The Royal Castle

Access to the building

There are two ways to reach the inner courtyard of the building – directly from Castle Square through the Clock Gate or from Grodzka Street through the Grodzka Gate.

The Clock Gate can be reached via the cobblestoned Castle Square. This access is uneven and can be slippery when wet. The Grodzka Gate can be reached by walking along the castle wall. This road is also paved with cobblestones, which makes it uneven and slippery when wet. The surface of the passage in the gates is wide, even and non-slip. The courtyard of the Royal Castle is paved with cobblestones that are uneven and slippery when wet. Even pedestrian routes along the castle walls and also crossing the courtyard and directly connecting important points, e.g. Grodzka Gate and Senatorska Gate, have been provided. The main artery is 200 cm wide and the smaller one is 145 cm wide.

Main entrance and entrance to the ticket offices

For visitors, the main entrance is located at the Grodzka Gate. This is also the entrance to the ticket offices. A staircase with three steps leads to the entrance to the ticket offices. Two doors lead inside. Persons with reduced mobility can use the dedicated entrance with a ramp from the side of the Castle Courtyard. On the side of the Courtyard, there is a call button which, when pressed, allows security personnel to help you use the dedicated entrance.

At the ticket offices, you can use the induction loop and the online Polish sign language interpreter. The ticket offices have 3 stands with a counter height of 122 cm.

Tickets for the exhibitions can also be purchased from the ticket machine in the Castle Courtyard.

Entrance to the exhibitions located in the Lanckoroński Gallery, the interiors and the permanent and temporary exhibitions on the 2nd floor is through Senatorska Gate (after purchasing tickets, we recommend going through the Castle Courtyard and heading to Senatorska Gate to enter the aforementioned exhibitions). A pedestal is installed in front of the entrance, which can be climbed with the support of a third person using a permanently installed ramp. The interior is accessed through two pairs of manual, double-leaf, solid, wooden doors that open outwards.

The entrance to the temporary exhibition at the Royal Library is located at the Grodzka Gate (opposite the entrance to the ticket offices). The entrance can be reached by climbing 2 steps and going through 1 pair of doors.

At the information Point on level 0, you can use the induction loop and the online Polish sign language interpreter. The Information Point counter is 100 cm high and does not provide space for a wheelchair user to manoeuvre.

The main cloakroom is located on level -1. To use the main cloakroom, use the stairs or the lift located behind the Information Point. The cloakroom has a counter which is 81 cm high and does not provide legroom for a person in a wheelchair. There is no induction loop or Polish sign language interpreter option in the main cloakroom.

The audio guide distribution point is located on level -1. It is in the form of a counter. The counter is available at two heights: 110 cm and 84 cm. There is a height reduction over a length of 106 cm. The counter does not provide legroom for a person in a wheelchair. There is no induction loop or Polish sign language interpreter option in the audio guide distribution point.

Restrooms for people with disabilities are located on level -1. The parameters of the manoeuvring space in dedicated restrooms are 95 by 154 cm.

Assistance dogs are allowed in the building and all its rooms.

Parking spaces for people with disabilities are located on Podwale Street.

The entrance to the Museum Shop and Café is located at the Senatorska Gate. The entrance is located on a pedestal with a height of 8.5 cm, a depth of 36.5 cm and a width of 143 cm. The entrance is accessed through a pair of manual, double-leaf glass doors with a metal grille, which open inwards. Wheelchair users may need assistance to use this entrance.

From the café, you can use the entrance to the Upper Garden. The entrance is a single manual door with two glass panes, contrasting with a dark blue metal grille, opening inwards. In front of the entrance, a proper manoeuvring area of 150 cm by 150 cm is not provided. The manoeuvring area behind the entrance is appropriate. A staircase with 3, 8 and 6 steps leads to the Upper Garden; the railing is mounted at the top of the staircase and on one side only.

The Lower Garden can be reached from Castle Square by following Grodzka Street towards Wybrzeże Gdyńskie.

Horizontal communication:

The corridors on levels -1 and 0 have an appropriate width and height.

On level -1, there is an exhibition “Destruction and Reconstruction of the Royal Castle in Warsaw”. It is accessed through 140 cm wide automatic glass doors, most of which are milky in colour. Behind the door there is a ramp with a 6% inclination and a length of 300 cm, but it has no handrails. Between the first and second exhibition room there is a step 20 cm high and 86 cm wide. A 150 cm wide corridor leads to the stairs down to the last, third exhibition hall. The stairs have two flights with 8 and 5 steps. The last room has been set up with specially designed exhibition pods. The entrance is 72 cm wide and the threshold is less than 2 cm. The lighting of the exhibition may not be sufficient for visually impaired people. The exhibition provides seats, but they do not have armrests.

On level -1, there is also a cinema room which can be reached by lift or stairs. An 80 cm wide door without a threshold leads to the cinema room. The door to the hall is connected by a ramp with an inclination of 16.5%, which can make access difficult for wheelchair users. Wheelchair users can stand by the first two rows, as the next rows are accessible via stairs.

 The Lanckoroński Gallery is located on level 0, which can be accessed through a glass door.

There are ramps in the Lanckoroński Gallery that connect the different levels of the gallery.

To reach the exhibition in the small chamber in the Grodzka Tower on level 0, you need to go from the Old Deputies Hall to the chamber in the Grodzka Tower and then take the stairs with three steps. There is no railing on the stairs leading to the small chamber in the Grodzka Tower.

From the Old Deputies Hall, you can go to the Royal Library, where temporary exhibitions are presented. There is a 81 cm wide passage and a staircase consisting of 7 steps. The steps have nosing. There is a handrail on both sides of the staircase at a height of 95 cm.

From the Old Deputies Hall, a staircase leads to the exhibition in the Cellar. You also have to climb 7 steps leading to the Royal Library, then 14 steps and another 3 steps leading to the Cellar. The exhibition in the Cellar is not accessible for wheelchair users. The glass floor in the Cellar can be a difficulty for visually impaired people.

The museum shop is located on level 0.

The shop is accessible through a 107 cm wide glass door without colour contrasts. The shop is guaranteed to have a proper manoeuvring space of 150x150 cm. The counter is available at several heights, with a maximum height of 101.5 cm. The counter does not provide legroom for a person in a wheelchair.

Level 1 includes the Great Apartment, the King’s Apartment, Prince Stanisław’s Apartment, the Parliamentary Chambers, the Porcelain Gallery, the Wettin Gallery, the Princes’ Apartments (Matejko Rooms). The width and height of the communication routes on level 1 are appropriate. The passages between the rooms are open passages with an appropriate width of 138 cm, without a threshold. Resting areas have been set up in some of the rooms.

Level 2 includes the Numismatic Cabinet and Żeromski’s Apartment. The width and height of the communication routes at the exhibition is appropriate. The passages between the rooms are open passages with an appropriate width, without a threshold.

Vertical communication:

The Royal Castle is located on levels -1 to 2. Vertical communication is provided by a lift and stairs.

The lift is located to the left of the Information Point and provides access to levels -1 to 2 (except for the Royal Library and the Cellar). The lift is located some distance from the main entrance. The lift measures 95 cm by 133 cm. The lift door is 80 cm wide. The lift is equipped with a dedicated external panel. The external panel has a light system and raised buttons, but no Braille markings. The panel does not contrast with the surrounding colours. The lift does not have an acoustic signal to indicate its arrival.

Central Stairs:

1. do not narrow the obstacle-free route in the pedestrian zone,
2. have a usable width of 237 cm to 277 cm,
3. consist of stairs with the correct number of steps – 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12,
4. the steps have a constant, correct height - 13.5 cm,
5. in every flight of stairs, except for the flight of stairs with three steps, there are steps with an irregular horizontal surface, which can be difficult for many users,
6. the stairs do not have markings in contrasting colours and textures,
7. the landings are too small,
8. the steps have nosing,
1. the stairs have a wall on the right, and on the left there is a railing with insufficient height (98 cm).

Northern Stairs:

1. do not narrow the obstacle-free route in the pedestrian zone,
2. all stairs have the correct usable width of 211 cm to 221 cm,
3. they consist of stairs with the correct number of steps – 3, 8, 10, 11 and 12,
4. in every flight of stairs, except for the flight of stairs with three steps, there are steps with an irregular horizontal surface, which can be difficult for many users,
5. the stairs do not have markings in contrasting colours and textures,
6. the landings are too small,
7. the steps have nosing,
8. the stairs on the right have a wall, and on the left there is a railing with insufficient height (93 cm) and with openings that are too large,
1. the stairs have no handrail.

Great Stairs:

1. do not narrow the obstacle-free route in the pedestrian zone,
2. have an appropriate usable width of 252 cm to 280 cm,
3. they consist of stairs with 17 steps,
4. the steps have a constant, correct height - 14.5 cm,
5. the stairs do not have markings in contrasting colours and textures,
6. the stairs have nosings, but they are levelled by the carpet on top.

Władysławowskie Stairs:

1. the stairs do not narrow the obstacle-free route in the pedestrian zone,
2. have an appropriate usable width of 200 cm,
3. they consist of stairs with 10, 21, 22 and 29 steps,
4. the steps have a variable, correct height from 14.5 cm to 15.5 cm,
5. in every flight of stairs there are steps with an irregular horizontal surface, which can be difficult for many users,
6. the stairs do not have markings in contrasting colours and textures,
7. the landing is too small,
8. the stairs have nosings, but they are levelled by the carpet on top. The carpet makes the staircase non-slip. There is no carpet on the top flight of stairs and the stairs are slippery.

Stairs leading to room no 3 of the exhibition “Destruction and reconstruction of the Royal Castle”

1. the stairs have two flights with 8 and 5 steps,
2. the usable width of the stairs is 113 cm,
3.  the steps height is a constant 16.5 cm,
4. the steps have nosing and have no contrasting,
5. the stairs on the left have a handrail with too many openings. The handrail is at a height of 100 cm and does not have tactile or Braille markings at the ends,
6. the upper, undeveloped staircase landing is accompanied by a 92 cm high wall.

The Tin-Roofed Palace

The Tin-Roofed Palace, at Plac Zamkowy 4, 00-277 Warsaw, is located in the Old Town and is an integral part of the Royal Castle in Warsaw - Museum of the Residence of the Kings of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

There are two ways to reach the building – directly from the Castle Square or from Grodzka Street. The main entrance to the Palace is from the Palace Courtyard. Its surface is made of uneven cobblestones. The cobblestone path leading from the Castle Square (the same cobblestones that line the courtyard of the Tin-Roofed Palace) will take you there. Stairs lead from Grodzka Street to the courtyard. The stairs have an appropriate usable width of 175 cm. The steps height is a constant 16 cm. The stairs do not have nosing. The individual flights have a total of 16 and 17 steps. The steps width is 33 cm. The stairs have no handrails; the stairs have no contrasting. The stairs can be avoided by using the vehicle lane. The lane is paved with cobblestones and has a longitudinal slope of up to 12%.

There is no designated parking space for people with disabilities near the building entrance.

The main entrance is above the level of the surrounding area. The entrance can be reached via a staircase. The stairs have an appropriate width of 225 cm and have two steps. The steps have a height of 7.5 and 9 cm. The stairs do not have nosing. The stairs do not have markings in contrasting colours and textures. The stairs have no balustrade or handrails. The surface in front of the entrance is even, has the right slope and is non-slip.

The interior is accessed through a single door, which is manual, double-leaf, solid, wooden, and opens inwards. The door stands out in colour against the building’s facade. A single door leaf is 60 cm wide. There is a 3 cm high threshold at the door. The door has handles that do not contrast with the door colour, mounted at a height of 155 cm. There is no visual or tactile information about the name and purpose of the building next to the door.

The entrance to level -2 is above the level of the surrounding area. The entrance can be reached by climbing 2 steps or using a ramp. The surface of the stairs and ramps is worn and not slip-resistant. The stairs are 165 cm wide. The stairs have no steps, only with stoppers attached to the underside of the steps, which makes them have noses. The stairs do not have markings in contrasting colours and textures. The ramp is used to overcome a height difference of 30.5 cm and has no canopy. Its slope is up to 10%. The interior is accessed through a manual door, double-leaf, solid, wooden, opening inwards. A single door leaf is 54 cm wide. The card reader and bell are located at a height of 166 cm, outside the landing, which can make them difficult to use. Inside, the door release button is mounted at a height of 135 cm. The doors are very heavy, which can make them difficult to handle. The doors have handles that do not contrast with the door colour, mounted at a height of 162 cm. The surface in front of the entrance is even, has the right slope, but is slippery. There is no visual or tactile information about the name and purpose of the building next to the door. From the inside, the door is labelled with a sign saying “Emergency exit”.

Horizontal communication

The corridors in the Tin-Roofed Palace are usually the correct width. On level -1 the corridor is too narrow – its width is 148 cm and on level 1 where the corridor is 116 cm wide. The height of the corridors is appropriate. The surface of the corridors is even and non-slip. In the corridors on levels -1 and 0, there are ramps to even out the levels of the corridors.

Vertical communication

The Royal Castle is located on levels -2 to 2 - stairs and a lift provide vertical access.

Lift – serves all floors. The lift entrance is slightly away from the main entrance. The lift door is at the correct distance from the opposite partition/wall. There is no information about the floor number next to the lift door. No information is available in Braille. The lift door does not contrast in colour with the wall. The lift is equipped with a dedicated external panel. The external panel has a light system and raised buttons, but no Braille markings. The panel is placed at the correct height of 104 cm. The panel does not contrast with the surrounding colours. The lift does not have an acoustic signal to indicate its arrival. Inside the cabin, there is a voice announcement about the floor and the direction of travel. There is no difference in level between the lift floor and the ground floor. The lift has appropriate measurements of 110 cm by 140 cm. The cabin door has the appropriate width of 90 cm. The lift is a through lift. The interior panel is mounted only on the right-hand side wall of the cabin. The panel does not contrast with the surrounding colours. The panel buttons have light and raised symbols, but are not labelled in Braille. The floor buttons are located above the function buttons. The level 0 button is green and stands out from the other buttons. The alarm button has been marked in yellow. A mirror is mounted on the left-hand wall of the cabin at a height of 90 cm.

The main staircase - Stairs leading upwards do not narrow the obstacle-free route of the pedestrian route. The stairs have an appropriate usable width of 190 cm. They consist of stairs with the correct number of steps – from 4 to 9. The steps have a constant, correct height - 17 cm. The stairs do not have markings in contrasting colours and textures. The stairs have nosings, but they are levelled by the carpet on top. The landings have the correct dimensions.

The stairs in the lower section are located between the walls and then between the wall on the right and the balustrade on the left. The balustrade is 120 cm high. There is no railing by the stairs between the walls. In the next rows, the handrail is only on the left-hand side in the area of the third step at a height of 120 cm. The handrail is not extended correctly. It is impossible to hold on to it because it ends in the walls. The handrail does not contrast with the surrounding colours. The handrail does not have tactile or Braille markings at the ends.

Stairs leading from the ground floor to level -1 - they do not narrow the obstacle-free route in the pedestrian zone, The stairs have an appropriate usable width of 150 cm. They consist of stairs with an appropriate number of steps – 11 to 16 steps. The steps have a constant, appropriate height - 17 cm. The stairs do not have markings in contrasting colours and textures. The steps have nosing. The landings have the correct dimensions. The stairs in the upper section are located between the walls and then between the balustrades 110 cm high. In the case of the stairs placed between walls, the handrail is only on the right side. The handrail is located on both sides of the lower section. All handrails are at a height of 110 cm. The handrails do not extend or fold correctly. The handrails do not have tactile or Braille markings at the ends. The surface of the steps is even and non-slip.

The central staircase - the stairs do not narrow the obstacle-free route in the pedestrian zone. The stairs have an appropriate usable width of 127 cm. The steps have a constant, appropriate height - 16 cm, the stairs do not have markings in contrasting colours and textures. The steps have nosing. The landings have the correct dimensions. The stairs are located between the walls, apart from the lower flight - on the left side there is a banister with the correct height of 110 cm. The stairs have handrails on both sided, placed at a height of 110 cm. The handrails do not extend or fold correctly. The handrails do not contrast with the surrounding colours. The handrails do not have tactile or Braille markings at the ends. The handrails have the wrong shape and are 6 cm wide. The surface of the steps is even and non-slip.

Restrooms

The restroom on level 0.

Proper manoeuvring space is guaranteed before entering the restroom. The door to the restroom is the appropriate width of 90 cm, but there is a 1 cm high threshold. The door is easy to use. The restroom is marked with pictograms on the door. A correctly shaped door handle has been installed at a height of 108 cm. The light switch is at the correct height of 90 cm, but its location behind a wall corner is difficult to find. The manoeuvring area in front of the toilet bowl is 82 cm by 150 cm. On the right-hand side, a transfer space of 90 cm by 150 cm is guaranteed; on the left-hand side, there is no such space. On the right side of the toilet bowl, there is a folding handrail. The bowl is stable and uniform, but has a notch. The flush is installed at a height of 105 cm, but the button is located behind the user’s back. The handrail is mounted at the correct height - 85 cm and is 80 cm long. The manoeuvring space in front of the washbasin measures 95 cm by 150 cm. The upper edge of the washbasin is at a height of 83 cm, and the lower edge is at a height of 73 cm. Adequate legroom is guaranteed under the washbasin. A handrail has been installed on the right-hand side of the washbasin. The handrail is mounted at the correct height of 85 cm. The washbasin is equipped with the correct type of faucet with a lever, but the spout is too short. A mirror has been installed in the restroom at a height of 35 cm above the washbasin. The mirror is fixed at an angle and is located in a recess. The soap dispenser is at a height of 92 cm. The paper towel dispenser is placed at a height of 126 cm. There is no call system in the restroom.

The restrooms on level -1

There are two dedicated restrooms with similar parameters. The restrooms are marked with pictograms on the door. The door width is 90 cm. A correctly shaped door handle has been installed at a height of 106 cm. The light switch is located at a height of 128 cm The manoeuvring areas in front of the restrooms and the transfer space are too small. The toilet bowls in both restrooms are stable and uniform, but have a notch. The flush is mounted at the back, which can be a challenge. The washbasins are equipped with the correct type of faucet with a lever, but the spout is too short. There is no call system in the restrooms.

The stand at the main entrance

The stand has the form of a counter separated by a desk and is located immediately next to the main entrance. The counter is at a height of 79 cm and does not provide legroom. The station is not equipped with an induction loop nor does it have access to a Polish sign language interpreter.

Cloakroom

It is located on level 0 and has the form of a counter separated by a desk; it is located some distance from the main entrance. The counter is at a height of 87 cm and does not provide legroom. The cloakroom is not equipped with an induction loop nor does it have access to a Polish sign language interpreter. The entrance to the cloakroom, which the service person must use, is 57 cm wide with a 6.5 cm high threshold. Resting places are located next to the cloakroom. These include benches without armrests or backrests.

Audio guide service point

The stand has the form of a counter separated by a desk and is located immediately next to the main entrance. The counter is at a height of 100 cm and does not provide legroom. The point is not equipped with an induction loop nor does it have access to a Polish sign language interpreter.

The Masonry Lodge

It is located on level 0. There are 2 steps leading to the entrance, which have a variable height of 9 cm and 11 cm. The stairs do not have markings in contrasting colours and textures. The Lodge is accessed through a solid wooden door with a correct width of 122 cm. The door has a threshold with a permissible height of up to 2 cm. The room does not have a visual description or a description in Braille. There is a non-convex room number on the door, located at a height of 172 cm to 180 cm. A manoeuvring space with minimum dimensions of 150 cm by 150 cm is available only at the end of the room. All seats have backrests without armrests and are the correct height of 47 cm.

Prince Józef Poniatowski’s Apartments

The apartments are accessed through wooden double doors, each door being 59 cm wide. The room does not have a visual description or a description in Braille. There is a non-convex room number on the door, located at a height of 172 cm to 180 cm. Some rooms in the apartments have narrow passages of less than 90 cm.

Assistance dogs are allowed in the building and all its rooms.

The Kubicki Arcades

Access to the building

The entrance to the Arcades is through the Castle Gardens. The pedestrian walkways are the correct width, but the surface is uneven old town cobblestones, which makes the walkway hard and uneven. The building does not have road signage, there are no signs indicating the entrance to the building - there are no warning tiles in front of the entrance.

Parking

There is no designated parking space for people with disabilities near the building entrance.

Entrance

The building has a number of identical entrances from the gardens. The entrances are at the same level as the surrounding area. The interior is accessed through automatically opening glass doors. The door opens outwards and has a canopy. The exterior and interior doors are identical. They are double doors with a width of 185 cm. There is no threshold. The canopy over the entrances is at the correct height, at least 240 cm above the pavement. The surface in front of the entrance is even and has the right slope. There is no visual or tactile information about the name and purpose of the building next to the door. There is no warning strip at the entrance, in front of the door or behind the door. The doors have no contrasting markings on the doors or protective plinths at the bottom of the doors. The doors do not stand out in colour against the building’s facade. In front of and behind the doors there is a guaranteed adequate manoeuvring area of 150 cm by 150 cm. In the vestibule, there is a proper manoeuvring area outside the doorframe.

Horizontal communication

The corridor in the Arcades is the correct width and height. The corridor surface is made up of hexagons, which causes some unevenness. The corridor surface is non-slip. There is no resting area.

Vertical communication.

There is no vertical communication within the Kubicki Arcades.

Restrooms for people with disabilities

In the women’s and men’s restroom areas there are marked cabins dedicated to people with disabilities. These restrooms do not fulfil many accessibility criteria.