Willa Mon Repos

“Sultanówka,” a whisper drifted from the elegant facade of Willa Mon Repos. It’s a nickname, a remnant of its early days. Willa Mon Repos stands before us, a neo-Baroque beauty, each facade telling a different story. This Willa Mon Repos was built for love, a father’s love for his daughters. Wassana Girej Dżabagi, an Ingush prince, journalist, and political activist, envisioned this haven for his daughters, Irena and Halina. He began construction of Willa Mon Repos in 1928 as a dowry. Dżabagi had a prominent role as the chairman of the parliament of the Mountainous Republic of the Northern Caucasus from 1917 to 1919. Forced into exile in the 1920s, he found refuge in Paris before settling in Warsaw in 1927 with his family. Sadly, he didn’t live to see its completion. Willa Mon Repos was finished in January 1931, after his passing. The nickname “Sultanówka” emerged, a playful nod to his heritage. In 1935, Willa Mon Repos began a new chapter. Zofia Woyciechowska purchased the property and transformed it into a guesthouse. She renamed it “Mon Repos,” meaning “My Rest” in French. Notice the south-facing facade. The semicircular projection and large arched windows are its signature. The east side, with its terrace and ornate window frames, also beckons the eye. While the other facades bear the marks of post-war renovations, they still hold echoes of the past. Today, Willa Mon Repos belongs to the STOCER hospital complex. But the spirit of “Sultanówka” lingers, a testament to a father’s love and a villa’s enduring charm.