Salvador Dalí
The Persistence of Memory (as a painting, it is primarily known as “The Melting Watches) is one of the most famous motifs of the Spanish surrealist Salvador Dalí. On one hand, the “soft”, melting clock symbolizes the inability of humans to hold on to time (and their lifetime) and on the other, it is an allusion to how the timepiece that determines everything around it suddenly loses its dictatorial power through its dissolution.
A three-dimensional interpretation of this work of art can be seen in the Blue Hall. This version of the work was originally crafted for a jeweler in New York. The drop at the bottom of the clock was made of wax.
Welcome to the first Chamber of Wonder!
You enter the Giant’s subterranean world via the Blue Hall, the first Chamber of Wonder at Swarovski Kristallwelten. The walls of this cavernous space are painted International Klein Blue, a color developed by artist Yves Klein.
In the Blue Hall, guests get their first glimpse into the fascinating world of crystals and can see masterpieces such as The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí, Niki de Saint Phalle’s Crystal-Bearing Nana, and Gems by Andy Warhol. The focal point in this space is the Centenar, the largest hand-cut crystal in the world with 100 facets.
