Preisner premiere launches Krakow Congress Centre

Opening night at the Krakow Congress Centre. Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Momot

Preisner's 2014: Here and Now was performed by the Sinfonietta Cracovia together with special guests.

The centre is the largest public building to be raised in central Krakow since the National Museum was opened in the 1930s.

“Krakow has been waiting for such a building for a long time,” Mayor Jacek Majchrowski reflected.

“Thanks to the Congress Centre, Krakow is now perfectly prepared to host foreign guests on the highest level,” he added.

The main auditorium of the new Krakow Congress Centre. Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Momot

The centre, which has a riverside setting not far from the Wawel Royal Castle, was designed by Krakow-based architect Krzysztof Ingarden, who recently won international acclaim for cultural centre The Malopolska Garden of Arts.

The new centre has over 36,000 square metres of floor space, and the main auditorium can seat 2000 guests. There is also a theatre that can seat 600, as well as a network of conference rooms.

It has been calculated that the venue will be able to host three major events simultaneously, if need be.

The exterior of the new Krakow Congress Centre. Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Momot

175 reservations have already been made for 2015, and all available slots for this year have been taken up.

The entire cost of the investment was 357.5 million zloty (84.5 million euro), over two thirds of which came from EU coffers. (nh)

Click here for an interview with architect Krzysztof Ingarden

Source: PAP