kids encyclopedia robot

30 St Mary Axe facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
30 St Mary Axe
30 St Mary Axe from Leadenhall Street.jpg
30 St Mary Axe, with St Andrew Undershaft in the foreground, pictured from Leadenhall Street
General information
Type Office
Location St. Mary Axe
London, United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°30′52″N 00°04′49″W / 51.51444°N 0.08028°W / 51.51444; -0.08028
Construction started 2001
Completed 2003
Opening 2004
Height
Roof 180 metres (591 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 41
Floor area 47,950 square metres (516,100 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect Foster and Partners
Structural engineer Arup
Main contractor Skanska
References
30 St Mary Axe at Emproris

30 St Mary Axe is a skyscraper in London's financial district, the City of London. It was formerly named the Swiss Re Building, after Swiss Reinsurance Company. The tower is also known as "The Gherkin". The building was finished in December 2003. It was opened at the end of May 2004. Swiss Re Tower has 41 floors. The tower is 180 metres (591 ft) tall. It is on the site of the former Baltic Exchange, which was badly damaged in 1992 by the explosion of a bomb by the Provisional IRA.

30 St Mary Axe was designed by Norman Foster and Arup engineers. It was built by Skanska in 2001–2003.

The building has become an iconic symbol of London. It is one of the city's most well known examples of modern architecture.

Gherkin, Londres, Inglaterra, 2014-08-07, DD 053
Night view


Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: 30 St Mary Axe para niños

kids search engine
30 St Mary Axe Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.