THE ONLY SUCH PLACE
Centennial Hall is a unique venue on the map of Poland, where history harmoniously interacts with modernity. It was designed by Max Berg, an outstanding city architect, and recognized as one of the top masterpieces of the 20th century architecture. The designer assumed that the Hall was to serve citizens of Wrocław and visitors to Lower Silesia’s capital city, and it continues to perform this function successfully. Multi-purpose space, unusual structure, unique and spacious location represent just a few of its strengths. Centennial Hall complex currently is one of the most desired venues among domestic and foreign organizers of major exhibitions, conferences, cultural, sport and congress events. The Hall’s inscription on UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006 emphasized the rank of this facility. Undoubtedly it is one of the most characteristic flagships of Wrocław in the international scale, and exceptionally magic site in the city where the charts of history record its multi-generational experience.
Centennial Hall was designed by Max Berg, an architect and constructor. This facility is the most famous work of Wrocław Modernism. Its structure was erected between 1911 and 1913, and its interiors held Centennial Exhibition to commemorate 100th anniversary of Napoleon’s defeat at Leipzig. Wrocław’s debate on establishing permanent recreational and exhibition grounds was started already in the 19th century. Developing city needed a major characteristic structure with capacity to hold a large number of exhibitors and visitors. Facility was to be erected in the grounds of Szczytnicki Park, in the place of a former horse racecourse. Max Berg, a municipal construction adviser at the time, was awarded the contract to develop Wroclaw Exhibition Grounds. In the early 1911, Berg presented his first sketches of the structure. Despite numerous objections, the City Council approved implementation of the Architect’s visionary design