Following Poland’s betrayal at Yalta by its so-called Allies the aftermath of WWII 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 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 WWII meant that it wasn’t until 1952 that his architects were to commence putting their knowledge into practice. Lev Rudynev, the brains behind the equally monstrous Lomonosov University in Moscow, was put in the charge of the design, and set about making the building into one of the most notorious examples of Socialist 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 people's 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; like the imperialist Nevsky Cathedral that once stood on pl. Piłsudskiego, the palace was seen as no more than a symbol of Russian hegemony. Viewed from a distance – apparently it can be spotted from 30km away – the palace appears a faceless monolith. Viewed closely several intricate details appear in focus. Under Stalin’s orders architects travelled around Poland’s key cultural sights, from Wawel to Zamość, observing Polish architectural traditions, hence the numerous crenellations, courtyards and motifs.

Once inside the ground floor becomes a maze of halls and corridors, with chambers named after Eastern icons – Yuri Gagarin, Marie Skłodowska-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 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. The viewing platform on the 30th floor is visited by approximately 1,500 people daily, and offers panoramic views of the city spinning below you as well as regualrly changing temporary exhibits.
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