Södra Bankohuset

Södra Bankohuset (Swedish: "The Southern [National] Bank Building") or Gamla Riksbanken ("The Old National Bank") is a building in Gamla stan, the old town of , Sweden, together with Norra Bankohuset the location of the Bank of Sweden until 1906. It is facing the square on its west side and Skeppsbron on its east, while two alleys passes north and south of it, Norra Bankogränd and Södra Bankogränd.

The western quarter of the building including the façade, built in 1675-1682, was designed by Nicodemus Tessin the Elder (1615–1684); the western court and its two wings were built in 1694-1712 under the son of the latter, Nicodemus Tessin the Younger (1654–1728); while the eastern half and façade were designed by Carl Hårleman (1700–1753) and built during the period 1733-1737.

Coherently designed as elongated block-size palace, Södra Bankohuset unites the prestigious line-up along Skeppsbron with the narrow urban conglomeration of the old town. The plain architraves and original Renaissance design of the western façade is repeated around the building, and is in the eastern façade supplemented with pediments, channelled rustication up to the mezzanine, and a rocaille over the entrance pouring out bank notes and coins. The western portal is a quotation of Vignola's portal at Villa Farnese in Caprarola.

From at least the reign of King Magnus Eriksson (1316–1377) the official scales of the city meant an important source of income for the city and the king alike. From no later than the 15th century the scales were located at the city's southern square, and subsequently the building housing the scales and preceding the present building was called Våghuset ("Scales House" or Weigh house). As the city introduced more scales, probably in 1637, the southern scales were being used exclusively for the weighing of iron, copper, and other metals, which eventually gave the square next to it its present name ("The Iron Square"). Given a depiction in an etching from 1660, and the location of the water front and city wall at the time, the Scales House is likely to have been located somewhere in the middle of the present site. It is depicted as having gables facing west and east with rows of six windows facing the alleys; probably occupying an area of 18×18 metres.

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