Palace of Culture and Science

Initially named the Joseph Stalin's Palace of Culture and Science, the building underwent a change of name following destalinization efforts, resulting in the removal of Stalin's name from the colonnade, interior lobby, and one of the building's sculptures. Despite the renaming, locals still refer to it by the monikers "Stalin's penis" or the "Dick of Stalin".

Construction of the building commenced in 1952 and was completed in 1955, during the Soviet occupation of Poland, as a forced "gift" to the Polish people. The Palace was erected with great fanfare and was named after Joseph Stalin upon its completion, with one commentator describing it as a "gift of the Soviet peoples to People's Poland" that Warsaw could not refuse.

The tower was built according to Soviet plans and involved the labor of approximately 3,500 to 5,000 Soviet workers and 4,000 Polish workers, with 16 workers losing their lives in accidents during the construction process. The builders were accommodated in a new suburban complex, built at Poland's expense, with amenities such as a cinema, food court, community center, and swimming pool, known as Osiedle "Przyjaźni" (Neighborhood of Friendship).

Soviet and Polish architects convened near the Śląsko-Dąbrowski Bridge on the eastern bank of the Vistula river to determine the height of the building. They employed a unique method: a small plane trailed a balloon along the future skyscraper's axis. The group stationed near the bridge maintained radio communication with the pilot. Initially, the balloon ascended to 100 meters, then gradually reached 110 meters and 120 meters. Lev Rudnev, leading the Soviet team, deemed 120 meters sufficient for the city's tallest point. On the other hand, Józef Sigalin, the Polish representative overseeing the construction and chief architect of Warsaw, rallied the Poles to chant "Higher!" each time the balloon rose by 10 meters. Eventually, they settled on a tower height of 237 meters, consisting of a main structure standing at 120 meters, a 40 meters turret, and a 77 meters spire.

The building's architectural style is similar to other Soviet-era skyscrapers, including the Main building of Moscow State University and the Latvian Academy of Sciences building in Riga, Latvia, which was also imposed on Latvia during its occupation by the Soviet Union. However, the main architect, Lev Rudnev, added some Polish architectural elements to the project after touring Poland and observing its architecture. The monumental walls of the Palace feature masonry pieces replicated from Renaissance houses and palaces in Kraków and Zamość.

Shortly after its opening, the Palace hosted the 5th World Festival of Youth and Students, which was attended by many dignitaries. The building also hosted performances by renowned international artists, such as The Rolling Stones' 1967 concert, the first by a major western rock group behind the Iron Curtain. In 1985, Leonard Cohen performed a historic concert at the Palace, which was surrounded by political expectations that he avoided in his prolonged introductions during the three-hour show. In preparation for the millennium celebrations in 2000, four 6.3 meter clock faces were added to the building's top, and they became operational on December 31, 2000.

The Palace of Culture and Science is currently utilized as a mixed-use complex for office spaces and exhibitions. Within the Palace, there are numerous amenities including a multiplex cinema that houses eight screens, four theaters, two museums (the Museum of Evolution and the Museum of Technology), bookshops, offices, a large swimming pool, and an auditorium hall known as the Congress Hall, capable of accommodating 3,000 people. Additionally, the accredited university, Collegium Civitas, occupies the 11th and 12th floors of the building. The Palace's terrace, located on the 30th floor and standing at a height of 114 meters, is a well-known tourist attraction that offers a panoramic view of the city.

In 2010, the Palace underwent a modernization of its lighting system, with the installation of high-power LED lights that are capable of displaying various colors at night. The new lighting system was first used during Christmas that year, with the Palace illuminated in green and white to resemble a Christmas tree. During the Euromaidan protests in December 2013, the Palace was illuminated in blue and yellow, which are the colors of the Ukrainian national flag, as a sign of solidarity with the protesters. In 2021, during the Women's Strike protests, the Palace projected the symbol of the movement, a single red bolt on a black background.

The Palace of Culture and Science is a source of controversy, often considered a reminder of the Soviet influence on the Polish People's Republic, particularly due to its construction during a time of mass human rights violations under Joseph Stalin. The demolition of the Palace has been called for by a coalition of veteran and nationalist groups known as Porozumienie Organizacji Kombatanckich i Niepodległościowych w Krakowie, as well as by the political party Law and Justice (PiS). In 2009, the then Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski supported the demolition of the Palace, citing the cost of its maintenance. The ex-prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki and other prominent government leaders have also endorsed plans to demolish the building.