Palace of Culture, Poland

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.