At the crossing point of two main thoroughfares in the modern town stands this Palace of Culture and the Sciences, a gift from Stalin that was erected between 1952 and 1955. Its construction required the demolition of several of the town's districts and this was seen as a sign of Soviet oppression. A huge 10-pillared portico with statues of the Russian writer Pushkin and the Polish poet Mickiewicz on either side of the façade. Today the building contains 4 theatres, 3 cinemas, an immense meeting hall, a sports centre for young people, the Academy of Sciences, part of the University and a Technology museum. At the feet of this Palace, there is a bustling daily market. Round about, many modern buildings and tower blocks, housing big stores and hotels, add to the modern appearance of this district and make it the true commercial artery of the modern town.