Stock Exchange Tower

The Stock Exchange Tower stands on Old Broad Street in the City of London’s financial district. Completed in 1970 by Trollope & Colls, it rises 100 metres across 26 floors. Queen Elizabeth II opened the building in 1972 after it became the London Stock Exchange’s home for over three decades. The exchange moved to Paternoster Square in 2004, ending decades of trading on its floors. Electronic trading replaced face-to-face deals after the 1986 ‘Big Bang’ deregulation. A Provisional IRA bomb in 1990 damaged public viewing areas, which closed two years later. The tower has been reorganised and enlarged. Grimshaw Architects redesigned it with a glass curtain wall replacing the old concrete façade. Extra office space was added, including a new 10-storey building on Threadneedle Street and wings to the east and northwest. The renovation extended floor plates beyond the original structure to increase usable space. Inside, 11 passenger lifts serve the floors alongside goods and firefighting lifts. The scheme transformed the building while keeping its core intact. Visitors today find a modern office tower with a sleek glass exterior. The trading floor no longer exists, but the building remains a working financial hub. Its height and central location make it a landmark in the City’s skyline. The surrounding streets hold other tall buildings, including Tower 42 nearby. The area remains busy with bankers and traders during weekdays. The tower’s past as the heart of London’s stock market is still visible in its design and purpose.