The building of the Universal Mutual Insurance Company in Warsaw

The building of the Universal Mutual Insurance Institution, located at 36/40 Kopernika Street in Warsaw, was designed by Antoni Jawornicki as a hotel for the Society for the Construction and Operation of Hotels and Sanatoriums "Helvetia." Construction began in the early 1920s and was completed in 1928. At the time of its completion, the tower section of the building reached a height of 47.1 meters, making it one of the tallest structures in Warsaw. Despite its original purpose, the building never functioned as a hotel. Due to financial difficulties of the investor, it was taken over in 1939 by the Universal Mutual Insurance Institution, which was its main user until the outbreak of World War II. After the war, as a result of legal transformations, the building became the headquarters of the State Insurance Institution, and later the Universal Insurance Institution. Between 1947 and 1948, the building was rebuilt, with its structure significantly reduced in size – it began to be used as the headquarters of the Central Commission of Trade Unions. From 1949, it was managed by the Central Council of Trade Unions, and from 1984 by the All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions. The building is not only an example of interwar architecture but also an important landmark in the history of trade unions in Poland, highlighting its significance in both architectural and cultural contexts. An interesting fact is its original purpose as a hotel, which contrasts with its current function.