SERGELS TORG

'Sergels torg' (translated "Sergel's Square") is a well-known public square in the centre of Stockholm, Sweden. The square is named after 18th century sculptor Johan Tobias Sergel, whose workshop was located in the area north of the square.
It is noted for a several things, including its role as a starting point for demonstrations and the super ellipse shape of its traffic roundabout. The 37 meter tall glass pillar in the center is the ''Kristall-vertikal accent'' ("Crystal-vertical accenture", 1974) by Edvin Öhrström. The official name is seldom used, and it is more often referred to by Stockholmers as the "glass obelisk" or by innumerable phallic-related slang words.
To the west of the actual square is a lower plaza tiled black and white, known colloquially as ''Plattan'' ("The Slab"), which is currently mostly infamous for the number of drug-dealers present^[1]. West of Plattan are wide stairs, a popular place for people to set up a meeting at. West of the stairs lies Drottninggatan. To the north are five skyscrapers, ''Hötorgsskraporna'', some of the few buildings taller than eight stories in inner city Stockholm.
The avenue of Sveavägen, today perhaps most famous for being the street on which Prime Minister Olof Palme was assassinated, extends northbound from the square. Some city planners have at different times envisioned the street as a great "National Mall", leading from the royal cemetery of Haga to the Royal Palace. In the major city redevelopment of the 1950s and 1960s, however, the decision was taken not to extend Sveavägen further south. Instead Kulturhuset, a cultural centre which also harbours the Stockholm City Theatre, was built along the south side of the square.

Contents

References

References

1. "The Plattan action program"