Kungstornen (''King's Towers'') are twin tower skyscrapers, individually named Norra Kungstornet (''Northern King's Tower'') and Södra Kungstornet (''Southern King's Tower''), in

Norrmalm Norrmalm is a city district in Stockholm, Sweden. History Norrmalm is a part of the larger borough of Norrmalm (''Norrmalms stadsdelsområde''). The southern part of the district, Lower Norrmalm (''Nedre Norrmalm''), also known as the City, ...

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

. The 16-storey Norra Kungstornet is and was built between 1919 and 1924; and the taller 17-storey, Södra Kungstornet was built between 1924 and 1925. Together, they are considered the first modern

skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Most modern sources define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition, other than being very tall high-rise bui ...

s in Europe. The tower pair marks a slight bend in the street, one block east of

Hötorget Hötorget (''Haymarket'') is a city square in the center of Stockholm, Sweden that has been transitioning since the Early Medieval Period. Description To its east lies the Royal Concert Hall, to its south lies Filmstaden Sergel, one of the ...

, where it is crossed by the

Malmskillnadsbron Malmskillnadsbron (''The Malmskillnad Bridge'') is an arch bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. It takes the street Malmskillnadsgatan over Kungsgatan flanked on its east side by two Art Deco towers called Kungstornen. For an explanation of ''Ma ...

, a bridge in the course of

Malmskillnadsgatan Malmskillnadsgatan ( Swedish: "The Ridge Dividing Street") is a 650-metre long street in central Stockholm, Sweden. It stretches northward from the Brunkebergstorg square over Hamngatan; crosses Mäster Samuelsgatan and Oxtorgsgatan; passes ...

, to which they are adjacent. They are and of similar, but not identical, exterior design. Their construction was inspired by American models, particularly the architecture of

Lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan, also known as Downtown Manhattan or Downtown New York City, is the southernmost part of the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The neighborhood is History of New York City, the historical birthplace o ...

of the time. The north tower was designed by who also authored the 1919 master plan for Kungsgatan; the southern tower was designed by .

References

External links

* {{Buildings in Sweden timeline Buildings and structures in Stockholm Twin towers Neoclassical architecture in Sweden Skyscraper office buildings in Sweden