Palace of Culture and Science – Poland

Hi Folks!

The Palace of Culture and Science is a gift from the Soviet Union to the people of Poland. And understandably its reputation is controversial, but in my humble opinion the building is magnificent. The Palace of Culture and Science is the tallest building in Poland and possibly the eight tallest building in Europe. The grotesque appearance of the Palace dominates the skyline of Warsaw. In 1967 the Palace hosted Rolling Stones’ concert, which is considered the first concert held by a major rock band in the East, behind the Iron Curtain. I managed to get a ticket to the concert but to my regret I caught the flu on the same night and stayed home. Luckily I was fit on the night Leonard Cohen performed in the Palace in 1985. What a voice, what a night! I wish you could have been there too! Some clever little devil gave the Palace a nickname the Elephant in Lacy Underwear, a perfect articulation for this monument representing Stalinist architecture with a touch of Polish historicism and American art deco. And that brings me to my travel plans: I will be viewing elephants in their natural habitat in the end of February, so stay tuned.

-Gart