While researching places to stay in Warsaw, several hotel descriptions included the words “opposite the Palace of Culture and Science” (Pałac Kultury i Nauki), which made me wonder just how big this building is. The answer is large. Very large. Massive. Rather enormous. Huge.

This gothic-style and briskly beautiful building is 40 storeys high (231 metres or 757 feet) and scrapes the sky. In the early mornings it can be shrouded in mist.

The building was “given” to the Polish people in 1955 by Stalin as proof of the two countries' “strong” friendship. Some gift; strange friendship. Like it or loath it (and Poles do both), it is a great landmark. Lost? Look for Stalin’s palace and you’ll know where the centre of Warsaw is. Don’t know what time it is? Look up; it has a very big clock.

Inside, there is a conference centre; office space; and a congress hall holding nearly 3000 people. Receptions and balls are held there too. There are theatres, the Museum of Evolution (lots of dinosaurs), Museum of Technik (http://www.muzeum-techniki.waw.pl/index.php?page=en/en), which houses models of airplanes, train engines, ships and warships and lots lots more.

The 30th floor has an observation platform and café with views of the Vistula River and the centre of Warsaw. Elevators whiz tourists to the 30th floor in what are said to be the fastest in Poland. Here’s a panoramic view (http://www.pkin.pl/files/g/panoramadzien2.jpg) and here are some more (http://www.pkin.pl/taras_widokowy/).

It costs 20 zlotys (about £4) to go to the viewing platform and it's open between 9am and 8pm. The official website has a wonderful image of it on the homepage (http://www.pkin.pl/). Glowing and rather sinister.

Tip: you could get a better view of the city by going across the road to the Marriott Hotel. Its Panorama lounge is on the 40th floor. From there, the highest bar in Warsaw, you can get a fantastic view of the city and the palace.