Central Post Office Building
Encyclopedia
The Central Post Office Building ( or Centralposten) is a historical building at 28-34, Vasagatan in central Stockholm
, Sweden
. Inaugurated in 1903 and designed by architect Ferdinand Boberg
(1860–1945), the building was the headquarters of Posten
(Swedish post services) until 2003 and is being rebuilt to accommodate the Government Chancellery
in April 2008.
. The last building there to accommodate the department was the present Postmuseum, 6 Lilla Nygatan
, rebuilt a last time in 1820. However, with the introduction of rail transportation and steamships, increasing quantity of post quickly made the building insufficient. A new central post building was therefore built at Rödbotorget (near today's Sheraton Hotel) to the design of Albert Törnqvist (1819–1898). On its inauguration in the mid 1870s, the new building was well-dimensioned for its purpose, but before the end of the century explosive volumes of postcards had made the headquarters outdated again and in 1896 a decision was taken to move into a larger building.
In the mid-19th century, the neighbourhood where the post office now stands, was a rather peripheral district in the centre of Stockholm, a situation which gradually changed with the inauguration of the Stockholm Central Station
in 1871. The department's expert advisor, architect F. G. A. Dahl (1885–1927), studied modern post offices in Germany and Belgium and produced plans for a new post office on the site. In late 1897 five Swedish architects — Carl Möller, Ludvig Peterson, Ernst Stenhammar, Eugen thorburn, and Ferdinand Boberg — were invited to participate in a competition for the façades, a competition which Boberg eventually won.
The building was inaugurated by King Oscar II
on October 27, 1903. It was a modern building for its time; featuring electricity, 58 WC with rings in mahogany
, and PO boxes
, first introduced in Sweden here. However, long before the inauguration, the site selected for the project had proven insufficient, and in 1915 construction works was started for an enlargement on the remaining third of the block. The building was declared a historical monument (byggnadsminnesmärke) in 1935. A major rebuilding in 1976–78 was followed by several alterations during the 1980s. Three of the four courtyards were glazed-over in 1987–92 resulting in a galleria, a restoration of the central hall, and the addition of a superstructure creating space for 800 new work-rooms.
Posten relocated its headquarters to Solna
and in 2004 the building was taken over by the National Property Board who is rebuilding it to accommodate the Government Chancellery
, previously residing at Rosenbad
, also designed by Boberg.
sandstone
matching the red Höganäs
bricks covering the walls above where the deep-laying windows further accentuate mass and weight. The roofs were covered with slate
.
Boberg favoured a kind of orientalism
combined with a sense appropriateness in an era when such decorations and exotic
styles were regarded as lacking Swedish recognition (sakna hemortsrätt). On the octagonal top of the tower is a flat dome flanked by finial
s, which has been described as Indio
-Persian. Also characteristic for Boberg is the use of ornamentation. It is lavishly applied around the main entrance and along the pavements, its motifs — Swedish coat of arms
and homing pigeon
s — are derived from the activities in the building or — pine twigs and various small animals — from what at the time was regarded as typical Swedish (i.e. a love of nature). All these carving were based on drawings by Boberg and plaster models by Axel Bruce.
The cross-vaulted central portion of the five nave
central hall is two stories tall and enlightened by skylights. Under the marble arcades
surrounding the hall where once the oak counters. The plastered walls, originally intended to be dressed in stone, are covered with postal emblems; the coats of arms of the nation, its provinces
, and the city; and a pine-cone border characteristic for its time. The large mural above the stairs, completed in 1907, is by Carl Wilhelmsson and displays a steamship delivering post to a post carriage at Skeppsbron
.
The flat dome of the central hall was built in a traditional technique without using iron constructions.
Boberg's use of ornamentation accumulated criticism which described it as to naturalistic and falling short of monumentality — "almost as modelled in clay rather than carved in sandstone". While Boberg, as a direct result of his work on this post office, was immediately appointed to design the post office in Malmö
, the critique continued to grow in strength and a decade later finally caused Boberg to give up his architectural career.
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Inaugurated in 1903 and designed by architect Ferdinand Boberg
Ferdinand Boberg
Ferdinand Boberg, born 11 April 1860 in Falun, died 7 May 1946 in Stockholm, was a Swedish architect.He was one of the most productive and prominent architects of Stockholm around the turn of the 20th century. Among his most famous work is an electrical plant at Björns Trädgård in Stockholm, that...
(1860–1945), the building was the headquarters of Posten
Posten (Sweden)
Posten AB is the name of the Swedish postal service. The word "posten" means "the post" or "the mail" in Swedish.Posten was established in 1636 by Axel Oxenstierna under the name Kungliga Postverket , although its origins can be traced further back, and it was operated as a government agency into...
(Swedish post services) until 2003 and is being rebuilt to accommodate the Government Chancellery
Government of Sweden
The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden is the supreme executive authority of Sweden. It consists of the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers appointed by the Prime Minister. The Government is responsible for their actions to the Riksdag, which is the legislative assembly...
in April 2008.
History
The Swedish post services dates back to the 17th century, and its headquarters were during the first 300 years found in various small buildings in Stockholm Old TownGamla stan
Gamla stan , until 1980 officially Staden mellan broarna , is the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Gamla stan consists primarily of the island Stadsholmen. The surrounding islets Riddarholmen, Helgeandsholmen, and Strömsborg are officially part of, but not colloquially included in, Gamla stan...
. The last building there to accommodate the department was the present Postmuseum, 6 Lilla Nygatan
Lilla Nygatan
Lilla Nygatan is a street in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching from the square Munkbron south to Kornhamnstorg, the street in intercepted by Yxsmedsgränd, Kåkbrinken, Schönfeldts Gränd, Tyska Brinken, and Lejonstedts Gränd, while forming a parallel street to Stora Nygatan...
, rebuilt a last time in 1820. However, with the introduction of rail transportation and steamships, increasing quantity of post quickly made the building insufficient. A new central post building was therefore built at Rödbotorget (near today's Sheraton Hotel) to the design of Albert Törnqvist (1819–1898). On its inauguration in the mid 1870s, the new building was well-dimensioned for its purpose, but before the end of the century explosive volumes of postcards had made the headquarters outdated again and in 1896 a decision was taken to move into a larger building.
In the mid-19th century, the neighbourhood where the post office now stands, was a rather peripheral district in the centre of Stockholm, a situation which gradually changed with the inauguration of the Stockholm Central Station
Stockholm Central Station
Stockholm Central Station is the largest railway station in Sweden. The station is situated in the district of Norrmalm at Vasagatan/Central Plan. Opened July 18, 1871, the station is the largest in Sweden, with over 200,000 visitors daily...
in 1871. The department's expert advisor, architect F. G. A. Dahl (1885–1927), studied modern post offices in Germany and Belgium and produced plans for a new post office on the site. In late 1897 five Swedish architects — Carl Möller, Ludvig Peterson, Ernst Stenhammar, Eugen thorburn, and Ferdinand Boberg — were invited to participate in a competition for the façades, a competition which Boberg eventually won.
The building was inaugurated by King Oscar II
Oscar II of Sweden
Oscar II , baptised Oscar Fredrik was King of Sweden from 1872 until his death and King of Norway from 1872 until 1905. The third son of King Oscar I of Sweden and Josephine of Leuchtenberg, he was a descendant of Gustav I of Sweden through his mother.-Early life:At his birth in Stockholm, Oscar...
on October 27, 1903. It was a modern building for its time; featuring electricity, 58 WC with rings in mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
, and PO boxes
Post Office box
A post-office box or Post Office box is a uniquely addressable lockable box located on the premises of a post office station....
, first introduced in Sweden here. However, long before the inauguration, the site selected for the project had proven insufficient, and in 1915 construction works was started for an enlargement on the remaining third of the block. The building was declared a historical monument (byggnadsminnesmärke) in 1935. A major rebuilding in 1976–78 was followed by several alterations during the 1980s. Three of the four courtyards were glazed-over in 1987–92 resulting in a galleria, a restoration of the central hall, and the addition of a superstructure creating space for 800 new work-rooms.
Posten relocated its headquarters to Solna
Solna Municipality
Solna Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, located just north of the capital Stockholm. Its seat is located in the 'city' of Solna....
and in 2004 the building was taken over by the National Property Board who is rebuilding it to accommodate the Government Chancellery
Government of Sweden
The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden is the supreme executive authority of Sweden. It consists of the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers appointed by the Prime Minister. The Government is responsible for their actions to the Riksdag, which is the legislative assembly...
, previously residing at Rosenbad
Rosenbad
Rosenbad is a building in central Stockholm, precinct of Norrmalm, designed by Art Nouveau architect Ferdinand Boberg and completed in 1902. It is located on Strömgatan on the North side of the river Norrström...
, also designed by Boberg.
Architecture
To give prominence to the building, Boberg choose to counter the limited building site with a system of massive volumes and elaborate carvings — or using his own words: "release some suitable mass out of the building and more or less let it go up in the air". He thus added several tower-like volumes to the core volume: (1) A short central tower reaching above the roof and sitting on a vigorously modelled entrance. (2) Two smaller towers bulging out of the corners dressed in bricks exposing the mass of the building to passers-by. This is undoubtedly a successful design as the building still dominates its neighbourhood notwithstanding the considerably larger buildings added during the 1960s and 70s. To give further authority to the building, Boberg dressed the base floor in red ÖvedsklosterÖvedskloster Castle
Övedskloster Castle is a castle in Sjöbo Municipality, Scania, in southern Sweden.-References:* - Official site for the castle...
sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
matching the red Höganäs
Höganäs Municipality
Höganäs Municipality is one of 290 municipalities of Sweden, in Skåne County in the southern part of the country. Its seat is located in the city of Höganäs....
bricks covering the walls above where the deep-laying windows further accentuate mass and weight. The roofs were covered with slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
.
Boberg favoured a kind of orientalism
Orientalism
Orientalism is a term used for the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists, as well as having other meanings...
combined with a sense appropriateness in an era when such decorations and exotic
Exoticism
Exoticism is a trend in art and design, influenced by some ethnic groups or civilizations since the late 19th-century. In music exoticism is a genre in which the rhythms, melodies, or instrumentation are designed to evoke the atmosphere of far-off lands or ancient times Exoticism (from 'exotic')...
styles were regarded as lacking Swedish recognition (sakna hemortsrätt). On the octagonal top of the tower is a flat dome flanked by finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
s, which has been described as Indio
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
-Persian. Also characteristic for Boberg is the use of ornamentation. It is lavishly applied around the main entrance and along the pavements, its motifs — Swedish coat of arms
Coat of arms of Sweden
The greater national coat of arms and the lesser national coat of arms are the official coats of arms of Sweden.- Escutcheon :...
and homing pigeon
Homing pigeon
The homing pigeon is a variety of domestic pigeon derived from the Rock Pigeon selectively bred to find its way home over extremely long distances. The wild rock pigeon has an innate homing ability, meaning that it will generally return to its own nest and its own mate...
s — are derived from the activities in the building or — pine twigs and various small animals — from what at the time was regarded as typical Swedish (i.e. a love of nature). All these carving were based on drawings by Boberg and plaster models by Axel Bruce.
The cross-vaulted central portion of the five nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
central hall is two stories tall and enlightened by skylights. Under the marble arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
surrounding the hall where once the oak counters. The plastered walls, originally intended to be dressed in stone, are covered with postal emblems; the coats of arms of the nation, its provinces
Provinces of Sweden
The provinces of Sweden, landskap, are historical, geographical and cultural regions. Sweden has 25 provinces and they have no administrative function, but remain historical legacies and the means of cultural identification....
, and the city; and a pine-cone border characteristic for its time. The large mural above the stairs, completed in 1907, is by Carl Wilhelmsson and displays a steamship delivering post to a post carriage at Skeppsbron
Skeppsbron
Skeppsbron is both a street and a quay in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm, capital of Sweden, stretching from the bridge Strömbron in front of the Royal Palace southward to Slussen....
.
The flat dome of the central hall was built in a traditional technique without using iron constructions.
Boberg's use of ornamentation accumulated criticism which described it as to naturalistic and falling short of monumentality — "almost as modelled in clay rather than carved in sandstone". While Boberg, as a direct result of his work on this post office, was immediately appointed to design the post office in Malmö
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
, the critique continued to grow in strength and a decade later finally caused Boberg to give up his architectural career.