The Palace of Culture and Science was completed in 1955 in the centre of Warsaw, in an area devastated during the Second World War. Designed in the socialist-realist style and inspired by Moscow's monumental skyscrapers, it was presented by the Soviet Union as a gift to the Polish People's Republic. The building continues to dominate Warsaw's skyline and remains one of the city's most recognisable landmarks.
Rising to 230 metres, with 42 floors and more than 3,000 rooms, the palace covers approximately 120,000 square metres. It contains a congress hall, theatres, a cinema, a youth centre, museums, sports facilities, restaurants and offices. The Congress Hall once hosted meetings of the Polish communist party, but also became an important cultural venue. During the Cold War, performers including Marlene Dietrich, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and the Rolling Stones appeared here.
For decades the palace symbolised Soviet domination of Poland. Today it is a protected historic monument and a vivid document of the twentieth century. The viewing terrace offers a panoramic view of Warsaw, and selected interiors can also be visited.
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