Look up at the sleek, seven-story facade of the Avalon Hotel. It is hard to imagine that for forty years, this prime spot at Kungstorget was essentially a wooden barrack.
Back in 1879, a grand four-story stone building stood here, home to Gothenburg's bank. But a devastating fire in 1966 reduced it to rubble, leaving the lot to host simple shops. You can check out the before and after image in your app to see how this corner transformed from a dusty 2007 construction site into the finished modern architectural landmark seen today.
Built across the historic Idogheten block, the modern Avalon boasts 101 rooms and suites. It did not just fill a void, it redefined the street. Nominated for Sweden's prestigious Kasper Salin Prize for architecture in 2007, it was voted Gothenburg's most beautiful building the very next year. Operated by Stureplansgruppen, it joined Nordic Hotels and Resorts in 2015. Conveniently, its doors are open twenty four hours a day, all week long.
Appreciate the bold lines of the hotel before we make our way to the next stop.
