Palace of Culture and Science

It is one of the tallest and also the most recognizable building in Warsaw. It can be seen from almost anywhere in the capital. Where did it come from? It was built in 1955 on the initiative of Joseph Stalin as a "gift of the Soviet people to the Poles." Built by Russian workers, for a long time it was considered a representation of socialist power and the pride of People's Poland - it was the place where, among other things, the conventions of the Polish United Workers' Party were held. From the very beginning, its monumental interiors hosted numerous concerts, exhibitions, fairs and shows.

Today, the palace is home to theaters, cinemas, museums, trendy pubs and the main point of Warsaw Tourist Information.

Be sure to ascend to the observation deck on the 30th floor of the building and see the beautiful panorama of the city from a height of 114 meters.

Pay attention to the Socialist Realist sculptures placed in the niches of the palace's facade. Each symbolizes a different field of science, art, technology or culture, such as a young man with a volume of classics, a Komsomol, an archer or a resident of Central Asia. Across from the main entrance you'll find a stone tribune of honor from which the first secretaries of the Communist Party Central Committee greeted participants in May Day parades.

In summer, the area around the palace becomes an arena for numerous concerts, theater and film shows. In winter, however, it is a perfect place for ice-skating enthusiasts thanks to a free ice rink with skate rental. At night the edifice is beautifully illuminated, and on special occasions additional illuminations are activated.

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