Skatteskrapan, Apartment building in Södermalm, Stockholm, Sweden.
Skatteskrapan is a 26-floor tower on Götgatan in the Södermalm district of Stockholm, rising to about 86 meters (280 feet) with a glass curtain wall facade. The upper floors hold student apartments, while the lower levels contain office spaces, a conference facility, and retail shops.
The building was completed in 1959 as the headquarters of the Swedish Tax Authority and held the title of Sweden's tallest structure for a few years. When the tax authority eventually moved out, the tower was gradually converted into the residential and commercial space it is today.
The name Skatteskrapan translates roughly to "the tax scraper," a nickname that stuck long after the building stopped housing any government office. Today, people in the neighborhood still use that name, making it one of those Stockholm landmarks you recognize by its popular title rather than its official address.
The tower sits along Götgatan, one of Södermalm's main streets, which makes it easy to spot and reach on foot. The ground floor is open to the public, with shops and services that are useful for a quick stop during a walk through the area.
The top floor of the building houses a skybar that is open to the public, offering a view over the rooftops of Stockholm that few visitors know about. It is one of those spots where you end up looking out over the whole city from a place that was once reserved for tax officials.
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