Poland’s tallest building, the Palace of Culture & Science towers 231-metres above the city of Warsaw. It’s home to more than 3,000 rooms, with the 30th-floor terrace offering stunning views over the city. When locals want to know the time, they simply gaze up at the building’s façade which houses one of the largest clocks in Europe.

It serves a multitude of functions with offices, institution headquarters, a pair of private universities and the Polish Academy of Sciences all located within the building. It also features an enormous congress hall, as well as several theatres, a multi-screen cinema, an indoor swimming pool, a post office and a suite of museums.

The Palace of Culture & Science is located in the centre of Warsaw, which makes it an easy walk from most central hotels, restaurants, shops and other attractions. Centrum is the closest metro station, with local buses and trams also servicing the area.

Built in the early 1950s, the imposing Palace of Culture & Science tower was a “gift of friendship” from the Soviet Union. It was offered by Joseph Stalin himself, with local architect Lew Rudniew commissioned to bring the ambitious design to life. While locals were slow to warm to the building, it’s gradually emerging as an iconic city landmark.