The lift that shortened the city

The lift that shortened the city

Explore a Stockholm landmark that connected the heights of Södermalm in 1881, reborn in 2023.

In 1881, engineer Knut Lindmark was granted permission to construct an unusual solution for the steep heights of Södermalm: a lift. The Katarina Elevator, built by the Belgian firm Lecoq & Comp with a mechanism supplied by the American firm Weeks & Halsey, opened on March 19, 1883. During its first month, it serviced approximately 1,500 passengers per day at a fee of 5 öre for ascending and 3 öre for descending. The lift was closed for a renovation in 2010 and reopened in October 2023, offering a fascinating glimpse into Stockholm's past and connecting the old with the new.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

Written by Nik Frost

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