This isn’t a ranking of the most beautiful monuments or a tourist bucket list. It’s a collection of sites deemed invaluable for world heritage. It includes sites of so-called “Outstanding Universal Value.” These sites tell the story of humanity, define the development of architecture, science, and culture, and deserve protection for future generations. It’s been 20 years since the Centennial Hall in Wrocław was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The anniversary is not only an opportunity to recall the significance of this distinction but also to reflect on two decades of consistent protection and modernization of one of the most important architectural monuments of the 20th century.

– The renovations to the Centennial Hall complex are a result of the hard work of many people over nearly two decades. It’s difficult to name them all, as there are hundreds, or rather thousands, of dedicated individuals. This beautiful anniversary is a good opportunity to thank them once again, but also to assure them that, as Wrocław, we will continue to care for this unique world heritage. Max Berg conceived the Centennial Hall as a place for everyone, and that’s exactly what it is today. Today, the facility successfully combines multiple functions, meeting the many needs of the residents of Wrocław and Lower Silesia. – he says Jacek Sutryk, Mayor of Wrocław.

For over half a century, UNESCO has been identifying sites and monuments whose significance transcends national and continental boundaries. The World Heritage List currently includes 1,248 sites, including 972 cultural heritage sites, 235 natural heritage sites, and 41 mixed sites, including just 17 in Poland. How did this “young,” 20th-century hall come to be juxtaposed with the world’s most famous monuments – the Pyramids of Giza, Machu Picchu, the Taj Mahal, and the Great Wall of China?

Renovation of the Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia), photo: Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia)

A phone call from Warsaw

The initiator of the application for inscription was, interestingly enough, not a Wrocław resident, but a Warsaw resident – Professor Andrzej Tomaszewski, PhD, DSc, Eng., Arch., former General Conservator of Monuments of the Republic of Poland and then President of the Polish National Committee of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites). It was at his initiative that work began in Wrocław on creating an application for the Centennial Hall to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

In Wrocław, the retired director of the Museum of Architecture, Professor Olgierd Czerner, was indeed preparing an application for inclusion on this prestigious list, but for… the cathedral. And although no one in Warsaw or Wrocław denied the value of the Wrocław cathedral, it was recognized that Wrocław possessed something more groundbreaking and record-breaking, something truly unique. This was a very bold move, as at the time, 20th-century architectural sites were not considered by UNESCO’s jury. Such a list included famous monuments from the Antiquity, Middle Ages, or Baroque periods. – he says Jerzy Ilkosz, Ph.D. , a Polish art historian, architecture expert, and museologist. The proposal for the Centennial Hall was developed jointly by Dr. Grzegorz Grajewski, art historian and head of the Regional Branch of the National Heritage Institute in Wrocław, and Jerzy Ilkosz, director of the Museum of Architecture in Wrocław from 2000 to 2022, and author of a monograph on the Centennial Hall.

Before a decision was made, the application had to be reviewed. This was done by Professor Jukka Jokilehto, ICOMOS World Heritage Adviser, a Finnish architect, urban planner, and one of the world’s foremost experts in the field of monument conservation and UNESCO World Heritage. Before issuing his review, Jokilehto visited the Centennial Hall and, as the facility’s employees still recall, even climbed to the top of its dome. A trip to the summit is a challenge even today. Back then, the hall was in poor condition, and such a trip to the summit required not only extensive preparation but also sheer courage. – he says Daniel Czerek, the investment manager for the Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia), who has been overseeing the facility for decades.

Thanks to the work of an entire team, the formalities were finalized, but the decision had to wait until the 30th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which took place in Vilnius. The expert’s positive reaction was clear enough to give hope that we have a chance, although he did not officially make such a declaration, in accordance with the adopted procedure – he says Grzegorz Grajewski, a Jerzy Ilkosz adds: – At the same time, Professor Tomaszewski had previously requested support from historians and architecture critics to promote this idea. Therefore, I turned to my friends and colleagues in Germany, the Czech Republic, England, and the USA to support this concept.

The work on the application and all the activities surrounding it were successful – on July 13, 2006, the decision on registration was made in Vilnius. The finale came when a UNESCO representative arrived in Wrocław to present the nomination. It is customary to unveil a plaque announcing the inscription. Hana Červinková, then president of the Centennial Hall, decided that Professor Alojzy Gryt would create the plaque. The simple plaque was placed at the foot of the stairs leading to the main entrance. It was cast in cast iron – what a contrast to the reinforced concrete of Max Berg’s majestic structure! However, this is not a dissonance, but a gift from an artist to an artist. – recalls Grajewski.

Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List certainly carries an element of prestige and distinction, but above all, it is a form of protection for its “Outstanding Universal Value.” From the moment of inscription, a site ceases to be solely the heritage of a given city or country. In light of the UNESCO Convention, it becomes a property of importance to all humanity, and the state commits to protecting its Outstanding Universal Value for future generations. Perhaps most importantly, being included on the UNESCO World Heritage List was not an end in itself; rather, it was a means to an end and the beginning of many years of hard work in implementing a very ambitious modernization plan. The goal was a well-maintained Centennial Hall that would serve future generations. Heritage – notes Daniel Czerek.

Unique Universal Value

The World Heritage List is for works of man or nature that possess values recognized as unique in the world. The site must meet precise criteria – Centennial Hall met three of them: I – the structure testifies to the genius of its creator; II – the structure reflects the culture of a given era; IV – the structure is the most important example of human history.

The exceptionally rapid construction of the Centennial Hall (13.5 months) was a remarkable technological undertaking, an example of the highest engineering prowess and craftsmanship. The bold structural and organizational solutions employed became a model for other similar projects, marking a breakthrough in the history of architecture and engineering. Nowhere else in the world had a dome of larger diameter been built. More than twice as wide as the dome of Hagia Sophia, 25 meters wider than the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, and 22 meters wider than the dome of the Pantheon. It boasted a record-breaking 65 meters in diameter and 42 meters in height.

But did Max Berg, the architect of Centennial Hall, design for records? No, he was simply the first to have the courage and ability to design for the masses, not the elite. The goal was to provide access to events—cultural, scientific, and sporting—to as many people as possible. All the records and new technological solutions were merely an effect, not the goal. The Cathedral of Democracy, as Max Berg himself called Centennial Hall, was intended to delight like the most beautiful Gothic cathedral, but its functionality would serve social development. It represented a change in many fields—architectural and engineering, but also social and cultural.

The fountain basin during renovation — The Multimedia Fountain During Renovation

One Renovation After Another

Since its inscription on the UNESCO List, not only the Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia) but also the entire complex has been undergoing a continuous process of modernization and investment. – In 2009, they started with the Centennial Hall itself, but there was really everything to be done – the facade with the roof and windows, the interior with the grandstand system, the list is very long. The multi-year renovation of the Centennial Hall actually ended only in 2020 with the completion of work on the permanent floor with a reinforced concrete ceiling,” he says. Jakub Grudniewski, President of the Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia). Over the years, the Pergola has also been renovated, with one of the world’s largest multimedia fountains being installed next to it. A modern Wrocław Congress Centre and an underground car park serving the ZOO have also been built.

The adjacent Four Domes Pavilion also underwent a major modernization, transforming it into the Museum of Contemporary Art, a branch of the National Museum in Wrocław. The entire area surrounding Centennial Hall has been given new life, becoming a true showcase for Wrocław, a place reclaimed for both residents and tourists.

Even better

Importantly, in the context of the UNESCO List, the highest possible conservation protection does not affect the functionality and capabilities of the facility. All the renovations have only expanded the event organization capacity. It’s exactly as Max Berg would have it – the Centennial Hall complex is now a modern and functional meeting place, meeting high standards and realizing the bold ideas of organizers of the most interesting events and other undertakings, such as major film productions. We don’t consider the complex’s historic character a limitation; it’s our greatest asset. At the same time, we continue to work to protect the facility and its exceptional universal value. points out Jakub Grudniewski.

The interior of the Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia) in Wrocław, as seen from floor level — Centennial Hall (Hala Stulecia), P. Zemlak

A Place That Changed History: 20 Years of the Centennial Hall at UNESCO

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