Swimming pool at the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw: history and present use for sport trainings

Abstract

The swimming pool in the Palace of Youth in Warsaw was officially opened in April 1955, as a part of the Palace of Culture and Science erected in the style of socialist realism. At that time, it was (and still is) the only indoor swimming pool in the Mazovian Region, where diving is possible. It is also one of very few swimming pools in Poland where this sport discipline can be practised in the full range of competitions throughout the whole year. The lack of suitable facilities for diving is the result of many reasons: lack of funds for sports investments, high costs of implementation and maintenance, numerous very detailed safety requirements of the International Swimming Federation (FINA) for this discipline, which a swimming pool must meet. The Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw and its surroundings (the Parade Square) was enlisted in the register of historic architectural monuments and all modernization works had to take into account the very restrictive and detailed recommendations of the conservation programme that imposed keeping historical qualities of the pool’s architectural style. The aim of the article is to explore and present the relationships between history, tradition and modern requirements for swimming pools, and to answer the question if this object can meet the requirements of the FINA for training and sports events organisation.

Keywords

• history of sport
• indoor swimming pool
• diving