnel. There was a telegraph cable in the tunnel along with a heating system and irrigation pipes. These lines were responsible for the supply of water in both wings of the palace. According to him, the tunnel was built in the 1930s due to its typical pattern and military function.
After this discovery, the Polish government decided to reconstruct the Saxon Palace. Of course, the original glory of the monument could not be recreated but the project is supposed to be finished by the end of 2030.
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