Places

Often referred to as “the house with the lions” or “the Koszalin Pentagon”, the building is occupied by the Koszalin branch office of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship Office. It was originally built as the new seat of the Koszalin District, as the previous offices simply became too small. The building was commissioned on September 2nd, 1939, but due to the outbreak of war, the grand inauguration was called off. The building has around 15 thousand square metres and over 800 windows, hence the nickname “the Pentagon”. Its architecture is typical for public buildings of the Third Reich, drawing heavily from the style of the Roman Empire, and aiming to overwhelm and intimidate the visitor. Aerial photos show that it was built on a plan of combined letters A and H, interpreted by some as the initials of Adolf Hitler. The columns and wings give the building the appearance of a palace, particularly with the two statues of lions in the front.