The lift was a shortcut between Katarinavägen, Slussen and Mosebacke torg.
The original lift was constructed in 1881, but the current structure dates from the rebuilding of the Slussen transport interchange in 1936.
The lift was closed for a lengthy renovation in 2010 and reopened in October 2023.
In 1881 the engineer Knut Lindmark, was permitted to build a lift and a bridge between Stadsgården and Mosebacke Torg (Swedish: Mosebacke square), to make it easier for people to move between the different heights of Södermalm.
[1] The elevator is shown in a scene from the movie The Prize starring Paul Newman.