A Gift from Stalin! (Palace of Culture and Science (Warsaw))

Member Name: Praskipark

Product:	Palace of Culture and Science (Warsaw)
Date:	25/09/08 (175 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Focal Point of the City and A great Venue for Concerts and Exhibitions

Disadvantages: I Can't Think Of Any Although The People of Warsaw Hate the Building

Following Poland's betrayal at Yalta by its so called Allies the aftermath of WW11 saw the country fall under the Soviet sphere of influence for a period that would last until 1989. For all the aggressive westernisation that has since followed, the marks of four decades of communism have yet to be completely erased from the face of Warsaw. Of these the most apparent is the Palace of Culture and Science, standing in the heart of the city. You couldn't miss this one if you tried. Soaring 231 metres high into the sky the building remains the tallest in Poland, in spite of recent competition from its highrise neighbours.

Originally commissioned by Stalin as a 'gift from the Soviet people' the structure actually takes its inspiration from the capitalist world, namely the Empire State Building. Stalin had sent a secret delegation to New York to learn both about the building and American construction methods, though the outbreak of World War11 meant that it wasn't until 1952 that his architects were to commence putting their knowledge into practise. A chap called Lev Rudynev, the brains behind The Lomonosov University in Moscow, was put in charge of the design, and set about making the building into one of the most notorious examples of Social Realist architecture in the world. Over 5,000 workers were ferried in from the Soviet states and housed in a purpose-built village in Jelonki, west Warsaw, where they were effectively cut off from the outside world. Working around the clock, it took them just three years to complete the Palace. In all 16 died during the construction, though despite the Olympian efforts of the labourers Stalin never lived to see his pet project completed.

Built using an estimated 40 million bricks and housing 3,288 rooms the Palace's purpose was to serve as not just party headquarters but also 'the peoples castle', with invitations to the annual New Year's Eve Ball issued to the best workers in socialist Poland. Regardless of this the building became an object of hatred and a stain on the skyline. The Palace was seen as a symbol of Russian hegemony. Viewed from a distance - apparently it can be spotted from 30km away - the Palace, to the people of Warsaw, appears a faceless monolith. Here I have to diagree as I think the whole stucture is fascinating and I love the fact that from any central street in the city this building can be viewed. It is like Goliath standing high watching over the city and its people. Throughout the Christmas period the buildiing is adorned with thousands of twinkling lights illuminating the whole of the city. Viewed closely several intricate details appear in focus consisting of motifs and numerous crenellations.

Once inside the ground floor becomes a maze of halls and corridors, with chambers named after eastern icons - Yuri Gagarin, Marie Sklodowska-Curie (a famous communist sympathiser) etc. Brass chandeliers hang over clacking parquet flooring, secret lifts lie hidden around and allegorical socialist reliefs take inspiration from ancient mythology - it's easy to imagine Bond snooping around planting listening devices. Several conference rooms still hold original translators booths, complete with huge dials and buttons. The crowning glory of the ground floor is the Sala Kongresowa, a decadent red theatre space apparently inspired by La Scala. Holding 2,880 people, its original use was to host party conferences, though through the years it became better known as a concert venue - hosting acts as diverse as the Rolling Stones in 1967, to the Chippendales in 2006.

Although Stalin never made it to the Palace, Comrade Brezhnev did, and nowadays it's possible to view the room he used before famously staggering to address the crowd gathered in the Sala Kongresowa. Fitted with pine and oak taking a step inside Brezhnev's personal space is the closest you'll come to going back in time. With the fall of communism the idea of dynamiting the Palace was floated, though today it stands acknowledged as a protected building with the President of Warsaw listed in documentation as the official owner.

Today the Palace is home to museums of technology and palaeontology, the theatres Studio, Dramatyczny and Lalka, the Youth Centre, an indoor swimming pool and a bank, not to mention cafes and restaurants. The Palace's halls are also hired for exhibitions and trade fairs, while the top floor accomodates the Polish Academy of Science, Warsaw University and Warsaw's Municipal Office. On the 30th floor there is a viewing platform which is visited by approximately 1,500 people daily and offers panoramic views of the city spinning below.

Admission for the viewing level is 15zl/20zl (from £3 - £4 approx).
From September - open 09.00 - 20.00. Fri - Sat.

You can find the Palace of Culture and Science (Palac Kultury i Nauki) on Parade Square (pl. Defilad) which adjoins Marszalkowska Street.

Summary
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Personally I love this building and I find it quite sad that several modern high rise buildings have been constructed to block the building out even though the modern structures are futuristic and attractive. It is difficult for me as a westerner and not having been brought up in communist times to totally dismiss the building just because it was a gift from Stalin but on the other hand the Polish people have had a belly full of the Russians and I understand and sympathise with this also. I can't imagine Warsaw without this building as it is the focal point and apart from the physical structure it is a great venue for concerts and exhibitions. Well worth a visit.

NB: Some statistics regarding the building of the structure have been taken from research from various magazines from the library.

Summary: A Great Example of Socialist Realist Architecture