Gazing upon Pałac Pod Karczochem, can you envision a rooftop adorned with a giant artichoke? This unique architectural detail is the origin of the palace’s intriguing name. Pałac Pod Karczochem, also known as Marconi Palace, stands proudly on Aleje Ujazdowskie 14 in Warsaw. This neo-Gothic gem has witnessed centuries of history unfold. It started as a modest garden pavilion in the late 18th century, owned by Szymon Bogumił Zug. The “artichoke” was a distinctive roof ornament on this early structure.
The palace we see today arose between 1845 and 1846. Antoni Corazzi designed the new Pałac Pod Karczochem, incorporating remnants of the original pavilion. The first owner of this grander Pałac Pod Karczochem was Jan Kanty Sokołowski, a court councilor. Years later, between 1884 and 1886, the palace underwent an expansion. Leandro Marconi oversaw this project for his son, Henryk. Leandro Marconi, a prominent Warsaw architect, also designed the Trade Bank and co-created the Hotel Europejski.
Pałac Pod Karczochem’s history took a darker turn during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, the Nazi party occupied the building. Following the war, the Polish Workers’ Party briefly used Pałac Pod Karczochem from 1945 to 1946. Then the Polish-Soviet Friendship Society took over from 1946 to 1947. From 1947 to 1984, it served as the North Korean embassy. After the fall of communism, Pałac Pod Karczochem came under the ownership of Stanisław Komorowski’s family. The European Union Representation called it home from 1992 to 2002. Since 2006, it has housed the Lithuanian embassy. Pałac Pod Karczochem, from a simple garden pavilion to a grand palace and diplomatic center, has truly seen it all.