The building of the Ministry of Religious Denominations and Public Enlightenment in Warsaw

The building of the Ministry of Religious Denominations and Public Enlightenment, located at 25 Jana Chrystiana Szucha Avenue in Warsaw, is a monumental structure erected between 1927 and 1930 according to the design of Zdzisław Mączeński in the style of reductive classicism. A characteristic feature of the building is its enormous portico with double pillars, leading to a courtyard. The erected structure references the fascist architecture of Italy, and its interiors were enriched with the Polish variant of Art Deco, designed by Wojciech Jastrzębowski. During World War II, the building served as the headquarters of the Gestapo, where mass arrests and torture took place. After the war, the building became the seat of the Ministry of Education, and since 1952 it has housed the Mausoleum of Struggle and Martyrdom, which displays preserved cells and corridors from the occupation period. In 1973, the building was entered into the register of historical monuments, and in 2022 it was recognized as a historical monument, confirming its cultural and historical significance in the context of Polish architecture and the legacy of difficult moments in Poland's history. Interestingly, on the first floor, there are well-preserved interiors of Polish decorative art, and among the rooms is the Anna Radziwiłł Conference Hall, where one can see photographs of all ministers of education since 1918. Despite transformations, the building still serves administrative functions and retains its original decor and furnishings, making it one of the most important sites in the capital.