25 Old Broad Street facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tower 42
Tower 42 is the third-tallest building in the City of London
Former names	National Westminster Tower; International Financial Centre
General information
Type	Commercial
Location	25 Old Broad Street, London
Construction started	1971
Completed	1980
Height
Roof	183 metres (600 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	47
Lifts/elevators	21
Design and construction
Architect	R Siefert & Partners
Structural engineer	Pell Frischmann
Main contractor	John Mowlem & Co Ltd

Tower 42 is the third-tallest skyscraper in the City of London and the eighth tallest in Greater London. Its original name was the National Westminster Tower, having been built to house the National Westminster Bank's international division. Seen from above, the shape of the tower resembles that of the NatWest logo (three chevrons in a hexagonal arrangement).

The tower, designed by Richard Seifert and engineered by Pell Frischmann, is located at 25 Old Broad Street. It was built by John Mowlem & Co between 1971 and 1980, first occupied in 1980, and formally opened on 11 June 1981 by Queen Elizabeth II.

The construction cost was £72 million (approximately £222 million today). It is 183 metres (600 ft) high, which made it the tallest building in the United Kingdom until the topping out of One Canada Square at Canary Wharf in 1990. It held the status of tallest building in the City of London for 30 years, until it was surpassed by the Heron Tower in December 2009.

The building today is multi-tenanted and comprises Grade A office space and restaurant facilities, with one restaurant situated on the 24th floor, and the other, a champagne and seafood bar, on the 42nd floor. In 2011 it was bought by the South African businessman Nathan Kirsh for £282.5 million.

Tenants

Images for kids

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  NatWest Tower during construction, viewed from Bank junction, c. 1974

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  Pre-construction model of the NatWest Tower, including concepts that were eventually abandoned, on display at the London Science Museum

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  National Westminster Tower entrance forecourt in 1981

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  The NatWest Tower's viewing gallery at Level 42, as seen in 1981. This area is now in use as the Vertigo 42 champagne bar

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  East-facing view from Vertigo 42

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  Night view showing lighting display

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  A close view of the lighting system

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  Tower 42 viewed from directly below

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  Advertisement for annual charity event at Tower 42, City of London, January, 2020

See also

In Spanish: Tower 42 para niños