Editing Palace of Culture and Science (section)

===Early years===
[[File:A_Kultúra_és_Tudomány_Palotája._Fortepan_75020.jpg|thumb|left|The Palace of Culture and Science in 1960]]
At the time of its completion, the Palace of Culture and Science was the [[List of tallest buildings|eighth tallest building in the world]] and the [[List of tallest buildings in Europe|second tallest building in Europe]] (after the [[Moscow State University|Moscow State University Building]]). The Palace retained these positions until 1961 and 1990, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|last=Białas|first=Adam|url=https://www.onet.pl/turystyka/adam-bialas/zamiast-palacu-kultury-i-nauki-w-warszawie-miala-powstac-wieza-niepodleglosci/wzvcttl,30bc1058|title=Miała być wieża, powstał pałac. Niezwykła historia Warszawy sprzed lat|website=Onet|language=pl|date=31 May 2023|access-date=4 June 2023}}</ref>

Shortly after opening, many visiting dignitaries toured the Palace, and the building hosted the [[5th World Festival of Youth and Students]], held from July to August 1955. In 1956, several people committed [[Suicide by jumping from height|suicide by jumping]] from the observation deck on the 30th floor, at the height of {{convert|114|m}}. The first victim was a Frenchman, followed by seven Poles. After these incidents, the observation deck was enclosed in steel bars.

The Palace's concert hall has hosted performances by notable international artists. In 1967, [[The Rolling Stones]] became the first major western rock group to hold a concert behind the [[Iron Curtain]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Tilghman |first=Timothy |date=n.d. |title=Through The Past Darkly: The Stones Tumultuous 1967 European Tour |url=http://rockontour.net/bj67.html |access-date=25 July 2008 |website=RockonTour.net |archive-date=15 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080715234105/http://www.rockontour.net/bj67.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The 1985 concert by [[Leonard Cohen]], held during the period of [[martial law in Poland]], was surrounded by intense expectations that the artist would make a political statement about the growing [[Solidarity (Polish trade union)|Solidarity]] movement.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wyszogrodzki |first=Daniel |date=n.d. |title=Warsaw 1985 |url=http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/warsaw85.html |access-date=29 October 2012 |website=The Leonard Cohen Files |archive-date=3 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903110411/http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/warsaw85.html |url-status=live }}</ref>