“The outdoor exhibit” that everyone talks about is Vigeland Park.
The Vigeland Installation, consisting of sculptures, bridges and fountains, is situated in Frogner Park, and the installation is commonly referred to as Vigeland Park. The setup was first constructed in 1920, with the major part being added between 1939 and 1949, and is still the largest sculpture park in the world, consisting solely from the works of Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland, whose name it bears. This favorite tourist attraction is open throughout the year, and in it you can see 200 bronze, granite and wrought iron sculptures that Vigeland had created in his lifetime.
The central part of the park is the site of the famous monolith, constructed from a single piece of granite. The figural part of it is 14.12 meters tall, while the height including the pedestal soars to 17.3 meters. One of its many symbolic meanings depicts mankind’s vain attempt to reach the Gods, or even of Man to become God and the monolith, with its accompanying stairways and human sculptures that can be seen from every corner of the park.
Along with the monolith, the park also holds the famous Angry Boy sculpture completed between 1924 and 1944. The statue depicting a crying boy is a popular site for tourists who usually take pictures while holding the boy’s hand. The magnitude of the sculpture’s popularity is so great that the artist’s imprints left during molding were completely erased because of the damage caused by the constant hand holding that the tourists cannot resist. The hand itself has become shiny due to this and it is now commonly referred to as The Golden Hand.
Apart from the sculptures, you can also enjoy the bridges, under which swans and ducks swim freely, and don’t miss out on taking pictures by the fountain. The park is a must-see if you are a fan of art.
The entrance is free of charge.
The park is open at all times.
Author of the text:
Maja Glavaš, Bachelor with Honours in Communicology. Works in Tourism.
Contact: [email protected]; instagram: travel_europe1
Photo credit: Thomas Johannessen/VisitOSLO
