The Palace of Culture construction began in 1952 and
was completed in 155. The Warsaw Palace of Culture was
a gift to the people of Poland from the Soviet Union.
During the construction, 16 of the 3500 Soviet Union workers
died from accidents. The Palace of Culture and Science
is the tallest building home in Poland and the seventh
tallest building in all of Europe. When the construction
was complete, it was known as the Joseph Stalin Palace
of Culture and Science.
The architectural design of the Warsaw Palace of Culture
and Science is similar to other tower like skyscrapers
of the time period in the Soviet Union. The palace is
home in the center of Warsaw
and has been one of the most controversial buildings in
Poland. The Palace of Culture and Science was almost destroyed
in 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down. The reason of
the controversy over the Palace of Culture is that many
Poles saw it as a sign of Soviet domination especially
with the name Joseph Stalin attached to its name.
The Palace of Culture and Science today is a very popular
tourist attraction with 42 floors offering an exhibition
hall, office complex, cinema, theatre, museum, and even
the location for an FM and television-broadcasting center.
Many tourists do not visit the Warsaw Palace of Culture and Science for any of the aforementioned things, but for the beauty that is seen from the 30th floor observation deck.
Even though the palace is a landmark that stands out as one of the most photographed attractions in Warsaw, many Poles still wish to have the skyscraper destroyed. In their eyes, the tower is a sign of oppression and mistreatment from the Soviets while in power. Even though the palace was created by Soviets with the Soviet style of architectural, there are a few Polish details including the monumental walls that are headed with bits of masonry form the palaces of Krakow and Zamosc along with a few renaissance houses.
Some of the attractions that visitors enjoy at the palace
include the many cultural events that occur at various
times throughout the year such as the International Tourist
Fairs and the Jazz Jamboree. Along with the events, the
palace is also home to many unique collections such as
the Glass Lady that allows one to see the functions of
the inner body or the Planetarium where you can view the
stars from Poland.
