The House with Dragons is a unique example of wooden Art Nouveau architecture, built in 1917 by architect Vikenty Orzheszko for a local gymnasium teacher, Bronislaw Bystrzycki. Its facade is crowned with seven carved wooden dragon heads: six arranged in pairs facing the cardinal directions, and one solitary head facing east to greet the rising sun. There are two main theories about the origin of the dragon motif: one links it to the Norwegian stave church in Borgund, while the other sees it as a tribute to Chinese culture and the Year of the Dragon, the year Tomsk was founded. After the October Revolution, the house was nationalized and used as a revolutionary headquarters. Though the rest of the decor is minimal, the dragons and the sharp-angled corner tower make this house a standout piece of fantastical wooden architecture in Russia.