"Palace of Culture viewing terrace: Warsaw from 114 metres up"

Love it or hate it, the Palace of Culture and Science (PKiN) is the building every Warsaw skyline photo is judged against - and the fastest way to understand the city's layout is from its 30th-floor viewing terrace, 114 metres up.

What you see

From the open-air terrace the whole city spreads out in a 360-degree panorama: the Old Town's spires to the north, the Vistula and the National Stadium to the east, and the glass towers of the new business district to the west. The Palace's operator calls it the most visited tourist attraction in Warsaw.

The building itself

The Palace was completed in 1955 as a "gift" from the Soviet Union and rises 237 metres to the tip of its spire. Beyond the terrace it houses theatres, cinemas (including Kinoteka), a congress hall, museums and the city's best-known clock tower. Its socialist-realist silhouette - inspired by Moscow's "Seven Sisters" - makes it the one landmark you can navigate by from almost anywhere in central Warsaw.

Practical tips

• Opening: the terrace opens at 10:00 daily; closing times vary by season, so check pkin.pl before an evening visit.
• Tickets: current prices and online booking are on the official site; buying ahead saves the ground-floor queue on weekends.
• Getting there: the Palace sits between Centrum (M1) and Świętokrzyska (M1/M2) metro stations; see our [public transport guide](/a/warsaw-public-transport-guide).
• Weather: the terrace is open-air - clear days give the best views, and it is windy year-round.