Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw

Infobox Skyscraper
building_name=Palace of Culture and Science


caption=Palace of Culture and Science
location=Warsaw
coordinates=
constructed=1952 - 1955
use=
roof=231 m (778 ft)
floor_count=42
floor_area=123 084 m² (1 324 876 ft²)
architect=Lev RudnevThe Palace of Culture and Science ( _pl. Pałac Kultury i Nauki, also abbreviated "PKiN") in Warsaw is the tallest building in Poland, the seventh tallest building in the European Union, and the world's 187th tallest building at 237 metres (778 ft). The building was originally known as the Joseph Stalin Palace of Culture and Science ("Pałac Kultury i Nauki imienia Józefa Stalina"), but in the wake of destalinization the dedication was revoked;cite web|url=http://www.bestufs.net/download/conferences/Warsaw_May07/BESTUFS_Warsaw_May07_Conference_Leaflet.pdf |publisher=Best Urban Freight Solutions |title=Warsaw Palace of Culture and Science |date=May 24, 2007 |format=pdf ] Stalin's name was removed from the interior lobby and one of the building's sculptures.

History

Construction started in 1952 and lasted until 1955. A gift from the Soviet Union to the people of Poland, the tower was constructed, using Soviet plans, almost entirely by 3500 workers from the Soviet Union, of whom 16 died in accidents during the construction.en icon cite web |author = |url = http://www.pkin.pl/historia/ |title = History of PKiN in a nutshell |work = www.pkin.pl |publisher = |pages = |page = |date = |accessdate = 2008-07-25] The architecture of the building is closely related to several similar skyscrapers built in the Soviet Union of the same era, most notably the Moscow State University and the Moscow Kremlin Spasskaya tower. However, the main architect Lev Rudnev incorporated some Polish architectural details into the project by traveling around Poland and seeing the architecture. The monumental walls are headed with pieces of masonry copied from renaissance houses and palaces of Kraków and Zamość.

Shortly after opening, the building hosted the 5th World Festival of Youth and Students. Many visiting dignitaries toured the Palace, and it also hosted performances by notable international artists, such as a 1967 concert by the Rolling Stones, the first by a major western rock group behind the Iron Curtain. [en icon cite web |author = Timothy Tilghman |url = http://rockontour.net/bj67.html |title = The Stones Tumultuous 1967 European Tour |work = rockontour.net |publisher = |pages = |page = |date = |accessdate = 2008-07-25]

Present day

As the city's most visible landmark, the building was controversial from its inception. Many Poles initially hated the building because they considered it to be a symbol of Soviet domination, and at least some of that negative feeling persists until today. Some have also argued that, regardless of its political connotations, the building destroyed the aesthetic balance of the old city and imposed dissonance with other buildings. However, over time, and especially in recent years, Warsaw has acquired a number of other skyscrapers of comparable height, so that the Palace now fits somewhat more harmoniously into the city skyline. Furthermore, since Soviet domination over Poland ended in 1989, the negative symbolism of the building has much diminished. Four 6.3-metre clock faces were added to the top of the building in 2000, making it briefly the tallest, and now the world's second-tallest, clock tower (after the NTT DoCoMo Yoyogi Building, to which a clock was added in 2002).

The inhabitants of Warsaw still commonly use nicknames to refer to the palace, notably "Pekin" (Beijing in Polish, because of its abbreviated name "PKiN"), "Pajac" ("clown", a word that sounds close to "Pałac"), "Stalin's syringe" or even the "Russian Wedding Cake". [en icon cite web |author = |url = http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=destination&loc_id=135388&sub_section=Don't+Miss |title = Warsaw: Don't Miss |work = www.whatsonwhen.com |publisher = |pages = |page = |date = |accessdate = 2008-07-25] [pl icon cite web |author = Małgorzata Barwicka |url =http://www.tc.ciechanow.pl/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4422|title = Pałac pod lupą |work = www.tc.ciechanow.pl |publisher = Tygodnik Ciechanowski |pages = |page = |date = 07 March 2007 |accessdate = 2008-07-29] The terrace on the 30th floor, at 114 metres, is a well-known tourist attraction with a panoramic view of the city. An old joke held that the best views of Warsaw were available from the building: it was the only place in the city from where it could not be seen (a claim originally made by the French writer Guy de Maupassant about the Eiffel Tower).

The building currently serves as an exhibition centre and office complex. It is 231 metres (778 ft) tall which includes the height of the spire of 49 metres. There are 3288 rooms on 42 floors, with an overall area of 123,000 m², containing cinemas, theatres, museums, offices, bookshops, and a large conference hall for 3000 people.cite web|url=http://www.hum.au.dk/ckulturf/pages/publications/mz/architect.htm |title=The Height of (Architectural) Seduction: Reading the "Changes" through Stalin's Palace in Warsaw, Poland |author=Magdalena J. Zaborowska |accessdate=2008-04-18 |publisher=Centre for Cultural Research, University of Aarhus ] In fact, an accredited university, Collegium Civitas, makes its home on the 11th and 12th floors of the building.

Notes

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Photos of the Palace

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ConstructionImage:Socrealizm.jpg|Socialist_Realist_sculptures_surrounding_the_PalaceImage:POL_Palace_of_Culture_and_Science_(2).jpg|Miniature_model_of_the_PalaceImage:Warsaw_cult_palace_night.jpg|The_Palace_at_night_Image:PKiN_view_N_dusk.jpg|View_north_from_the_viewing_gallery_at_duskImage:Panoramawarszawy.jpg|Warsaw_skyline,_with_the_Palace_on_the_left

ee also

*Socialist realism in Poland
*Warsaw Parade Square ("Plac Defilad")
*Neoclassical architecture
*Latvian Academy of Sciences in Riga

External links

* [http://www.pkin.pl Official site]
*
* [http://maps.google.com/?ll=52.232215,21.007276&spn=0.008937,0.020127&t=k&om=1 Google maps view on Palace of Culture and Science]
* [http://www.zacharz.com/warszawa/english/pkin.htm Pictures of the Palace of Culture and Science]

succession box
title=Miss World Venue
before=Sanya
after=Sanya
years=2006