Stock Exchange Tower facts for kids
125 Old Broad Street is a tall office building in London, England. It's located in the City of London, which is a very important financial area. Many people still call it the Stock Exchange Tower because it used to be the home of the London Stock Exchange.
For over 30 years, this building was where the London Stock Exchange operated. This is a place where people buy and sell shares in companies. In 2004, the Stock Exchange moved to a new location nearby called Paternoster Square.
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The Building's Story
This building stands about 100 meters (328 feet) tall and has 26 floors. It was finished in 1970 by a company called Trollope & Colls. Queen Elizabeth II herself officially opened it on November 8, 1972.
Home of the Stock Exchange
The Stock Exchange Tower was the main office and trading floor for the London Stock Exchange. Imagine a busy room where people used to shout out orders to buy and sell! This face-to-face trading happened here until 1986. That year, a big change called the 'Big Bang' happened. It meant that trading became electronic, using computers instead of people on a floor.
Important Events
The building has seen some important moments. In 1990, there was an incident that caused the building to be evacuated. This led to public viewing areas being closed. It was also evacuated on September 11, 2001, after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City.
A Big Makeover
Later, the building got a huge renovation, like a complete makeover! Its old concrete outside was replaced with a shiny glass curtain wall. This made the building look much more modern.
More Space and New Design
During this renovation, thousands of square meters of new office space were added. This included a new 10-story building next door and other smaller parts. The floors inside were even extended to create more room. The new design was created by Grimshaw Architects.
The building is very modern inside too. It has 11 lifts for people, one lift for goods, and special lifts for firefighters and vehicles.
Images for kids
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The Stock Exchange Tower seen from another tall building, Tower 42, in 1983.
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The Stock Exchange Tower before its glass makeover in the 1990s.
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Workers busy recladding the building in May 2007.
