The Gherkin

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.^[2] Swiss Re Tower has 41 floors. The tower is 180 metres (591 ft) tall.^[1] 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.^[2][3]

30 St Mary Axe
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
Construction started	2001
Completed	2003[1]
Opening	2004[2]
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 was designed by Norman Foster and Arup engineers.^[4] It was built by Skanska in 2001–2003.^[1]

The building has become an iconic symbol of London. It is one of the city's most well known examples of modern architecture.^[5]

Night view