The seat of the former Regierungsbezirk is one of the most distinctive buildings of the city centre. This monumental building constructed almost in a square-plan looks like a medieval fortress.

It was built between 1908 and 1911 according to the project of an architect from Berlin, Richard Saran. The construction was supervised by Olsztyn-born Albert Dylewski. The building was the seat of Allenstein Regierungberizk, which was established in 1905. This embraced the southern regions of Königsberg and Gumbinnen Regierungberizke, the inhabitants of which used the Polish language. The building was also the seat of the Department of the East Prussian Poviats (Urząd Powiatów Prus Wschodnich). During the East Prussian Plebiscite in 1920, the Ally Committee worked here, supervising the plebiscite. During WWII the Gestapo headquarters were located in this building.

After the war, the building was the seat of institutions connected with the Polish State Railways. In the 1990s a lot of companies had their headquarters in it. After an administrative reform of 1998 the local authorities moved to the building again: namely, the Marshal Office and the Voivodeship Administrative Court.

The usable area of the premises is about 11.000m2. Apart from four four-storey peripheral wings, there is also an inner wing and a staircase joining it to the front wing. Such an arrangement is divided by a courtyard into three parts – one bigger and two smaller ones. The courtyard was the setting for one episode of a successful series Stawka Większa Niż Życie (episode Podwójny Nelson) which was filmed in Olsztyn in the summer of 1967.