The Tenement House under the Giants (also known as the House under the Atlantes, the Strzałecki tenement house or the House under the Giants), located in the heart of Warsaw’s Aleje Ujazdowskie at number 24, is one of the most characteristic and symbolic buildings of the capital. It was built between 1904 and 1907 to a design by the eminent architect Władysław Marconi. The building stands out for both its monumental architecture and the rich history associated with the Strzałecki family. Its façade is decorated with imposing figures of giants, which gave the tenement its common name. The Tenement House under the Giants is not only a pearl of architecture, but also a place of great cultural and historical significance.
History of the House of the Giants
In the interwar period, the tenement house was home to Stefan Przanowski, an engineer, industrialist, former Minister of Industry and Trade, as well as director and chairman of the Supervisory Board of the metal works of the “Norblin, Buch Brothers and T. Werner” Metal Factory Joint-Stock Society. During the German occupation, the building housed the German armaments board (Rüstungskommando). The building survived the war without major damage.
The building in 1908. Source: Lower Silesian Digital Library
Architecture of the Strzałeckis’ house
The tenement house is an example of the Early Modern style with Classical and Baroque elements. The four-storey edifice is distinguished by its symmetrical, nine-axis façade. In the central part is the main entrance, flanked by figures of giants made of sandstone, designed by sculptor Sigmund Ott. One of the giants supports the balcony with his shoulder, while the other lifts it in his hands. A distinctive feature of the building is the two-storey rusticated plinth, above which extends a second-floor balcony with a wrought-iron balustrade. The central part of the front elevation is distinguished by a pseudo-horizalite with four fluted pilasters. The balcony is decorated with three medallions, one of which depicts an image of Jan Matejko, designed by Teofil Godecki.
Green Ujazdowskie Avenue in 1938 and the same place in 2025. Source: National Archive in Warsaw and WhiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski
The body of the building is topped with a frieze decorated with garlands, a massive crowning cornice and an attic, which is solid over the central part and balustrade-arched over the side parts. The tenement has a single courtyard layout with side outbuildings, terminating on the east with a single-storey pavilion with a terrace. The courtyard elevations incorporate sculptural fragments from the Royal Castle. The interiors of the residence are distinguished by their rich decoration – fragments of polychrome in the staircase have been preserved, as well as panelling, doors and supra-ports from the Tarnowski Palace, which was demolished in 1898.
The Strzałecki family and their activities
The Tenement House under the Giants was also important for the cultural and collecting activities of the Strzałecki family, the founders of the building. Antoni Jan Strzałecki and his descendants, painters by profession, were actively involved in saving national monuments. They were involved in decorating new buildings, conserving historical paintings and collecting objects of historical value. Despite the destruction of two other properties of the Strzałecki family in September 1939, the Tenement under the Giants survived and is an important testimony to their achievements.
The Restaurant under the Giants
The building now houses the Pod Gigantami Restaurant, maintained in the style of past eras. Its interiors are decorated with rocaille elements and parquet floors dating back more than 250 years, brought from the Tarnowski palace, which was demolished for the construction of the Bristol hotel. In the past, the restaurant was decorated with original paintings, including those by Juliusz Kossak, which have been donated to museums. However, a copy of the painting of Stanisław Poniatowski, painted by Marcello Bacciarelli, remains in the premises. The building retains a plaque commemorating the founder and architect of the tenement, which was originally located in the courtyard under the ground floor window and is now placed in the gate passage.
Source: warszawa.fandom.com, warszawa1939.pl
Read also: Architecture | Tenement | Monument | City | Warsaw | Architecture in Poland
A portal with giants in 1918 and 2025. Source: Towarzystwo Opieki Nad Zabytkami Przeszłości and WhiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski