Oslo might not feature at the top of one’s travel bucket list, but if you are into twentieth-century sculpture, then this culturally-rich city is certainly worth a visit.
Set along a boulevard in the western suburbs of Oslo’s Frogner Park, Vigeland Park is the largest sculpture park in the world by a single artist, boasting 212 statues by renowned Norwegian sculptor, Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943). The sculptures are in bronze, granite and wrought iron in a variety of poses, situations and emotions.
You enter the main gate at Vigeland Park, passing his sculpture of self as you begin the walk on the bridge across Frogner Lake. Fifty-eight of the park’s sculptures are mounted on the parapets of this granite bridge, all in bronze and a little larger than life, ranging from the ordinary to the bizarre. The first thing that catches the eye is that all of the figures are naked.
“It is only when you put clothes on people, that religion and origin are identified. When you are naked you can be anyone, anywhere and at any time.”
– Gustav Vigeland
You cannot help but admire the craftsmanship of the bronze sculptures. From the facial expressions to every muscle in the body, Vigeland’s attention to detail is spot-on and thought-provoking!
Beyond the bridge, the path continues through a rose garden to the Fountain, one of the park’s most notable sights, and the earliest sculpture unit in the park.
Standing high from the centre of a square basin, six men hold a saucer-shaped vessel from which the fountain water flows. Representing different ages, the men appear to be bearing the heavy burden of life on their shoulders.
Water, a universal symbol of fertility, is juxtaposed with the twenty tree groups of figures intertwined between trees, mounted on the sides of the fountain’s square enclosure.
These figure-and-tree sculpture groups represent a romantic expression of Man’s relationship to nature and are among the first designed for the park, dating back to the early 1900s. They form the setting for the different stages of life – from childhood and adolescence through adulthood, old age and death.
The Monolith, standing at the highest point is the centrepiece and most popular attraction in Vigeland Park. As the name suggests, this 17-meter-high column is carved out from one solid piece of granite. It features 121 intertwined human figures climbing in and around each other in an attempt to reach the top.
The Monolith is surrounded by flights of steps lined with thirty-six granite figure-groups in all its variety – children, young adults, lovers, the elderly, figures in curiosity, in wonderment, in resignation, in suffering, in grief and dying moments – all are found here.
There’s plenty of fantasy to be found in the park but the overall impression one gets is that Gustav Vigeland was driven by a consuming love of humanity and all aspects of life experiences.
The city of Oslo granted Gustav Vigeland his park in 1924 and he worked on it for the remaining 30 years of his life. Vigeland was also responsible for the design and architectural outline of the park.
Vigeland Park attracts between 1 and 2 million visitors each year. It is open 24 hours to the public and entry into the park is free.
However, with Covid-19 still looming over us, it’s best to double-check the park’s revised opening hours and admission rules if you’re planning a visit there.
Dancing With Shadows 
Love the way you captured these statues. I’d love to explore this park. Thanks for the virtual tour too! 🙂
It is truly incredible that one man alone could carve out so many statues out of bronze and granite. Exploring the huge park for two hours was already tiring for me!