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Sjöberg Bildbyrå AB

City Hall Tower 1949 - Premium poster with matte paper

Choose whether you want to order the image printed within a white frame or as a full-bleed image. Depending on the format, the image may be cropped differently.

£57.00 GBP
£57.00 GBP
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Poster with a picture of a tinsmith on the City Hall Tower in 1949.



The photograph captures a dramatic scene from 1949, where sheet metal workers work on top of the City Hall Tower in Stockholm. One of them bravely climbs up to the three crowns, Sweden’s heraldic symbol, that crown the tower at a height of 106 meters. The image not only shows a risky job but also a historical glimpse into the maintenance of the City Hall and its importance as one of Sweden’s most iconic structures.
Stockholm City Hall, located on the northern shore of Riddarfjärden on Kungsholmen, was inaugurated on 23 June 1923, the 400th anniversary of Gustav Vasa's entry into Stockholm. The building, designed by architect Ragnar Östberg, is a masterpiece of the National Romantic style and is considered one of Sweden's greatest architectural creations. Built between 1911 and 1923, the City Hall required around 8 million bricks and 19 million mosaic pieces, especially for the famous Golden Hall, which is adorned with gold mosaics depicting Swedish historical motifs. The tower, which is 106 metres high, is crowned with the three crowns, a symbol dating back to the Middle Ages and representing Sweden's unity and strength.
In the photograph from 1949, tinsmiths are seen carrying out maintenance work on the top of the tower, where the three crowns of gilded copper are mounted. These crowns, which weigh several hundred kilograms together, are constantly exposed to the elements, requiring regular maintenance. At that time, safety equipment was minimal – the workers relied on simple ropes and their own skill. By this time, the City Hall Tower was already a symbol of Stockholm, and its maintenance was of great importance to preserve the building’s splendor and function.
The City Hall is not only an architectural treasure but also a central place for both politics and ceremonies. It houses the Stockholm City Council, and every year since 1930 (with the exception of 1933 and 1934) the Nobel Banquet in the Blue Hall is held on 10 December, where around 1,300 guests gather to celebrate the Nobel Prize award ceremony. The building has also become a popular tourist attraction, with over 400,000 visitors annually coming to see its magnificent interiors and enjoy the views from the tower.
The photograph is thus not only a picture of dangerous work, but also a document of the history of the City Hall and its role as a living symbol of Stockholm and Sweden. The three crowns, which the sheet metal workers care for, still stand firmly in their place today and remind us of both the grandeur of the building and the people who have worked to preserve it over the years. (The picture was originally published in the weekly magazine Såningsmannen in 1949)
Our premium quality, heavier, white, matte paper has a natural, smooth, uncoated finish that feels luxurious to the touch.