Palace+of+Culture+and+Science

The Palace of Culture is the tallest building in Poland. Its construction began in May of 1952, and finished in July of 1955. The main architect, Lev Rudnev, designed the building by exploring Poland to get different ideas. He observed the many buildings to get the theme of the country. The Palace is 757 feet tall and has 42 floors, and 3,288 rooms.

There’s even a college inside of the building on the 11th and 12th floor. Poland received the Palace as a gift from the Soviet Union. This place is a very well known attraction to tourists. It is the city’s most visible landmark to this day. Also, many performances were held at the Palace such as a concert in 1967 with The Rolling Stones.

On December 31, 2000, four 6.3 meter clocks were added to the top of the structure. It was at one point the tallest clock tower in the world for a brief period of time. Of all the floors, many people say the 30th floor presents the best view of Warsaw. The building has a few nicknames, like “Pekin” or “the Russian wedding cake”.

However, there are some mixed emotions about this historical landmark. Many tourists love it because they think it’s neat. There are over 15 halls inside that can be rented out for congresses, conferences, concerts, etc. But, many citizens of Warsaw hate the structure because they feel it represents Soviet domination. Or they think it just doesn't blend in with the city; like it stands out too much. But it’s still a wonderful landmark in the city and a major tourist attraction to many people who come to Warsaw and visit.