Centennial Hall

building, Wrocław, Poland

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June 24, 2026

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Centennial Hall, known as Hala Ludowa in Polish, is a historic multipurpose building located in Wrocław, Poland. Designed by architect Max Berg, it was completed in 1911 and is recognized for its pioneering use of reinforced concrete, featuring a dome that was the largest of its kind in the world at the time of its construction.1

The building is situated on a quatrefoil plan, with a central circular hall surrounded by auxiliary exhibition spaces. Its design incorporates innovative construction methods, including the use of concrete mixed with wood or cork for acoustic purposes. In 2006, Centennial Hall was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its architectural significance and its role in the development of modern construction techniques.1

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construction
The concrete dome
…an early example being the Centennial Hall (1913) at Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland), by the architect Max Berg and the engineers Dyckerhoff & Widmann; its ribbed dome spanned 65 meters (216 feet), exceeding the span of the Pantheon. More spectacular were the great airship hangars at Orly constructed by…
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…an early example being the Centennial Hall (1913) at Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland), by the architect Max Berg and the engineers Dyckerhoff & Widmann; its ribbed dome spanned 65 meters (216 feet), exceeding the span of the Pantheon. More spectacular were the great airship hangars at Orly constructed by…
Read More

Western architecture
Europe
…structural audacity of Max Berg’s Centenary Hall at Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland; 1912–13), with its gigantic reinforced concrete dome measuring 213 feet (65 metres) in diameter. The second generation of Expressionists centred their activities in postwar Germany and The Netherlands. Distinctly personal architectural statements were given form in such…
Read More
…structural audacity of Max Berg’s Centenary Hall at Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland; 1912–13), with its gigantic reinforced concrete dome measuring 213 feet (65 metres) in diameter. The second generation of Expressionists centred their activities in postwar Germany and The Netherlands. Distinctly personal architectural statements were given form in such…
Read More