Turning Torso, Residential skyscraper in Västra Hamnen, Malmö, Sweden
Turning Torso is a residential skyscraper in Västra Hamnen, Malmö, Sweden, made up of nine stacked pentagonal cubes that rotate 90 degrees as they rise. The spiral structure contains 147 apartments across 54 floors and reaches a height of 190 meters.
Construction began in February 2001, partly to give Malmö a new skyline symbol after the Kockums Crane was removed in 2002. That crane, used in shipbuilding less than a kilometre away, stood for the city's blue-collar roots. The tower opened on 27 August 2005.
The name Turning Torso comes from a marble sculpture depicting a twisting human trunk, which served as the model for this spiral residential structure. Today residents live in apartments that open in different directions, each offering different views of the Öresund or the city.
Access to the observation deck on the 49th floor requires advance booking and is available only on selected dates. The building itself is a private residential tower, so public access is limited to these occasional guided visits.
In 2006 Austrian parachutist Felix Baumgartner landed on the narrow roof of this residential structure before jumping from it. This stunt combined a landing on one of Europe's narrowest surfaces with a free fall from 190 meters.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,323 contributors worldwide.
