Kaknästornet

Important to know first: permanently closed

Kaknästornet has been permanently closed to the public since 2018. The viewing platform, restaurant, café, information centre and souvenir shop are no longer accessible, and there is no reopening date. If an older guidebook lists the tower as a top viewpoint, ignore that advice – a visit simply isn't possible.

Some booking portals still list entry tickets or tours for the tower. These are not official and lead nowhere – there are no tickets for the tower. Alternatives for a good view are covered further below.

What Kaknästornet is

Kaknästornet is a 155-metre television and radio tower (170 metres including the antenna, 30 floors) in the Gärdet district, on the edge of the green Royal National City Park. It was built between 1963 and 1967 for the then Swedish telecommunications authority Televerket and inaugurated on 12 May 1967; the austere, monumental concrete structure was designed by architects Hans Borgström and Bengt Lindroos.

Until its closure, the tower was one of Stockholm's most popular attractions: from the upper floors, views stretched across the archipelago, the city centre and the surrounding greenery – especially striking on clear evenings over the illuminated city. Today it is owned and operated by the broadcast company Teracom; technically, Kaknästornet remains a key transmission hub for television, radio and satellite signals.

History and name

The name comes from the medieval village of Kaknäs, which once covered the south-eastern part of what is now Östermalm, around Ladugårdsgärdet. A burial ground in the area shows the site was settled as far back as the late Iron Age (roughly AD 550–1050) – so the ground beneath the modern radio tower is, historically, far older than the concrete suggests.

Since December 2019, strict rules have applied to the structure: it may not be photographed, copied, surveyed or described without a permit. That underlines how thoroughly a former viewpoint has become a security-sensitive piece of infrastructure.

Viewpoint alternatives in Stockholm

Travellers after the kind of panorama Kaknästornet once offered have good alternatives in Stockholm – most of them free of charge:

• Skinnarviksberget on Södermalm – the highest natural point in the city centre, with a wide view over water and skyline, freely accessible
• Eclipse at the Gröna Lund amusement park – a 121-metre observation swing over Djurgården and the water (admission required)
• Fjällgatan on Södermalm – the classic viewing terrace above the harbour and old town
• the Stockholm City Hall tower (Stadshustornet) – the city hall's tower, with panoramic views in summer

Location and surroundings

The tower stands at Mörka Kroken 28–30 in the Gärdet district, inside the Royal National City Park. Even though the tower itself is closed, the green surroundings of Gärdet are worth a walk; the neighbouring district of Östermalm combines smart residential streets with museums and cafés.

For planning your time in Stockholm, see the overview of Stockholm attractions and the guide to getting around the city.