This
week, one of Warsaw’s most iconic buildings, the Palace of Culture and Science
(Pałac Kultury i Nauki), turns 60 years old on Wednesday, July 22nd.
It’s
a building, the tallest one in Poland at 231
meters, that people either love or hate.
As
we called Warsaw home
for 27 months, I saw the Palace of Culture every day from our balcony, except on
really foggy days. I happen to rather like this skyscraper that lit up the city’s
business center in different colors every night, which reminded me of the
Empire State Building in my beloved NYC. It’s a
building I photographed many, many times while we lived in Warsaw as you can see from the photographs in this blog post.
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| Balcony margaritas to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Warsaw. |
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Where is the Palace of Culture?
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However,
the building, originally named in honor of Joseph Stalin, was considered a “gift”
from the Soviet Union to Poland after the Communists took over following World
War II. For obvious reasons, many Poles dislike what the building represents
and the fact it was built in the middle of the city where people lived in burnt-out
tenement buildings following WWII.
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| Stalin's name was erased from the statue on the right after the Communist regime fell in 1989 in Warsaw. |
Construction
on the palace lasted three years, and the doors were open to the public on July
22, 1955, with a special ribbon cutting ceremony. (Click here to see PKiN photos
from 1955.)
Little
do most Poles know that the building’s design was partially based on some
Polish architecture.
Designed
by Soviet architect Lev Rudnev, the palace is similar in style to his main
campus building for Moscow University, based on Socialist Classicism, and
others built during the same era in Riga, Latvia, and Russia. However, Rudnev also travelled to Polish
historical sites in Kraków, Zamość, Kazimierz, Torun and Sandomierz to study
Polish renaissance architecture, resulting in the spiky “Polish parapets” that
decorate the roof of the building. (I learned this fact from a private tour
with Orange
Umbrella in Warsaw. I can highly recommend arranging your own private
tour!)
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| A misty view of the "Palace of Culture" in Riga during our November 2014 Baltic Road Trip. |
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| This picture depicts the spiky “Polish parapets.” |
To
celebrate the Place of Culture’s 60th birthday this week, there will
be special events on Wednesday from 12-17:00, concluding with a birthday cake cutting
ceremony at 5 p.m. If you want to participate in the fun on the eve of the 22nd,
people are encouraged to buy entry tickets to the observation deck of the Palace
of Culture from the lobby entrance along ul. Marszalkowska. More details can be
found here.
In
addition to the special events on Wednesday, there is an anniversary
exhibit which includes architectural models, furniture, audio devices,
uniforms, key rings and vintage paraphernalia once used in the building. This
exhibit runs through July 31st.
Thirdly,
there is a special photo exhibit by local Polish photographer Jacek Fota running from July 22 until August 26, which
features the interior and people that work in the Palace of Culture.
Here
are some interesting tidbits about the palace:
- has
44 floors. On the 30th floor, at a height of 114 meters, there is an
observation deck that is open to the public. (This is my favorite place to take
guests and give them a bird’s eye view of Warsaw. Don't miss out on this observation deck when you visit Warsaw!)
- has
3,288 rooms inside.
- is
the home of several public institutions, a movie theater, sports club and local
museums.
- takes
40 million zl to maintain every year.
- the
Polish government paid about 160 million zl for its construction during the
1950s.
- tontains
an indoor swimming pool, “secret rooms” and a sanctuary for cats on level-2
- Did
you also know that the Rolling Stones and Elton John have played at the Sala
Kongresowa here?
Though
the Palace of Culture may be either loved or despised, the building represents
a part of Warsaw’s past. This week is the time to remember the city’s history
and pay tribute to its future.
Happy
Birthday to the Palace of Culture in Warsaw!
By the way, the interior of the palace is just as impressive as the exterior!
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| Spring and Winter views of the Palace of Culture in Warsaw. |
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| Northern view during winter from the observation deck at the Palace of Culture in Warsaw. |
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| Southern view from the observation deck at the Palace of Culture in Warsaw. |
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| View of Old Town from the observation deck at the Palace of Culture in Warsaw. |
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