Palace of Culture and Science (Polish: Pałac Kultury i Nauki; abbreviated PKiN), is a notable high-rise building in central Warsaw, Poland. With a total height of 237 metres (778 ft) it is the tallest building in Poland, the 5th-tallest building in the European Union (including spire) and one of the tallest on the European continent. Constructed in 1955, it houses various public and cultural institutions such as cinemas, theatres, libraries, sports clubs, university faculties and authorities of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Since 2007 it has been enlisted in the Registry of Objects of Cultural Heritage.
Motivated by Polish historical architecture and American art deco high-rise buildings, the PKiN was designed by Soviet architect Lev Rudnev in "Seven Sisters" style and is informally referred to as the Eighth Sister. The Palace was also the tallest clock tower in the world until the installation of a clock mechanism on the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building in Tokyo, Japan.
The building was originally known as the Joseph Stalin's Palace of Culture and Science (Pałac Kultury i Nauki imienia Józefa Stalina), but in the wake of destalinization the dedication to Stalin was revoked. Stalin's name was removed from the colonnade, interior lobby and one of the building's sculptures.
Some Varsovians still commonly use nicknames to refer to the palace, notably Peking, because of its abbreviated name PKiN), and Pajac ("clown", a word that sounds close to Pałac). Other less common names include Stalin's syringe, the Elephant in Lacy Underwear, Russian Wedding Cake, or even Chuj Stalina ("Stalin's Dick"). A popular saying among some of the locals has surfaced in the past few decades which insinuates that the Palace's observation deck has the city's "best view because it’s the only place in Warsaw with no view of the building".
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St. Hyacinth's Church, named after Saint Hyacinth of Poland, is located in Warsaw's New Town at Freta Street 8/10.
St. Hyacinth's Church was founded by the Dominican Order and adjoins Warsaw's largest monastery. The church is a mixture of Renaissance and early-Baroque styles. Its construction began in 1603 and it was completed in 1639.
During the construction and shortly afterwards the church was encompassed with ornate chapels. In 1627 Jadwiga Mińska established the Holy Cross Chapel, the so-called Dark Chapel, and in 1651 the Royal Musicians founded the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows.
When Warsaw was captured by Swedish and Brandenburgian forces in 1655, the church shared the same fate as other buildings in the city. it was ransacked and burned.[1] After the war it was rebuilt and consecrated in 1661 by bishop Wojciech Tolibowski, the bishop of Poznań. In 1662 the bell tower was erected, adjacent to the church, and in 1690 the Wyszogród pantler Adam Kotowski established the most important church feature - the St. Dominic Chapel. The ornate baroque building was constructed according to the design by prominent Warsaw architect Tylman Gamerski.
The 18th century was the age of the church's greatest prosperity. The monastery's library possessed the richest collection of volumes in Poland. Unfortunately it was later completely destroyed.
During World War II, the church and monastery served the Polish forces in the Warsaw Uprising as a field hospital.[1] This fact turned these buildings into targets of frequent bombings by the Germans.[1] During the bombardments over a thousand civilians and insurgents were killed. (Wikipedia)
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Sigismund's Column, originally erected in 1644, is located in Castle Square, Warsaw, Poland and is one of Warsaw's most famous landmarks as well as the first secular monument in the form of a column in modern history. Wikipedia
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Sigismund's Column, originally erected in 1644, is located in Castle Square, Warsaw, Poland and is one of Warsaw's most famous landmarks as well as the first secular monument in the form of a column in modern history. Wikipedia
Tags: Warsaw Masovian Voivodeship Poland
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The Jesuit Church (Polish: Kościół Jezuitów), otherwise the Church of the Gracious Mother of God (Kościół Matki Bożej Łaskawej) is an ornate church in Warsaw, Poland. Immediately adjacent to St. John's Cathedral, it is one of the most notable mannerist churches in Poland's capital.
The Jesuit Church was founded by King Sigismund III Vasa and Podkomorzy Andrzej Bobola (the Old) at Piotr Skarga's initiative, in 1609, for the Jesuits. The main building was constructed between 1609 and 1626 in the Polish Mannerist style by Jan Frankiewicz.
St. John's Archcathedral in Warsaw is a Roman Catholic church in Warsaw's Old Town. St. John's is one of three cathedrals in Warsaw, but the only one which is also an archcathedral. It is the mother church of the archdiocese of Warsaw. Wikipedia
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