View source for Slussen

{{short description|Area in central Stockholm, Sweden}}
{{Coord|59|19|16.2|N|18|4|21.5|E|region:SE_type:landmark|display=title}}
{{distinguish|Slussen, Malmö|Slusen, Copenhagen}}
{{Infobox location  
| name = Slussen  
| native_name =  
| native_name_lang =  
| settlement_type = Area  
| image_skyline      = Slussenområdet med Södermalmstorg 2025.jpg
| image_caption      = The Slussen area photographed from [[Katarinahissen]] in June 2025. <br><br>
Landmarks from left to right: [[Västerbron]], [[Södermalmstorg]], [[Stockholm City Hall]], [[Riddarholmen Church]], [[Klara Church]], [[Vattentorget]]. 
| mapframe = yes 
| subdivision_type = Country 
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Sweden}}  
| subdivision_type1 = County  
| subdivision_name1 = [[Stockholm County]] 
| subdivision_type2 = Municipality  
| subdivision_name2 = [[Stockholm Municipality]]  
}}
[[File:Slussen NZ7 1439 (51235488165).jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|The Slussen area looking north in June 2021. In the foreground is Katarinavägen, with the Slussbron (Golden Bridge) to the right and Gamla Stan (Old Town) in the distance.]]

'''Slussen''' (''{{Translation|The Sluice}}'') is an area in [[Stockholm]], Sweden, located at the northern edge of [[Södermalm]], adjacent to [[Gamla stan]]. It is known for its [[Sluice|locks system]] between [[Lake Mälaren]] and the [[Baltic Sea]], as well as its historic role as a major transport interchange. The Slussen area includes the [[Slussen metro station]] and [[Saltsjöbanan]] terminus, and a [[Bus station|bus terminal]].

The boundary between [[Uppland]] and [[Södermanland]] runs through the area.<ref>[https://stockholmskallan.stockholm.se/post/5487 Stockholmskällan: Gränsen mellan Uppland och Södermanland]</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Slussen, flygfoto 2014-09-20.jpg|thumb|The 1935 Slussen interchange in September 2014, before reconstruction.]]

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Slussen has been a vital crossing point in Stockholm for centuries, linking southern roads with the waterways connecting Lake Mälaren to the Baltic Sea. Over time, the area has undergone significant transformations.

'''Early history'''

The first lock at Slussen, known as Queen Christina's Lock, was inaugurated in 1642. It was replaced in 1755 by Christopher Polhem's Lock. Nils Ericson's Lock, built in 1850, followed, allowing ships to traverse the area more efficiently. The final major lock, Karl Johan's Lock, was inaugurated in 1935 as part of the modernisation of the area.

'''1935 Traffic interchange'''

The 1935 traffic interchange was a pioneering example of functionalist urban planning. Designed by architects Gösta Lundborg and [[Sven Markelius]], the structure was hailed as a modern solution to traffic and pedestrian congestion. However, the innovative "cloverleaf" design proved problematic as traffic volumes increased, leading to congestion and safety concerns.

The interchange became a symbol of Stockholm's modernity in the mid-20th century, but structural issues began emerging as early as the 1940s due to salt corrosion and other damage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tidningar.kb.se/1767385/1946-08-15/edition/11637/part/1/page/3/?q=slussmaskinen%20fr%C3%A4tes%20av%20salt|title=Slussmaskinen frätes av salt}}</ref>

=== Redevelopment 2016–2027 ===
[[File:Slussen 22 juli 2020a.jpg|thumb|The redevelopment of Slussen in July 2020. In the foreground are Katarinavägen and the Slussbron, with the old interchange in the background.]]

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In the early 2000s, the deteriorating state of the 1935 interchange prompted the decision to rebuild the area entirely. A design competition in 2007 led to plans by [[Foster + Partners]] and Berg Arkitektkontor being approved in 2011. Construction began in 2016, with completion scheduled for 2027. The project is to rebuild water regulation infrastructure, while modernising Slussen as a mixed-use public space with improvised public transport.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://vaxer.stockholm/nyheter/2016/06/flera-forandringar-i-framkomligheten-under-juni/ |title=Stockholm Municipality |access-date=2024-12-04 |archive-date=2021-09-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920213039/https://vaxer.stockholm/nyheter/2016/06/flera-forandringar-i-framkomligheten-under-juni/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==== Cultural and political impact ====
The redevelopment project has faced criticism and public debate. Some have opposed the loss of the historic 1935 structure, while others support the need for modernisation. The new design includes parks, plazas, and waterfront promenades, aiming to revitalise the area.<ref>{{Cite news|title=The Slussen Debate in Stockholm|author=Staff|date=25 September 2013|publisher=Stockholm News}}</ref>

==== Golden Bridge and traffic layout ====
[[File:Guldbron invigningsdagen 2020-10-25c.jpg|thumb|The ''Golden Bridge'' (''Guldbron'') on its inauguration day, 25 October 2020.]]

A central feature of the new design is the ''Golden Bridge'' (''Guldbron''), officially known as Slussbron, which connects [[Södermalm]] to [[Gamla stan]]. The bridge accommodates vehicle traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists. It was manufactured in [[China]] and shipped to Stockholm in 2020, where it opened to traffic on 26 October 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vaxer.stockholm/nyheter/2020/04/da-oppnar-slussbron-for-trafik/|title=Då öppnar Slussbron för trafik|publisher=Stockholm Municipality|access-date=2024-12-04|archive-date=2020-07-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703210219/https://vaxer.stockholm/nyheter/2020/04/da-oppnar-slussbron-for-trafik/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Public transport ==
[[Slussen metro station]] lies in the southwest, under Ryssgården.

The Slussen bus terminal temporarily moved eastward to [[Stadsgården]] during redevelopment. By August 2024, buses were relocated to a temporary terminal at Stadsgårdsterminalen. A permanent terminal is under construction inside the bedrock at Katarinaberget.

The [[Saltsjöbanan]] railway terminus is closed during the works, with Henriksdal station serving as the interim terminus.

The [[Djurgården ferry]] has moved its departure point further north but retains the name ''Slussen''.

== Waterways ==
The new water facilities include two discharge channels and the newly named ''[[Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden|Victoria]] Slussen''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Namngivning av Victoriaslussen |url=https://vaxer.stockholm/nyheter/2022/08/namngivning-av-victoriaslussen/ |access-date=2 September 2022 |publisher=[[Stockholm Municipality]] |archive-date=2 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902142331/https://vaxer.stockholm/nyheter/2022/08/namngivning-av-victoriaslussen/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> These are surrounded by four low bridges and form the heart of Vattentorget, which opened in phases in 2022 and 2024. The original Nils Ericson lock has been repurposed into a fish migration channel as of 2024.

== Gallery ==
<gallery widths="180px" heights="130px" caption="Images of the Slussen area, 1642–1905">
File:Slussen_1642.jpg|Queen Christina's Lock, 1642
File:Polhems_sluss_Anders_Holm_1780.jpg|Christopher Polhems Lock, 1755, after heavy spring runoff. Painting from 1780.
File:Slussen,_Stockholm,_1890.jpg|Nils Ericsons Lock sometime after 1850
File:Slussen_1728a.jpg|Plan by municipal architect Johan Eberhard Carlberg, 1728
File:Förslag_till_Slussen_av_I_G_Claeson,_1905.jpg|I G Claesons' proposal, 1905
</gallery><gallery widths="180px" heights="130px" caption="Historic photos of the Slussen area, 1922–1958">
File:Slussen_1922.jpg|Slussen 1922
File:SSMF081048S.jpg|"Slussen Misery" c. 1930
File:Slussen_ritning.jpg|1931 master plan for Slussen
File:Slussen_1932.jpg|Construction 1932
File:Slussen_1933.jpg|Traffic 1933
File:SSMF006642S.jpg|Construction 1933
File:Slussen1935.jpg|Opening of new interchange 15 October 1935
File:Slussen_15_10_1935.jpg|Opening of new interchange 15 October 1935
File:Slussen_1958.jpg|Locks in operation 1958
</gallery>{{multiple image
| align             = center
| image1            = Slussen 1963.jpg
| width1            = 240
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = 
| image2            = Slussen 2007.jpg
| width2            = 235
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = 
| footer            = Slussen cloverleaf, 1963 and 2007
}}

== See also ==

* [[Gamla stan]]
* [[Karl Johanslussen]]
* [[Slussen metro station]]
* [[Södermalm]]

== References ==
<references/>
{{Commonscat|Slussen, Stockholm}}
[[Category:Locks (water navigation)]]
[[Category:Transport in Stockholm]]
[[Category:Stockholm metro]]