The buildings of Moscow State University, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and five other skyscrapers built in the 1940s and 1950s became symbols of "Stalinist Empire". This architectural trend for massive buildings with towers and spires spread to countries friendly to the USSR. Similar skyscrapers appeared in China, Mongolia, Germany, Romania, and the Czech Republic. In some countries, they were designed by local architects, while in others, by Soviet ones. For example, the Polish Palace of Culture and Science was designed by Soviet architect Lev Rudnev, who also developed the main building of Moscow State University.

Rudnev did not aim to create a simple copy of Moscow's skyscrapers; he infused the building with Polish character. In the design of the tower, he made references to the Krakow Town Hall, and the decorative elements resonate with the Krakow Cloth Hall of the 13th century. This building is the tallest in Poland, with a height of 187.68 m, and 237 m including the spire.