 My june 2005 guests Olga and Victoria by nvm25 | Vigelandsparken tips and photos posted by real travelers and Oslo locals. • 288 Photos
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I have seen pictures of the Vigeland Park before, but it is really different when you see for yourself the naked statues of Gustav Vigeland in several different intertwining and related poses.
Vigeland (1869-1943) is Norway’s greatest sculptor who struck a deal with the city to put his works on perspectives of all aspects of human life in this beautiful 75 acre garden. His work commenced on 1924 and was completed sometime in 1943, although the work seems to be continuing with restorations because the monolith of 121 figures rocketing up to the sky was covered in “net” when I visited the park. Park workers were also meticulously cleaning the statues ( I think it is a total of 600 figures, including some 192 bronze and granite structures) with water or some kind of solution since the Norwegians really value this park. It is a safe haven which is always open and well-lit at night. During the day when I visited, there were dog lovers walking their beloved companions, and it looked like they all knew each other.
It does have a museum containing exhibits on how Vigeland orchestrated the massive project in Oslo. I have also read that his ashes are placed strategically somewhere in the park.
Definitely, this place which evokes Norwegian art and life and invokes patriotism, is a must-see when visiting Oslo. I decided to walk all the way from the city center, but others may find it more convenient to use the public transpo: Bus #20,#45, and Tram #12 and #19, if using T-Bane: Majorstuen and a 5 minute walk.
Each figure has its own interpretation of human life, but I particularly like the father and child pictures as they reminded me of my own relationship with my kids. Leave a Comment Directions: Bus #20,#45, and Tram #12 and #19, if using T-Bane: Majorstuen and a 5 minute walk.
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 The main entrance to
Vigelandsparken by Maria_75
There are 212 sculptures here in bronze and granite and several wrought iron gates. Everyone designed by Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943), and the park itself is made after drawings by Vigeland. Over an area of 80 acres, and along an 850 meter long axis are the sculptures gathered in five bigger units; hovedportalen (the main entrance), broen med barneplassen (the bridge with the children's playground), fontenen (the fountain), monolittplataaet (the monolith plateau) and livshjulet (the wheel of life).
The park was constructed over several years. By the beginning of the century some areas were open to the public, and by 1950 the last elements was in place.
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 The monolith in
Vigelandsparken by Maria_75
This sculpture, the monolith, is 17 meters high and consits of 121 figures. The whole sculpture is carved from one single granite stone; mono (one) litho (stone). It stands on the highest point in the park, overlooking the rest of the sculptures.
In 1924 Vigeland spent only ten months making a full size model in clay. Three stonecarvers were working on the granite block from 1929 untill they were finally finished in 1943. After that, 36 sculptures were placed on the plateau surrounding the monolith.
It's really amazing to walk along and watch the sculptures. They are so accurate and life-like, and the hard stone looks really so soft that you want to touch it and see if it really is stone.
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 Gustav Vigeland by Maria_75
In the beginning he worked as a woodcarver in a woodcarving workshop, before he started studying with other masters, travelling around the world and making beautiful sculptures.
Vigeland was supposedly a person of great intensity in feelings and expressiveness, and this is very apparent in his sculptures. He was influenced by many artists, and the most influencial was perhaps the norwegian painter Edvard Munch.
In the beginning of the 1900's Vigeland made a contract with the city of Oslo; they would give him all that he needed, if he would let the city have all the works that he produced. After this he was working on the park all the time, untill he died of a heart disease in 1943. Today the park is a great contribution to the city, and it is open day and night, all year around.
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 Granite monument "The
Monolith" by Bernd_L
See more about this impressing park on my Vigeland Scupture Park Travelogue Leave a Comment Directions: Take tram #12 station "Vigelandsparken"
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 'Sinnataggen' - the angry
boy by Maria_75
The sculptures on the bridge were from the latest works of Vigeland, but some of the first to be installed in the park. Here you can also find the very popular Sinnataggen (angry boy).
The bridge is 100 m long and 15 m wide, and is lined with sculptures and lanterns. Under the bridge is a small playground, it is circular and has eight bronzesculptures. In the middle is a sculpture of an unborn baby.
On the river you can find plenty of ducks and swans. It is very popular, specially by children, to come here and feed the birds.
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 The fountain in
Vigelandsparken by Maria_75
In this fountain you can see the eternal cycle of man, from birth to death, and returning back to birth again. In the middle are six giants carrying an enormous vessel.
The installation of the fountain was finally finished in 1947, after years of planning and finding a place for it. The 20 tree-sculptures were all made from 1906-1914, and the relieves along the fountain were finished in 1936, also showing the cycle of mankind.
This is a great fountain, and it's really nice to walk around it and look at the people evolving from newborns to old skeleton-like figures.
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 Sculptures in the Vigeland
Park by HORSCHECKLeave a Comment Directions: The Vigeland Park is located a bit northeast of the city centre and can be reached by tram 12 (Vigelandsparken).Website: http://www.vigeland.museum.no/
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 The sundial in Vigelandsparken by Maria_75
On the other side of the park, from the main entrance, is the wheel of life and the sundial.This is an amazing calendar that shows the time and date by a shadow moving over the sundial. This sculpture was completed around 1930.
The wheel of life was completed in 1933-1934. It is another symbol on the cycle of eternity in mankind. You can find children, men and women holding on to each other, with all kinds of passions and moods.
The whole park is really amazing, and it is an relaxed atmosphere here. Everytime I go to the park I see something new, and there is always something that touches me.
You can see couples in love strolling around, but only seeing eachother. Families walking their dog, tourists taking pictures, schoolclasses drawing the sculptures or children climbing and playing on the sculptures. This is really the essence of the park. It is open and welcoming, and it is for everyone. But the best of all is that you don't just have to look at it through a glass, you can touch it and be a part of it.
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 Vigelands park by diocletianvs
"Son of a master carpenter and descendant of a long line of farmers" Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943) "was brought up in a strictly religious environment" ... "As a boy, Gustav Vigeland had shown exceptional ability as a woodcarver and when he was 15 he got an apprenticeship in Oslo. Vigeland soon realised that he was destined to be a sculptor." It is not hard to find stuff like this by simple googling.
So, this "destined to be a sculptor" who was greatly impressed by Rodin's work he saw in Paris got a dilapidated studio in Oslo from municipal authorities in 1902. When it later became necessary to demolish this studio he entered into a series of agreements with the City council that provided him a new studio. In return left all his sculptures to the city.
A rather naive reason for a city to become the owner of a rather naive collection of sculptures of a rather naive artist.
Today, the Vigeland park is the most visited single tourist attraction in Norway. The park covers an area of 80 hectares and Vigeland's 212 sculptures, all modelled in full size, are divided into five units: Main Entrance, The Bridge with the children's playground, The Fountain, The Monolith Plateau and The Wheel of Life.
This is a great park area for walks and enjoying in fresh air. But if you intend to see some works of real Norwegian artists please visit the Munch museum instead! Leave a Comment
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